Calculate Working Days Excluding Public Holidays
Updated: May 2026
Public holidays reduce the number of available business days in any period. Knowing exactly how many working days exclude bank holidays is essential for accurate contract deadlines, payroll calculations and project planning.
Select your country in the calculator to automatically exclude its public holidays.
Open the Business Days Calculator →Why public holidays matter in business day calculations
A period that looks like 20 business days on paper may actually contain 17 or 18 working days if it spans a national holiday cluster. December is a notorious example: in France, between Christmas and New Year, only two or three working days may be available. Missing this causes late payments, missed deliveries and contract disputes.
The safest approach is to always use a tool that knows the official holiday calendar for the relevant jurisdiction and applies it automatically.
France — 11 jours fériés
French law defines 11 public holidays (jours fériés) per year, all of which are paid days off for employees under the Code du travail. Unlike some countries, France does not apply "observed" substitution — if a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is simply lost.
- 1 January — New Year's Day
- Easter Monday (moveable, based on Easter Sunday)
- 1 May — Labour Day (Fête du Travail)
- 8 May — Victory in Europe Day
- Ascension Thursday (39 days after Easter)
- Whit Monday (50 days after Easter)
- 14 July — Bastille Day
- 15 August — Assumption of Mary
- 1 November — All Saints' Day (Toussaint)
- 11 November — Armistice Day
- 25 December — Christmas Day
United States — 11 federal holidays
US federal law recognises 11 public holidays. Private employers are not legally required to observe them, but they are the standard reference in commercial contracts. When a holiday falls on Saturday, it is observed on Friday; when it falls on Sunday, it is observed on Monday.
- New Year's Day, MLK Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas
United Kingdom — bank holidays (England & Wales)
England and Wales have 8 standard bank holidays per year. Scotland and Northern Ireland observe different and additional dates. UK bank holidays use a substitution rule similar to the US: if the holiday falls on a weekend, the nearest weekday is the observed bank holiday. The government occasionally adds or moves bank holidays for one-off events.
Germany — 9 national holidays
Germany's Bundesgesetzgebung defines 9 national public holidays. Additional holidays vary by federal state (Bundesland): Bavaria, for example, observes Epiphany and Corpus Christi; Baden-Württemberg observes Epiphany. Our calculator uses the 9 national holidays common to all states. Add state-specific dates manually if needed.
Adding custom holidays
Company-specific closure days, regional holidays, or one-off government-declared holidays can be added manually. In the Advanced Options panel, enter the date and an optional label, then click Add. All custom dates are excluded alongside the country calendar holidays. This is useful for office closures over the Christmas break, company retreat days, or observed local festivals.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does France have?
France has 11 public holidays (jours fériés). Unlike the US and UK, France does not apply observed substitution: if a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is not replaced by a Monday off.
Do US federal holidays apply to private companies?
Federal holidays apply directly to federal employees. Private employers are not legally required to observe them, but they are the standard reference used in commercial contracts and payment terms.
What are UK bank holidays?
England and Wales have 8 standard bank holidays per year. Our calculator uses England and Wales as the default UK calendar. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different lists.