The day after Thanksgiving is not a federal bank holiday, and banks stay open for business
The Friday after Thanksgiving—often called Black Friday—is a regular business day for banks across the United States. Federal banks, credit unions, and most private banks operate on their normal schedules. You can deposit checks, withdraw cash, and conduct transactions as usual.
The confusion arises because Thanksgiving Day itself is a federal holiday, and many people assume the day after is too. It is not. Only Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday in November) closes federal offices and banks. The day after is a workday, though some individual banks may choose to close their branches for internal reasons or staffing decisions.
If you need to handle banking on the day after Thanksgiving, plan to visit during regular branch hours. ATMs and online banking remain available 24/7 regardless of whether branches are open.
Key Takeaways
- Banks are open the day after Thanksgiving because only Thanksgiving Day itself is a federal holiday.
- You can deposit checks, withdraw money, and conduct normal banking transactions on Black Friday.
- ATMs and online banking work around the clock even if a branch chooses to close.
- Some individual banks may close their physical locations on Black Friday for business reasons, so check with your bank directly if you need a specific service.
- The Federal Reserve and federal offices close only on Thanksgiving Day, not the day after.
Why Thanksgiving Day closes banks but the day after does not
The federal government designates specific days as holidays when federal offices shut down. Thanksgiving Day is one of them. When a federal holiday occurs, the Federal Reserve closes, federal banks do not process transactions, and most private banks follow the same closure pattern.
The day after Thanksgiving has no federal holiday status. Congress has not designated it as a holiday, and the Office of Personnel Management does not list it as a day when federal employees are excused from work. This means the banking system operates normally, even though many private employers and schools remain closed.
Some businesses treat the day after Thanksgiving as a de facto holiday because so many people are traveling or shopping, but that is a business choice, not a legal requirement. Banks, as regulated financial institutions, follow federal holiday rules rather than retail calendars.
What happens if your bank closes on Black Friday anyway
A small number of banks choose to close their physical branches on the day after Thanksgiving, even though they are not required to. This is usually a staffing or operational decision made by the bank's management. If your bank is one of them, you will not be able to visit a teller or use the branch's services in person.
However, you can still access your money through other means. ATMs operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, regardless of branch closures. You can withdraw cash, check your balance, and transfer money between your own accounts using any ATM in your bank's network or a partner network.
Online banking and mobile apps work the same way. You can pay bills, transfer funds, deposit checks by phone camera, and manage your account from home. If you need to speak to someone, most banks offer phone support during extended hours, though response times may be slower on a day when many staff are off.
How to know if your specific bank is open
The best way to find out is to call your bank's customer service line or check their website. Most banks post holiday hours in advance, usually by mid-November. Look for a "Holiday Hours" or "Locations and Hours" section on their website.
You can also use your bank's branch locator tool and search for your nearest location. Many tools show whether a specific branch will be open on a given date. If you use a large national bank like Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, or Citibank, their websites typically have this information updated weeks ahead.
If you use a credit union, call the main office or check their website. Credit unions vary widely in their Black Friday policies—some close, others stay open. Do not assume based on what you heard about another credit union.
When you might actually need a bank on the day after Thanksgiving
Most banking needs can wait until Monday, but some situations require immediate action. If you need to deposit a check before a deadline, use mobile check deposit through your bank's app instead of visiting a branch. Most banks process mobile deposits within one business day.
If you need cash and your bank's branch is closed, use any ATM in your bank's network. If you use a bank that is part of a shared branching network or surcharge-free ATM alliance, you may have access to thousands of ATMs nationwide.
If you have a fraud issue or a payment that needs to stop immediately, call your bank's customer service line. Most banks staff their phone lines even on days when branches are closed, and they can freeze accounts, dispute transactions, or stop payments over the phone.
Federal holidays that do close banks
Only these federal holidays close banks and the Federal Reserve:
- New Year's Day (January 1)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January)
- Presidents' Day (third Monday in February)
- Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
- Juneteenth (June 19)
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Labor Day (first Monday in September)
- Columbus Day (second Monday in October)
- Veterans Day (November 11)
- Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
The day after Thanksgiving does not appear on this list. Neither does Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, or the day after Christmas. Banks are open on all of those days.
Planning ahead for holiday banking
If you know you will need to deposit a check or handle a banking task around Thanksgiving, do it before Thanksgiving Day. Deposit checks on Wednesday or earlier in the week so they clear before the holiday.
If you are traveling over the holiday weekend, withdraw cash before you leave. This saves you from hunting for an ATM in an unfamiliar area or paying out-of-network fees.
Set up automatic bill payments or transfers ahead of time so you do not have to handle them manually during the holiday period. Most banks let you schedule transactions days or weeks in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I deposit a check on the day after Thanksgiving?
If your bank's branch is open, yes. If the branch is closed, use mobile check deposit through your bank's app. Mobile deposits typically process within one business day, so a check deposited on Friday will usually be available by Monday.
Will the Federal Reserve be open the day after Thanksgiving?
No, the Federal Reserve closes on Thanksgiving Day and reopens on Friday. However, this does not affect your ability to use ATMs or online banking. It affects the speed of large institutional transactions, not consumer banking.
Do credit unions close on Black Friday?
Some do, some do not. Credit unions make their own decisions about holiday closures. Call your credit union directly or check their website to find out their specific Black Friday hours.
What if I need to wire money on the day after Thanksgiving?
If your bank's branch is closed, you cannot initiate a wire in person. However, many banks allow wire transfers through online banking or by phone. Call your bank's customer service line to ask if they can process a wire on that day.
Is Black Friday a holiday for government employees?
No. Federal employees return to work on the day after Thanksgiving. Some state and local government offices may close, but federal offices operate normally.