Banks close on 11 federal holidays each year, plus some state holidays depending on where you bank
The Federal Reserve sets the official closure dates for all U.S. banks. These are New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. On these days, branch locations close and you cannot deposit checks in person or withdraw cash at the teller window.
Some states add their own holidays — Texas observes Confederate Heroes Day, South Carolina observes Robert E. Lee's Birthday, and a handful of others have regional observances. If your bank is headquartered in or has branches in a state with an extra holiday, those branches may close on that day even if your state does not observe it. Call your bank's main number or check their website to confirm whether they close on any state-specific holidays.
Holiday closures affect in-person transactions only. ATMs stay open, online transfers continue to process, and direct deposits land in your account as scheduled. If you need cash or need to deposit a check by hand, plan ahead on the business day before.
Key Takeaways
- Federal banks close on 11 set holidays per year: New Year's Day, MLK Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
- Some states observe additional holidays, and banks in those states may close on those days too — check with your specific bank.
- ATMs and online banking work on holidays, so you can still withdraw money and transfer funds even when branches are closed.
- Direct deposits and automatic payments process normally on holidays, though the timing may shift by a day depending on the holiday's placement in the week.
How holiday closures affect direct deposits and bill payments
Direct deposits scheduled to land on a holiday usually arrive the business day before instead. If your paycheck is set to deposit on Thanksgiving Thursday, it typically hits your account on Wednesday. The same rule applies to automatic bill payments — if a payment is due on a holiday, it processes the day before.
This matters most when a holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, because it can create a three-day or four-day gap. If Christmas falls on a Monday, banks close Monday and Tuesday (observed), so deposits scheduled for Monday land on Friday of the previous week. Check with your employer or the company that sends you regular payments to confirm their exact timing, because some process deposits a day earlier than the holiday itself.
Wire transfers initiated on a holiday do not go through until the next business day. If you send a wire on Thanksgiving, it leaves your account on Friday. This matters if you are paying a bill with a hard deadline — plan to initiate wires by the business day before the holiday.
What you can and cannot do when banks are closed
You can withdraw cash from any ATM, check your balance, transfer money between your own accounts online, and set up bill payments through your bank's website or app. Debit card purchases work normally. Direct deposits land as scheduled (or one day early). Automatic payments from your account go through on time.
You cannot visit a branch to deposit a check by hand, withdraw cash from a teller, open a new account, or speak to a banker about a problem. If you need to deposit a physical check, use your bank's mobile app to photograph it (most banks offer mobile deposit), or wait until the next business day. If you need to resolve an account issue, call the customer service line — most banks staff phone support on holidays, though wait times are longer.
If a check is deposited on a holiday via mobile deposit, it typically posts to your account the next business day, the same as any other day. The holiday does not slow down the processing.
Planning ahead for holiday closures
If you know you will need cash on or around a holiday, withdraw it the business day before. ATMs have daily withdrawal limits (usually $500 to $1,000 depending on your bank and account type), so if you need more, plan multiple withdrawals across several days leading up to the holiday.
If you are expecting a check to arrive by mail, assume it will take one extra day if it arrives during a holiday week. A check mailed to you on a Tuesday before Thanksgiving may not reach your mailbox until after the holiday, and even if it does, you cannot deposit it in person until Friday.
For bill payments, initiate them at least two business days before the due date if a holiday falls in between. If your rent or mortgage is due on a day that falls on a holiday, contact your landlord or servicer ahead of time to confirm they received your payment or to arrange an alternate payment method.
The difference between federal holidays and bank holidays
Federal holidays are days the federal government observes — offices close, federal employees get the day off. Bank holidays are the days the Federal Reserve declares banks closed. They overlap almost completely, but not entirely. If a federal holiday falls on a Saturday, the federal government observes it on Friday, but banks may observe it on Saturday (meaning they close Saturday instead of staying open). This rarely affects you because most branches are already closed on weekends.
The Federal Reserve publishes its official holiday schedule each year on its website. If you want to confirm the exact dates your bank will be closed, check your bank's website or call their main customer service line — they will have a holiday schedule posted.
What to do if you need banking services on a holiday
Call your bank's customer service line. Most large banks staff phone support 24/7, including holidays, though you may wait longer than usual. They can help you with account questions, dispute a transaction, or confirm whether a payment went through.
Use your bank's mobile app or website to handle routine tasks — check your balance, transfer money, pay bills, or deposit a check via mobile deposit. These services work on holidays the same as any other day.
If you bank with a credit union, check their holiday schedule separately — some credit unions observe different holidays than banks, and some stay open on certain federal holidays. Call your credit union's main number to confirm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do banks close on the day after Thanksgiving?
No. The day after Thanksgiving (Friday) is not a federal holiday, so banks are open. However, some businesses and government offices close on that day, so confirm with whoever you are trying to reach. Banks themselves operate normally on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
What happens if a holiday falls on a weekend?
If a holiday falls on Saturday, banks close on Friday instead (the observed date). If it falls on Sunday, banks close on Monday. This means you get the same number of closure days, just shifted to the nearest weekday. Check your bank's website to confirm the observed date.
Will my paycheck deposit on a holiday?
Your paycheck will deposit on the business day closest to the scheduled date. If payday is on a holiday, it usually deposits the day before. Confirm with your employer or payroll department for the exact timing, as some employers process deposits earlier in the week.
Can I use my debit card on a holiday?
Yes. Debit card purchases work normally on holidays because they process through card networks, not through your bank's branch system. ATM withdrawals also work 24/7, including holidays.
Do online banks close on holidays?
Online-only banks (banks with no physical branches) do not have branch closures, but they are still subject to Federal Reserve holidays. This means wire transfers and some other services may process one day later if initiated on a holiday. Check your online bank's website for their specific holiday policy.