Yes. Veterans Day is one of the 11 federal holidays set by federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103). In 2026 it falls on Wednesday, November 11. Federal offices, Federal Reserve Banks and post offices close. The stock market stays open.

To see every federal holiday this year and next, with the days off that move, check the federal holidays calendar.

When is Veterans Day 2026?

Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Veterans Day is always on November 11, whatever the day of the week. In 2027 it falls on Thursday, November 11.

When November 11 lands on a weekend, federal employees get a weekday off instead: the Friday before a Saturday, or the Monday after a Sunday. That happens in 2028, observed on Friday, November 10, and in 2029, observed on Monday, November 12.

Is Veterans Day a long weekend?

Not in 2026. November 11 falls on a Wednesday, so it's a midweek break. In 2027 it's a Thursday, and taking Friday off gets you four days.

The long weekends come later: in 2028 the observed holiday is Friday, November 10, and in 2029 it's Monday, November 12. Mark your calendar now and look very organized later.

Is Veterans Day a national holiday?

It's a federal holiday. Federal law lists 11 legal public holidays, and Veterans Day is one of them. The Office of Personnel Management publishes the dates each year.

That law covers federal employees. It doesn't make private businesses close, and states set their own holidays for state offices and schools. Whether you get the day off depends on your employer.

Do private employers have to give Veterans Day off?

No federal law requires it. The Department of Labor says the Fair Labor Standards Act "does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations or holidays." Its holiday page explains that these benefits are usually agreed between employer and employee.

So if your office is open on November 11, that's allowed. Your contract or employee handbook says whether you get the day, or extra pay for working it.

Are banks closed on Veterans Day?

The Federal Reserve observes Veterans Day, so Federal Reserve Banks are closed on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. It's on the Federal Reserve's holiday schedule for 2026 and 2027.

Your own bank sets its hours, so check with it before you go to a branch. Payments that would land that day usually wait for the next business day.

Is there mail on Veterans Day?

No regular mail. The Postal Service lists Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, among its holidays for 2026.

In its past Veterans Day notices, USPS closed post offices for retail and had no regular delivery. Normal service came back the next day.

Is the stock market open on Veterans Day?

Yes. The New York Stock Exchange doesn't list Veterans Day among its 2026 or 2027 market holidays, so it trades as on any weekday. Wall Street salutes with the opening bell, not a day off.

Is there school on Veterans Day?

It depends on your state and your school district. The federal holiday law covers federal employees, not schools. Check your district's calendar.

Why is Veterans Day on November 11?

Because World War I fighting stopped then. The armistice took effect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

  • 1938: an act of Congress made November 11 a legal holiday called Armistice Day.
  • 1954: Congress replaced "Armistice" with "Veterans" to honor veterans of all wars.
  • 1968: the Uniform Holiday Bill moved Veterans Day to a Monday in October. The first one, on October 25, 1971, caused a lot of confusion.
  • 1975: a new law returned Veterans Day to November 11, starting in 1978.

That's why the date doesn't move to a Monday like Columbus Day or Labor Day. Congress tried it once and changed its mind.

Veterans Day vs. Memorial Day

Memorial Day honors the people who died serving in the military. Veterans Day thanks everyone who served honorably, and it's mostly meant for living veterans, as the VA explains.

Memorial Day falls on the last Monday in May. In 2026 that's May 25.

Veterans Day or Veteran's Day?

Veterans Day, with no apostrophe. The VA settles it: the day honors all veterans, it doesn't belong to them. Somewhere, an English teacher just nodded.

Other federal holiday questions

  • Is Columbus Day a federal holiday? Yes. It's on the same list of 11, on the second Monday in October. In 2026 it was Monday, October 12.
  • Is the day after Thanksgiving a federal holiday? No. Only Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2026, is on the list.
  • Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday? No, although some years the president closes federal offices that day by executive order, as in 2024 and 2025.

See every federal holiday

The federal holidays calendar lists all 11, with the observed day off when one falls on a weekend. If you plan ahead, print the 2027 calendar.