Updated: January 6, 2026
How Many Business Days Are in a Month?
Most months have between 19 and 23 business days. The exact count depends on two factors: how many weekdays fall within the month, and how many federal holidays land on those weekdays. Because months start on a different day of the week each year, the number shifts from year to year even for the same calendar month.
Why the Count Varies
A month with 31 days contains either 21 or 23 weekdays depending on which day it starts. Add a federal holiday on a weekday and you lose one. Two holidays and you lose two. February is the outlier: it has only 28 or 29 days, so even in a best case it caps out at 20 weekdays before holidays.
The practical result is that no two months in the same year have the same business day count, and no two Januaries across different years are guaranteed to match either.
Business Days by Month: 2026
The table below shows business days for each month in 2026, accounting for US federal holidays that fall on weekdays.
| Month | Weekdays | Federal Holidays | Business Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22 | 2 (New Year's Day, MLK Day) | 20 |
| February | 20 | 1 (Presidents' Day) | 19 |
| March | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| April | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| May | 21 | 1 (Memorial Day) | 20 |
| June | 22 | 1 (Juneteenth) | 21 |
| July | 23 | 1 (Independence Day) | 22 |
| August | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| September | 22 | 1 (Labor Day) | 21 |
| October | 22 | 1 (Columbus Day) | 21 |
| November | 21 | 2 (Veterans Day, Thanksgiving) | 19 |
| December | 23 | 1 (Christmas Day) | 22 |
Total for 2026: 250 business days.
How to Count Business Days in a Month Yourself
Start with the total number of days in the month. Identify which day of the week the 1st falls on, then count how many complete weekends are in the month. Subtract those Saturday and Sunday dates. Then subtract any federal holidays that fall on the remaining weekdays. The result is the business day count.
For a faster approach, use the Business Day Calculator to count business days between any two dates.
Planning Around Month Boundaries
Business day counts matter most when you are working with payment terms, project timelines, or regulatory deadlines that are expressed in business days. A month with 19 business days feels noticeably shorter for billing and operations than a month with 22. If you manage recurring invoices, payroll, or monthly close processes, knowing the business day count for each month in advance helps you avoid last-minute scheduling surprises.
FAQ
How many business days are in a typical month?
Most months have between 19 and 23 business days. The exact number depends on how many weekdays the month contains and how many federal holidays fall on weekdays in that month.
Which month has the fewest business days?
February typically has the fewest, since it has the shortest total length and includes Presidents' Day. In a non-leap year, February can have as few as 19 business days.
Does it matter which year I'm calculating for?
Yes. Because months start on a different day of the week each year, the count of weekdays and therefore business days changes from year to year. Always calculate for the specific year you need.