Holidays in United Arab Emirates 2026
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026 · Holiday data: October 13, 2026
The 2026 United Arab Emirates holiday table below lists 13 dates, each one a day this calculator treats as closed. 11 fall on a weekday and 2 land on a weekend, leaving 250 working days across the year on the national-only count. A date is not always a holiday of its own: 7 are numbered days of a holiday that lasts more than one day; 2 are marked observed or additional, the day a holiday was moved to or a further day granted with it.
2026 public holidays calendar
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | Thursday | New Year's Day |
| Mar 19 | Thursday | Eid al-Fitr (eve, 30 Ramadan) |
| Mar 20 | Friday | Eid al-Fitr (day 1) |
| Mar 21 | Saturday (weekend) | Eid al-Fitr (day 2) |
| Mar 22 | Sunday (weekend) | Eid al-Fitr (day 3) |
| May 26 | Tuesday | Arafat Day |
| May 27 | Wednesday | Eid al-Adha (day 1) |
| May 28 | Thursday | Eid al-Adha (day 2) |
| May 29 | Friday | Eid al-Adha (day 3) |
| Jun 15 | Monday | Islamic New Year (observed) |
| Aug 28 | Friday | Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (observed) |
| Dec 2 | Wednesday | National Dayunconfirmed |
| Dec 3 | Thursday | National Day (day 2)unconfirmed |
unconfirmed Entries tagged fall on a date a standing rule fixes, but the annual order or announcement that confirms the day off for this year has not been published yet. Confirm against the issuing authority before relying on them for legally binding deadlines.
2026 year summary
Total days
365
Weekend days
104
Public holidays on weekdays
11
Working days
250
The 2 weekend dates in 2026 fall on a Saturday or Sunday, days the count already excludes, so the working-day reduction comes only from the 11 weekday dates. The UAE's federal public holidays are set by Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, in force from 1 January 2025, one list for the public and private sectors alike: New Year's Day (1 January), Eid al-Fitr (1 to 3 Shawwal, plus 30 Ramadan in a year when Ramadan runs thirty days), Arafat Day (9 Dhu al-Hijjah), Eid al-Adha (10 to 12 Dhu al-Hijjah), the Islamic New Year (1 Muharram), the Prophet's Birthday (12 Rabi al-Awwal) and National Day (2 and 3 December). It repealed Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2019, under which 2024 was set. Except for the Eid holidays, the Cabinet may move a holiday to the beginning or end of the week, but a holiday that lands on the weekend or on another holiday is not moved. Where the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has announced a holiday's day for the federal government, the table lists that day, marked (observed) where it differs from the Resolution's date; every other row is on the Resolution's date. Since 1 January 2022 the federal government's weekend has been Saturday and Sunday, and that is the weekend this calendar counts.
Sources for these rules
- FAHR announces New Year 2026 holiday for the federal government (Federal Authority for Government Human Resources)
- MoHRE announces Monday, 15 June 2026, as a paid public holiday for UAE private sector employees to mark the Hijri New Year (post of 3 June 2026) (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (its official account on X))
- Circular No. 11 of 2026 regarding the Holiday of the Prophet Mohammad's Birthday 1448 AH (Federal Authority for Government Human Resources)
- Cabinet Resolution No. (27) of 2024 Concerning the Public Holidays in the State (archived copy) (UAE Legislation (Ministry of Cabinet Affairs))
- Public holidays: Islamic holidays determined by moon sighting; Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, no transfer of a holiday that falls on a weekend (UAE Government Portal)
- Working hours in the public sector (UAE Government Portal)
Checked October 13, 2026. All sources
Where these UAE holiday dates come from
Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 sets the UAE's public holidays for the public and private sectors from 2025. Except for the Eid holidays, the Cabinet may move a holiday to the beginning or end of the week, but never one that falls on the weekend or on another holiday, and the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources announces the day the federal government takes. This calendar counts the announced day. Until it is announced, the calendar counts the Resolution's own date and marks it (unconfirmed), or (approximate) for an Islamic date computed ahead.
Announced days this calendar counts (2026):
- New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1 (Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, FAHR announces New Year 2026 holiday for the federal government, in the register)
- Islamic New Year (observed), Monday, June 15 (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (its official account on X), MoHRE announces Monday, 15 June 2026, as a paid public holiday for UAE private sector employees to mark the Hijri New Year (post of 3 June 2026), in the register)
- Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (observed), Friday, August 28 (Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, Circular No. 11 of 2026 regarding the Holiday of the Prophet Mohammad's Birthday 1448 AH, in the register)
Not yet announced for 2026, counted on the Resolution's date:
- National Day (unconfirmed), Wednesday, December 2
- National Day (day 2) (unconfirmed), Thursday, December 3
Source: UAE Legislation (Ministry of Cabinet Affairs), Cabinet Resolution No. (27) of 2024 Concerning the Public Holidays in the State (archived copy) (in the register). Checked October 7, 2026.
Holidays not included
Article 4 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 lets the government of each emirate set further holidays for its own departments; those are not in this federal set. The two Eid blocks can never be moved. A holiday with no announcement yet keeps the Resolution's date in this table. From Monday to Friday it is marked (unconfirmed), because the Cabinet may still move it; on the weekend it carries no mark, because Article 3 keeps it there. An Islamic date computed for a later year is marked (approximate). The note on this page names the circular behind each day the Authority announced, where one is on file for the year.
Sources for these rules
- Cabinet Resolution No. (27) of 2024 Concerning the Public Holidays in the State (archived copy) (UAE Legislation (Ministry of Cabinet Affairs))
Checked October 13, 2026. All sources
Other years
Sources and verification
Official source: The United Arab Emirates' Government portal (u.ae) (opens in a new tab)
Cross-checked against this source on October 13, 2026.