US Business Days Calculator – How to Count & Add Working Days

How Do You Calculate US Business Days?

Calculating business days manually is prone to human error, especially when accounting for “Observed Holidays” that shift dates. To calculate business days accurately without a tool, you must follow this standard formula:

• Step 1: Calculate the total calendar days between your Start Date and End Date.
• Step 2: Subtract all Saturdays and Sundays from the total.
• Step 3: Subtract all recognized Federal Holidays (see table below).
• Step 4: Adjust for “Observed” holidays (e.g., if July 4th falls on a Saturday, subtract Friday, July 3rd).

As a result, a standard 30-day calendar month typically contains only 20 to 22 actual business days.

What Counts as a Business Day in the United States?

In the United States, a “Business Day” is a term of art used in contracts and labor law. Specifically, it includes:

• Monday through Friday: The core 5-day work week.
• Non-Holidays: Days that are not designated as one of the 11 Federal Holidays.

Conversely, it excludes weekends and holidays. However, it is important to note that “Banking Days” may differ slightly from “Business Days” depending on the institution, though they generally align with the Federal Reserve schedule.

US Federal Holidays Used in This Calculator

For accurate long-term planning, it is essential to know exactly when the federal government closes. Furthermore, banks and post offices typically follow this schedule. Below is the official holiday schedule for the next two years based on Department of Labor (DOL) standards.

How to Add Business Days to a Date (Step-by-Step)

Forecasting a future deadline is different than counting past days. To do this correctly:

1. Select the “Add Days to Date” tab in the calculator above.
2. Enter your Start Date (e.g., the date a shipment leaves).
3. Enter the duration in the “Business Days to Add” field (e.g., 5 days).
4. Review the holiday checklist to ensure all relevant holidays are checked.
5. Click Calculate to see the exact arrival date.

The tool will automatically skip weekends and holidays, giving you the precise date to list on your contract or shipping manifest.

Business Days vs Calendar Days (With Examples)

The distinction between business days and calendar days is the source of most logistical errors. A calendar day includes every 24-hour period (Monday through Sunday). A business day strictly excludes weekends and holidays.

For example, if a contract states “delivery in 10 days” without specifying, it usually implies calendar days. However, “10 business days” starting on a Friday actually spans 16 calendar days once two weekends are factored in. Using our tool prevents you from underestimating these durations.

Who Uses a Business Days Calculator?

Our tool is trusted by professionals across multiple high-compliance industries:

• HR Managers: For calculating employee probation periods (90-day reviews) and determining off-boarding pay.
• Legal Teams: For determining the exact filing date for court motions (Rule 6a) where counting errors can lead to dismissal.
• Logistics Coordinators: For estimating “Must Arrive By” (MABD) dates for freight and courier shipments.
• Real Estate Agents: For tracking contingency periods in closing contracts (e.g., “10 days to inspect”).

Understanding the “Observed Holiday” Rule

A frequent point of confusion in payroll and logistics involves Observed Holidays. Federal law (5 U.S.C. § 6103) mandates that if a fixed-date holiday falls on a weekend, it is observed on the nearest workday. For instance:

• If a holiday falls on a Saturday, it is observed on the preceding Friday.
• If a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the following Monday.

Our US Business Days Calculator logic automatically handles these shifts. In addition, you can manually uncheck specific holidays in the tool above if your organization remains open on days like Columbus Day or Veterans Day.

How to Calculate Business Days in Excel

For users who prefer working in spreadsheets, Microsoft Excel offers a built-in function to calculate business days. Specifically, you can use the =NETWORKDAYS function.

=NETWORKDAYS(Start_Date, End_Date, [Holidays])

However, you must manually create a list of holidays in a separate range of cells for Excel to exclude them. Our online tool is often faster because the holidays are pre-loaded and updated automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – US Business Days Calculator