Working Days Calculator — count business days between two dates.
A precise business days calculator for U.S. work weeks. Enter a start and end date to see exactly how many working days lie between them, with U.S. federal holidays and weekends removed by default. Every counted day is visible on the calendar below.
The full date range
U.S. federal holidays in this range
Common date ranges
Load a frequent scenario in one click.
How the working days calculator counts
This business days calculator walks the range between your two dates one day at a time and counts each day that qualifies as a working day. In the United States that's any Monday through Friday that is not on the federal holiday list maintained by the Office of Personnel Management.
Inclusive vs. exclusive counting
By default both endpoints are counted. If you prefer a half-open range (count the start but not the end, common in some contracts) toggle the Include both start and end date option off.
Custom rules
If your team or contract counts Saturdays as working days, untick the weekend option. If you operate without observing federal holidays, untick that one. The number, the legend on the calendar and the holiday list all update instantly.
What's a calendar day vs. a working day?
The result strip shows both numbers. Calendar days includes every day in the range; working days is the same range with non-working days removed. The gap between them tells you exactly how many holidays plus weekends fall inside your window.
Real-world uses
- Project planning. Compare planned vs. real working days remaining until launch.
- Vendor SLAs. Audit whether a delivery met a "ten working days" promise.
- HR & payroll. Count working days for hourly billing, contractor invoices or PTO planning.
- Legal & compliance. Verify response windows that are defined in business days rather than calendar days.
- Finance. Translate "T+30 working days" into the precise settlement date.
Definition of a working day in the U.S.
There is no single federal definition that applies everywhere, but the most common baseline — used by most U.S. courts, banks and federal agencies — is Monday through Friday excluding the eleven federal holidays. That's the default used by this calculator. Some industries shift the boundaries (financial markets observe additional non-trading days, for example), so always check the rule that governs your specific situation.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate working days between two dates?
Enter a start date in the From field and an end date in the To field. The calculator immediately shows the number of working days between them, with weekends and U.S. federal holidays removed by default. The full calendar underneath highlights every counted day so you can verify the math.
Does the calculator include the start and end date?
Yes, by default both endpoints are counted (inclusive counting). If you need exclusive counting — common when measuring elapsed business days — turn off the Include both start and end date option.
What's the difference between business days and working days?
In U.S. usage the two terms are interchangeable. Both mean Monday through Friday excluding observed federal holidays. The calculator treats them identically.
Which holidays does the working days calculator skip?
The 11 federal holidays in 5 U.S.C. § 6103: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday (Presidents' Day), Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. When a holiday falls on Saturday it shifts to the preceding Friday; on Sunday it shifts to the following Monday.
Can I count working days that span multiple years?
Yes. The calendar grid expands to show every month in the range, and holidays are computed dynamically for any year, so you can run a count across decades if you need to.
Why does my contract's count not match the calculator?
Some contracts define business days differently — for example excluding the firm's office holidays in addition to federal ones, or treating only NYSE trading days as business days. Use the toggles above to match your contract's definition, or count weekends in if your agreement is silent on them.
Federal holiday dates follow the schedule maintained by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under 5 U.S.C. § 6103. Observance shifts (Saturday → Friday, Sunday → Monday) are applied automatically. This calculator is provided for general scheduling and is not legal or financial advice — verify any deadline against the rules governing your specific situation.