Is Halloween a Federal Holiday? No — Oct. 31, 2027
No, Halloween is not a federal holiday: 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) lists 11 legal public holidays and Halloween is not one of them. Halloween 2027 is Sunday, October 31, 2027. Neither 6103(a) nor OPM's 2026 to 2030 tables list it, and it is on no Federal Reserve, USPS or NYSE holiday list.
The number of days to Sunday, October 31, 2027 appears here once the page loads in your browser.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Federal sources checked November 1, 2026 · Methodology & sources
All dates for the year: federal holidays 2027. To check any other day, use the federal holiday checker.
The law: what 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) says about Halloween
5 U.S.C. 6103(a), quoted below, lists the legal public holidays. There are 11, and Halloween is not one of them. OPM's federal holidays tables for 2026 through 2030 have no row for Halloween either.
(a) The following are legal public holidays: New Year's Day, January 1. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January. Washington's Birthday, the third Monday in February. Memorial Day, the last Monday in May. Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19. Independence Day, July 4. Labor Day, the first Monday in September. Columbus Day, the second Monday in October. Veterans Day, November 11. Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November. Christmas Day, December 25.
Source: 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays (GovInfo), OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables)
Who gets the day off on Halloween 2027
Halloween is not a legal public holiday, so it does not change a federal employee's holiday schedule. The table shows what the Federal Reserve, USPS, NYSE and SIFMA lists say for Sunday, October 31, 2027; each row names its source.
OPM's rule for a holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday, quoted below, applies to legal public holidays. Halloween is not in 6103(a) or in OPM's tables, so the rule does not apply to it.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, for most Federal employees, the preceding Friday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See 5 U.S.C. 6103(b).) If a holiday falls on a Sunday, for most Federal employees, the following Monday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See Section 3(a) of Executive Order 11582, February 11, 1971.)
| Who | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Federal offices and agencies | Normal schedule (no holiday listed) | Halloween is not in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) and has no row in OPM's holiday tables, so it does not make Sunday, October 31, 2027 a federal holiday.Source: OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables), 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays (GovInfo) |
| Federal Reserve Banks | Weekend | Sunday, October 31, 2027 falls on a weekend. Neither the Federal Reserve Financial Services holiday schedule nor the Board's K.8 table lists a holiday on it. Whether a bank or credit union branch is open is up to each bank: each bank sets its own hours, so check with yours.Source: Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules, Federal Reserve Board: Holidays Observed (K.8) |
| USPS Post Offices and delivery | Weekend | No regular mail delivery on Sunday. USPS says: “Priority Mail Express® mailpieces and Amazon parcels are the only pieces of mail eligible for Sunday delivery.” Hours vary by location. Confirm local Post Office hours with USPS.Source: USPS: holidays and events, USPS FAQ: No mail delivery? |
| Stock market (NYSE) | Weekend | Sunday, October 31, 2027 falls on a weekend; NYSE's holiday list has no entry for it. This page covers NYSE; check your exchange or broker for its own calendar.Source: NYSE: holidays and trading hours |
| Bond market (SIFMA recommendation) | Weekend | Sunday, October 31, 2027 falls on a weekend; SIFMA's U.S. holiday schedule has no entry for it.Source: SIFMA: U.S. holiday schedule |
Source: OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables), Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules, Federal Reserve Board: Holidays Observed (K.8), USPS: holidays and events, NYSE: holidays and trading hours, SIFMA: U.S. holiday schedule
To check another day, use the bank holiday checker, Post Office holiday checker or the stock market holidays list.
Private employers and holiday pay
Federal holiday law covers federal employees, and Halloween is not on its list. Whether a private employer gives Halloween off or pays for it is generally a matter of agreement. The U.S. Department of Labor says this about holiday pay, and about government contracts:
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations or holidays (federal or otherwise). These benefits are generally a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee (or the employee's representative).
On a government contract to which the labor standards of the McNamara O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) apply, holiday and/or vacation fringe benefit requirements are stated in the SCA wage determinations in contracts that exceed $2,500. On a government contract to which the labor standards of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts apply, holiday pay and/or vacation pay is required for specific classifications of workers only if the Davis-Bacon wage determination in the covered contract specifies such requirements for workers employed in those classifications.
Federal premium pay for holiday work, quoted below, applies to work on a holiday designated by Federal statute, Executive order, or (for District of Columbia government employees) by order of the District of Columbia Council. Halloween is not in 6103(a) or OPM's tables; ask your HR office which pay rules apply to your schedule.
(b) An employee who performs work on a holiday designated by Federal statute, Executive order, or with respect to an employee of the government of the District of Columbia, by order of the District of Columbia Council, is entitled to pay at the rate of his basic pay, plus premium pay at a rate equal to the rate of his basic pay, for that holiday work which is not— (1) in excess of 8 hours; or (2) overtime work as defined by section 5542(a) of this title.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor: Holiday Pay, 5 U.S.C. 5546: Pay for Sunday and holiday work (GovInfo)
Pay periods and pay dates: 2027 federal pay period calendar.
Halloween dates, 2027 to 2030
Halloween is a fixed calendar date, October 31. The table gives the weekday of that date for each year; the weekdays are computed and the rows are labeled as such.
| Year | Halloween | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Sunday, October 31, 2027 | Fixed calendar date, October 31; the weekday is computed |
| 2028 | Tuesday, October 31, 2028 | Fixed calendar date, October 31; the weekday is computed |
| 2029 | Wednesday, October 31, 2029 | Fixed calendar date, October 31; the weekday is computed |
| 2030 | Thursday, October 31, 2030 | Fixed calendar date, October 31; the weekday is computed |
Source: OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables), NYSE: holidays and trading hours
More federal holiday questions
- Is Memorial Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Labor Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is 4th of July a Federal Holiday?
- Is Christmas a Federal Holiday?
- Is New Year's Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Flag Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is St. Patrick's Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is César Chávez Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Cinco de Mayo a Federal Holiday?
- Is Patriots' Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is New Year's Eve a Federal Holiday?
- Is the Day After Christmas a Federal Holiday?
- Is MLK Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Presidents Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Juneteenth a Federal Holiday?
- Is Columbus Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Good Friday a Federal Holiday?
- Is Easter a Federal Holiday?
- Is Easter Monday a Federal Holiday?
- Is Veterans Day a Federal Holiday?
- Is Black Friday a Federal Holiday?
- Is Christmas Eve a Federal Holiday?
Questions
Do federal employees get Halloween off?
No, not as a holiday. 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) does not list Halloween and OPM's holiday tables have no row for it, so Halloween is not a legal public holiday for federal employees. Ask your agency about your own schedule and leave.
Is the post office open on Halloween 2027?
No regular mail delivery on Sunday. USPS says: “Priority Mail Express® mailpieces and Amazon parcels are the only pieces of mail eligible for Sunday delivery.” Hours vary by location. Confirm local Post Office hours with USPS.
Is the stock market open on Halloween 2027?
Halloween 2027 is a Sunday. Sunday, October 31, 2027 falls on a weekend; NYSE's holiday list has no entry for it. This page covers NYSE; check your exchange or broker for its own calendar. Sunday, October 31, 2027 falls on a weekend; SIFMA's U.S. holiday schedule has no entry for it.
Are Federal Reserve Banks closed on Halloween 2027?
Sunday, October 31, 2027 falls on a weekend. Neither the Federal Reserve Financial Services holiday schedule nor the Board's K.8 table lists a holiday on it. Whether a bank or credit union branch is open is up to each bank: each bank sets its own hours, so check with yours.
Do private employers have to give Halloween off?
Not under federal law for most private employers. Federal holidays bind federal employees, not private employers. The Department of Labor says: "The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations or holidays (federal or otherwise)." On government contracts the rules can differ, and DOL says: "On a government contract to which the labor standards of the McNamara O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) apply, holiday and/or vacation fringe benefit requirements are stated in the SCA wage determinations in contracts that exceed $2,500." The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts can require holiday pay the same way, for specific classifications of workers and only if the wage determination specifies it. Check your employer and state law.
When is Halloween 2028?
Halloween 2028 is Tuesday, October 31, 2028. It is still not a federal holiday.
Do federal employees get extra pay for working on Halloween?
No, not as holiday premium pay. 5 U.S.C. 5546(b) applies to work on a holiday designated by Federal statute, Executive order, or (for District of Columbia government employees) by order of the District of Columbia Council, and Halloween is not in 6103(a) or in OPM's holiday tables. Your agency and pay system decide how pay rules apply to your schedule, so ask your HR office.
Sources: 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays (GovInfo) · 5 U.S.C. 5546: Pay for Sunday and holiday work (GovInfo) · OPM: Federal Holidays (2026 to 2030 tables) · U.S. Department of Labor: Holiday Pay · Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules · Federal Reserve Board: Holidays Observed (K.8) · USPS: holidays and events · USPS FAQ: No mail delivery? · NYSE: holidays and trading hours · SIFMA: U.S. holiday schedule