Working Days Calculator
Calculate business days between dates, excluding weekends and country-specific holidays for accurate project timelines.
What Is a Working Days Calculator?
A working days calculator (also called a business days calculator or workdays calculator) is a tool that calculates the number of business days between two dates, excluding weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and optionally excluding public holidays specific to your country.
Working days calculators are essential for:
- Project management: Calculate accurate project timelines and deadlines
- Billing and invoicing: Calculate payment terms (e.g., "Net 30 business days")
- Legal contracts: Determine compliance deadlines and response periods
- HR and payroll: Calculate work hours, vacation days, and notice periods
- Shipping and delivery: Estimate business day delivery times
- Financial transactions: Calculate settlement dates for trades and transfers
How to Calculate Working Days Between Two Dates
Calculating working days involves three steps:
- Count total calendar days: Find the difference between start and end dates
- Subtract weekends: Remove all Saturdays and Sundays
- Subtract public holidays: Remove holidays that fall on weekdays
Formula: Working Days = Total Days - Weekend Days - Public Holidays
Example:
- Start Date: Monday, January 2, 2026
- End Date: Friday, January 20, 2026
- Total Days: 19 days
- Weekends: 5 days (2 full weekends + 1 Saturday)
- US Holidays: 1 day (MLK Day on January 19)
- Working Days: 13 days
Why Are Weekends Excluded from Business Days?
The standard business week in most countries runs Monday through Friday, making Saturday and Sunday non-working days. This 5-day work week became standard in the 20th century and is now nearly universal in Western countries.
Weekend variations by region:
- Most of the world: Saturday-Sunday weekend (5-day work week)
- Middle East (some countries): Friday-Saturday weekend (Israel, UAE, Saudi Arabia transitioning to Sat-Sun)
- Brunei: Friday-Sunday weekend
Our calculator uses the standard Saturday-Sunday weekend model used in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and most Western countries.
United States Federal Holidays
The US observes 11 federal holidays annually. When a holiday falls on a weekend, it may be observed on the nearest weekday:
| Holiday | Date | Day Off |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | January 1 | Yes |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | 3rd Monday of January | Yes |
| Presidents' Day | 3rd Monday of February | Yes |
| Memorial Day | Last Monday of May | Yes |
| Juneteenth | June 19 | Yes (since 2021) |
| Independence Day | July 4 | Yes |
| Labor Day | 1st Monday of September | Yes |
| Columbus Day | 2nd Monday of October | Yes (federal only) |
| Veterans Day | November 11 | Yes |
| Thanksgiving | 4th Thursday of November | Yes |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Yes |
Note: Private sector companies may observe different holidays. Some businesses remain open on federal holidays like Columbus Day.
Using Working Days for Project Management
Accurate working day calculations are critical for project planning:
Project Timeline Best Practices
- Always use business days: Never estimate projects in calendar days
- Account for holidays: Include country-specific holidays in your calculations
- Add buffer time: Add 10-20% buffer for unforeseen delays
- Consider team capacity: Not all team members work 100% of business days
- Factor in time zones: International teams may have different holidays
Common Project Estimation Mistakes
- Using calendar days instead of working days (inflates estimates)
- Forgetting to exclude holidays (unrealistic deadlines)
- Not accounting for vacation time and sick leave
- Assuming 8 productive hours per day (realistic is 5-6 hours)
Business Days in Payment Terms
Business payment terms are typically expressed in business days:
Common Payment Terms
- Net 10: Payment due within 10 business days
- Net 30: Payment due within 30 business days (most common)
- Net 45: Payment due within 45 business days
- Net 60: Payment due within 60 business days
- 2/10 Net 30: 2% discount if paid within 10 days, otherwise due in 30
Calculating Payment Due Dates
Example: Invoice dated Monday, January 5, 2026, with "Net 30" terms
- Add 30 business days to January 5
- Exclude weekends and holidays
- Payment due: Friday, February 13, 2026
Working Days for Legal and Compliance Deadlines
Legal documents often specify deadlines in business days:
Legal Applications
- Contract response periods: "Respond within 5 business days"
- Court filings: Many courts count deadlines in business days
- Notice periods: Employment termination notices (e.g., "30 business days notice")
- Appeals: Time limits for filing appeals (often 10-30 business days)
- Regulatory compliance: Government agencies often use business days for deadlines
Important: Always verify whether a legal deadline uses business days or calendar days. When in doubt, consult an attorney.
International Working Days and Holidays
Different countries have different public holidays and weekend structures:
United Kingdom
- Public holidays: 8 bank holidays per year
- Notable holidays: Early May bank holiday, Spring bank holiday, Summer bank holiday
- Christmas/New Year: December 25-26, January 1
Canada
- Federal holidays: 10+ holidays (varies by province)
- Notable holidays: Canada Day (July 1), Victoria Day, Thanksgiving (2nd Monday of October)
- Provincial variations: Family Day, Civic Holiday (varies by province)
Australia
- Public holidays: 10+ holidays (varies by state/territory)
- Notable holidays: Australia Day (January 26), ANZAC Day (April 25), Queen's Birthday
- State variations: Melbourne Cup Day (Victoria), Picnic Day (Northern Territory)
People Also Search For
How many business days between two dates?
Enter your start and end dates above and the calculator excludes weekends and counts only Monday through Friday working days. The result also shows a breakdown of total calendar days, weekend days subtracted, and holiday days subtracted — so you can see exactly how the working day count was derived. This is the fastest way to answer questions like "how many business days are in the next quarter?" or "how many working days until the contract expires?"
Working days calculator excluding US holidays?
Select "United States" from the country dropdown and the calculator automatically excludes all US federal holidays: New Year's Day, MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Holiday exclusions are applied on top of weekend exclusions, so a holiday that falls on a weekday is removed from your working day count just as a weekend day would be. This gives you a more realistic count for project timelines and payment terms.
How to count business days for a deadline?
Count forward from your start date, skipping weekends and holidays — our calculator does this instantly for any date range without manual counting. For example, if a contract says you must respond within 10 business days of receiving notice, enter the notice date as the start date and the deadline date as the end date to verify the count. You can also flip the approach: enter the start date and use the Date Duration Calculator to add exactly 10 business days forward.
What is the difference between business days and calendar days?
Calendar days count every day including weekends and holidays, while business days count only Monday through Friday excluding public holidays — a 30-calendar-day project period typically contains only 20 to 22 business days. This distinction matters enormously for contracts, payment terms, and legal deadlines. Always clarify whether a deadline is expressed in calendar days or business days, as the difference can add up to a week or more for 30-day periods.
30 business days from today?
Enter today as the start date, then use our Date Duration Calculator to count 30 working days forward and find the exact end date. Alternatively, to verify a specific end date, enter today and your proposed end date in this calculator and check whether the result equals 30 business days. The 30-business-day window is commonly used for legal response periods, invoice payment terms (Net 30), and regulatory compliance deadlines.
How to calculate project timeline in business days?
Enter your project start date and deadline date and the result shows how many working days are available for planning sprints, milestones, and resource allocation. For example, if a project runs from March 1 to April 30, the calculator tells you not just 61 calendar days but the actual number of working days your team has — accounting for weekends and holidays. Use this number to divide work into realistic sprints and set achievable milestones rather than overcommitting based on calendar days alone.