Business days calculator

Count working days between two dates, excluding weekends and the holidays you enter.

In shortWorking days = weekdays between the two dates (inclusive) − holidays falling on weekdays. December 1 to 31, 2026 has 23 weekdays; minus Christmas Day, 22 working days.

Who uses itHR, payroll, project and operations managers
WhenPlanning deadlines, notice periods and month pay
You needStart date, end date and weekday holidays in range
ResultWorking days and working hours between the dates

Try the calculator

What the calculator does

Weekdays = days Monday to Friday between the dates, counting both.

Working days = weekdays − holidays on weekdays.

Working hours = working days × hours per day.

A business days with sample figures

December 1 to 31, 2026 has 31 calendar days and 23 weekdays. Christmas Day falls on a Friday, so there are 22 working days, or 176 hours at 8 hours a day.

When to check your business days

Use it to plan schedules, count paid days in a month, estimate project time or work out notice periods measured in business days.

Which holidays you observe is up to your company unless a law or contract says otherwise. Enter the number that falls on weekdays in your range.

A different scenario

A payroll team plans the first quarter of 2027, January 1 to March 31. The range has 90 calendar days and 64 weekdays. New Year’s Day falls on a Friday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 18 and Presidents’ Day on Monday, February 15, so enter 3 holidays: 61 working days, or 488.0 hours at 8 hours a day.

What your business days result means

Working days are weekdays minus the holidays you enter, and the result never goes below zero, so entering too many holidays hides the mistake instead of flagging it. The calculator does not check that the holidays really fall inside the range or on weekdays. Working hours assume the same length every day, so a half day before a holiday needs a manual adjustment.

What trips people up

Skipping a holiday that moved to a weekday. When July 4 falls on a Saturday, many businesses close on Friday the 3rd; count the day you actually close.
Counting the start date when a contract says a deadline is a number of days ‘after’ an event. Read the wording and drop the first day if needed.
Using a Monday to Friday count for a team that works Tuesday to Saturday. Adjust the result by hand for different workweeks.

Make the business days fit your setup

Payroll for partial monthsDivide a monthly salary by the working days in that month to prorate a new hire’s first check fairly.

Construction schedulesSubtract expected weather days as well as holidays when setting completion dates.

Quick winKeep a two-year list of your company’s observed holidays in one place. Plans that cross New Year are where most counting errors happen.

What people ask about the business days calculator

Are both dates counted?

Yes, the start and end dates are included.

Which holidays count?

The ones your company observes on weekdays.

Does it handle Saturday work?

No, it counts Monday to Friday.

Can I use it for notice periods?

Yes, but check how your contract counts days.

Does the calculator know the federal holidays?

No. You enter the number of holidays that fall on weekdays in the range, so check the dates against your own holiday calendar. A holiday on a Saturday or Sunday counts only if your business observes it on a weekday.

How do I get working hours for a part-time employee?

Change working hours per day to their usual day, such as 6. The working day count stays the same, and the hours line becomes working days times 6.

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General information only. Check dates and holidays against your own calendar and policy.