Observances

Is Columbus Day a Federal Holiday? Yes, Second Monday in October

Columbus Day is a legal public holiday under 5 U.S.C. §6103, observed on the second Monday in October. Federal offices close; banks, schools and stores set their own rules.

Last updated 2026-10-29

In brief

Columbus Day is a federal legal public holiday in 5 U.S.C. §6103(a), observed on the second Monday in October since Public Law 90-363 took effect in 1971. That status closes most federal offices and the Federal Reserve Banks, but it does not by itself dictate every bank branch, public school, or retailer schedule.

When it falls

Monday, October 11, 2027

The second Monday in October, listed among the legal public holidays in 5 U.S.C. §6103(a).

Some states and cities mark Indigenous Peoples' Day on the same Monday. The federal statute name remains Columbus Day in 5 U.S.C. §6103 and 36 U.S.C. §107.

Year Date
2026 Monday, October 12, 2026
2027 Monday, October 11, 2027
2028 Monday, October 9, 2028
2029 Monday, October 8, 2029
2030 Monday, October 14, 2030
2031 Monday, October 13, 2031

Rule per 5 U.S.C. §6103: Holidays (Legal Information Institute). Dates generated from the rule and unit-tested against published tables.

Days until

Is Columbus Day a Federal Holiday?

 

 

Summary board of Columbus Day 2026 closures and exceptions
DayAlmanac diagram

Who started it

Congress asked the President to proclaim October 12 in 1934. Public Law 90-363, signed June 28, 1968, moved the holiday to the second Monday in October effective January 1, 1971.

36 U.S.C. §107: Columbus Day (Legal Information Institute)

Federal holiday status

Yes: Columbus Day is one of the eleven legal public holidays named in 5 U.S.C. §6103(a), observed on the second Monday in October. That is why USPS closes Post Offices and why the Federal Reserve Banks treat the day as a holiday.

Federal status does not automatically close every bank lobby, school district, or store. For mail, banks, stocks, and bonds on the 2026 date, use Columbus Day what's open. Autumn retail survey context sits in holiday spending statistics.

2026 and 2027 dates

Columbus Day 2026 is Monday, October 12. Columbus Day 2027 is Monday, October 11. Both follow the second-Monday rule in the statute, not a fixed October 12 calendar date.

Frequently asked questions

Is Columbus Day a federal holiday in 2026?

Yes. It falls on Monday, October 12, 2026, under 5 U.S.C. §6103(a).

When is Columbus Day in 2027?

Monday, October 11, 2027, the second Monday of that month.

Do all banks close on Columbus Day?

Federal Reserve Banks observe the holiday, but individual branches set lobby hours. Chase's published notice, for example, says branches can stay open while online processing still treats the day as a holiday.

Sources

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