How many working days are in a year? Before public holidays, a year has about 260 to 262 weekdays (Monday–Friday). Subtract your country's public holidays and you get the actual number of working days. Here are the figures and how to count them.
To count working days between any two dates — excluding weekends and holidays — use our date calculator.
Working days (weekdays) per year
Counting only Monday–Friday, before holidays:
| Year | Total days | Weekdays (Mon–Fri) | Weekend days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 365 | 261 | 104 |
| 2026 | 365 | 261 | 104 |
| 2027 | 365 | 261 | 104 |
| 2028 | 366 | 262 | 104 |
A common year has 365 days = 52 weeks (260 weekdays) + 1 extra day, so most years have 261 weekdays. A leap year, or a year that starts/ends on certain weekdays, can have 262.
Then subtract public holidays
Public holidays that fall on a weekday reduce your actual working days. The number varies a lot by country:
- Typical range: most countries have 10–15 public holidays a year.
- So real working days usually land around 246–251 — but it depends on your country, and on how many holidays happen to fall on weekends (which don't reduce the count).
To see your country's exact public holidays, open the calendar or your country's holiday list.
How to count working days yourself
- Start with the weekdays in the period (exclude Saturdays and Sundays).
- Subtract public holidays that fall on a weekday.
- The result is your working days.
This is fiddly by hand around holidays — the date calculator does it instantly for any date range, and the long-weekend planner shows how to combine leave with holidays for maximum time off.
Why it matters
- Payroll & HR: salaries, leave accrual and billing often use working-day counts.
- Project planning: deadlines in "business days" need accurate working-day maths.
- Leave planning: knowing which holidays fall on weekdays helps you plan long weekends.
Quick answers
How many working days are in 2026? About 261 weekdays before public holidays; subtract your country's holidays (typically 10–15) for the real total.
How many weekdays are in a typical year? 261 in a common year (260 + 1), or 262 in some years/leap years.
How do I count working days between two dates? Use the date calculator — it excludes weekends and can account for holidays.
Do weekend holidays reduce working days? No — a public holiday only reduces the working-day count if it falls on a weekday.