Yes. Columbus Day is a federal holiday, and in 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12. Its name in federal law is still Columbus Day, even though several states and many cities mark the same Monday as Indigenous Peoples’ Day or a similar observance.
Columbus Day is one of the 11 holidays listed in 5 U.S.C. 6103, so federal offices close and federal employees get a paid day off. What it means for everyone else depends on where you live and who you work for. This guide covers the dates through 2030, how the holiday became law, where Indigenous Peoples’ Day has replaced it at the state level, and what is open or closed on the day.
Columbus Day dates, 2026 to 2030
The holiday falls on the second Monday in October, so it always lands between October 8 and October 14 and always creates a three-day weekend for federal workers.
| Year | Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day | Long weekend |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday, October 12, 2026 | Saturday, October 10 – Monday, October 12 |
| 2027 | Monday, October 11, 2027 | Saturday, October 9 – Monday, October 11 |
| 2028 | Monday, October 9, 2028 | Saturday, October 7 – Monday, October 9 |
| 2029 | Monday, October 8, 2029 | Saturday, October 6 – Monday, October 8 |
| 2030 | Monday, October 14, 2030 | Saturday, October 12 – Monday, October 14 |
In 2030 the holiday lands on October 14, the latest date the rule allows. For a live count to the next one, see how many days until Columbus Day. The same Monday is also Thanksgiving in Canada, because both holidays use the second-Monday rule.
Is Columbus Day a federal holiday? How it became one
The day marks Christopher Columbus’s landfall in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. National recognition came in stages:
- 1934: a joint resolution of Congress asked the President to proclaim the day each year.
- 1937: President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day an annual national holiday.
- 1968: the Uniform Monday Holiday Act made Columbus Day a legal public holiday for federal employees and set it on the second Monday in October.
- 1971: the Monday rule took effect. Before then, the observance was tied to October 12.
The Congressional Research Service notes that by 1968, 45 states already marked the day in some form, which was one of the main arguments for adding it to the federal list. The 2025 presidential proclamation still cites that 1934 resolution as its authority.
Columbus Day vs. Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the Native peoples who lived in the Americas long before 1492, and many places now observe it on the second Monday in October. At the federal level, the picture has changed from one administration to the next, but the law has not:
- In 2021, President Biden issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, alongside the usual Columbus Day proclamation.
- In 2025, the White House issued a Columbus Day proclamation (Proclamation 10980) and no Indigenous Peoples’ Day proclamation.
- Through all of this, 5 U.S.C. 6103 has kept the name “Columbus Day.” A proclamation can add an observance, but only Congress can rename a legal public holiday.
States choose their own holidays, and several have moved away from the Columbus name. A few examples, checked against state law:
- South Dakota has observed Native Americans’ Day on the second Monday in October since 1990.
- Maine renamed the state holiday Indigenous Peoples Day in 2019.
- Oregon designated the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2021.
- Hawaii calls the day Discoverers’ Day, in honor of the Polynesian discoverers of the islands, and its statute says it is not a state holiday.
Other states and many cities, school districts and universities use Indigenous Peoples’ Day by law, proclamation or local policy, and the list changes often. If it matters for work or school, check your state’s or district’s own holiday calendar.
What’s open and closed on Columbus Day
Because it is a federal holiday that many private employers don’t give, Columbus Day is one of the most mixed days on the calendar. Here is what to expect on Monday, October 12, 2026:
| Service | Status on Columbus Day |
|---|---|
| Federal offices | Closed |
| U.S. Postal Service | Post offices closed; no regular mail delivery (Priority Mail Express only) |
| Federal Reserve | Closed, so most banks close and transfers wait until Tuesday |
| New York Stock Exchange | Open; Columbus Day is not an NYSE holiday |
| State and city offices | Varies by state and city |
| Public schools | Varies by district |
| Most stores and restaurants | Open |
The Postal Service and Federal Reserve schedules come from USPS holiday notices and the Federal Reserve holiday list. Stock trading follows the NYSE holiday calendar, which skips both Columbus Day and Veterans Day.
Deadlines and payments around the holiday
The bank closure is the part most people notice. A direct deposit or bill payment scheduled for Monday, October 12, 2026 usually settles on Tuesday, October 13, or your bank may move it to the Friday before. Checks mailed late in the previous week also arrive a day later than usual.
If you are counting “business days” to a deadline, decide whether the count skips federal holidays. A 10-business-day deadline that starts on Friday, October 2, 2026 lands on a different date depending on that choice. The business days calculator shows both answers. For a full view of the month, the October 2026 calendar marks the holiday and the week numbers.
The next federal holiday after Columbus Day is Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. See every 2026 date on the 2026 holiday calendar, or plan ahead with the federal holidays 2027 guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Columbus Day a federal holiday in 2026?
Yes. Columbus Day is a federal holiday on Monday, October 12, 2026. Federal offices, post offices and the Federal Reserve are closed, while the stock market is open.
Is Indigenous Peoples’ Day a federal holiday?
Not under that name. Federal law lists the second Monday in October as Columbus Day. Indigenous Peoples’ Day has been recognized by presidential proclamation in some years and by several states and many cities, but it is not a separate federal holiday.
Do private employers have to give Columbus Day off?
No. Federal holidays apply to federal employees. Private employers set their own holiday schedules, and many stay open on Columbus Day, so check your employee handbook or contract.
Is mail delivered on Columbus Day?
No regular mail is delivered and post offices are closed. Priority Mail Express is still delivered, and package carriers such as UPS and FedEx set their own schedules.
Why is Columbus Day on a Monday?
The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 moved several holidays to Mondays to create three-day weekends. Since 1971, Columbus Day has been the second Monday in October instead of a fixed October 12.