How business days are counted
- Business days are Monday through Friday. Saturdays and Sundays are never counted.
- Adding days starts counting on the next working day after your start date. Adding 1 business day to a Friday lands on Monday.
- Counting between dates includes both the start and end date when they fall on a working day.
- Holiday exclusion optionally skips US federal holidays — useful for bank payment deadlines, court filing dates, and government invoices where "next business day" rules apply.
Working out when an invoice is due under Net 30 or EOM terms? Use the invoice due date calculator instead — it supports payment terms directly. If you are planning a delivery or project timeline, the days between dates calculator shows total calendar time side by side with working time.
FAQ
How do I calculate business days from a date?
Start counting from the next working day after your start date and count forward one working day at a time, skipping Saturdays and Sundays. For example, 5 business days from Monday, August 31, 2026 lands on Monday, September 7, 2026.
Does a business day include the start date?
No. When adding N business days to a date, counting starts on the next working day. When counting business days between two dates, both endpoint dates are included if they fall on a working day.
Is Saturday a business day?
In most US and UK business contexts, no — Saturday and Sunday are non-working days. Some industries and countries treat Saturday as a working day, but the standard Monday-to-Friday convention is what this calculator uses.
Can I exclude US federal holidays?
Yes. Tick the holiday option and the calculator also skips US federal holidays such as Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. The holiday table currently covers 2026 and 2027.
What is the difference between business days and working days?
Nothing — they are two names for the same thing. UK users usually say "working days" while US users usually say "business days". Both mean Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
How long is 10 business days in calendar weeks?
Exactly two weeks when no holidays interfere, because every week contains five business days. A holiday inside the period stretches the calendar span — for example, 10 business days spanning Thanksgiving takes closer to 15 or 16 calendar days.
Do payment terms like Net 30 use business days?
By convention, no — Net 30 means 30 calendar days. But some contracts explicitly state "30 business days", which stretches the deadline by roughly 40%. Always check the wording of the agreement; the due date calculator supports both counting modes.
Why do banks count business days differently?
US banks follow federal holiday schedules, so a deadline that falls on a holiday rolls to the next business day. If a payment is due on a Saturday, it is typically due the following Monday. Enable the holiday option above to model this behaviour.