Veterans Day 2026

Quick Answer: Veterans Day 2026

Veterans Day is Wednesday, November 11, 2026. It is a fixed-date federal holiday, so it stays on November 11 whether that lands on a weekday or a weekend. In 2026 the date falls midweek, and because November 11 is a Wednesday, the day off is observed that same day for federal employees, no shifting applies.

Here are the next five years, with what happens when the date hits a weekend:

Under 5 U.S.C. 6103, a fixed-date federal holiday that falls on a Saturday is observed on the preceding Friday; one that falls on a Sunday is observed on the following Monday. The ceremony and the historical date never move, only the paid day off does.

What's Open and Closed on Veterans Day 2026

The closure pattern is unusual because two different systems follow different calendars:

That split surprises people every year: the stock market is open while the bond market and most banks are closed. The NYSE dropped its Veterans Day closure in 1954, keeping a silence instead, and SIFMA's fixed-income recommendation tracks the Federal Reserve's holiday list, which includes Veterans Day.

Double-check before visiting: your own bank or branch can differ, and a handful of states treat the day differently for state employees. Your employer's calendar, not the federal one, governs your actual day off.

What Time Does Veterans Day Happen?

Veterans Day is fixed on November 11, the date of the World War I armistice in 1918. As a federal holiday it is observance-date based, there is no starting moment that varies by time zone, and Americans in all six continental time zones observe it on the same November 11 date.

One moment does carry a fixed time: the national ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery begins at 11:00 AM Eastern, the hour the armistice took effect in 1918 (11 AM Paris time). Remembrance ceremonies in other countries, including the UK, Canada, and Australia's Remembrance Day, hold their two-minute silences at 11:00 AM local time.

The Story Behind Veterans Day

Veterans Day honors all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in wartime or peacetime. It is distinct from Memorial Day (the last Monday in May), which honors those who died in service.

The date preserves an instant in history: fighting in World War I stopped at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the armistice took effect. The first anniversary, November 11, 1919, was observed as Armistice Day by presidential proclamation. Congress made it a statutory holiday in 1938, and in 1954, after World War II and Korea, the holiday was renamed Veterans Day to honor all veterans, not only those of the First World War.

Other Allied countries mark November 11 as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, focused on the war dead with poppies and silences. The American observance broadened to living veterans, which is also why the flag flies at full staff on Veterans Day and at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day.

How Veterans Day Is Observed

The national ceremony at Arlington's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier includes a wreath-laying, color guard, Taps, and a 21-gun salute at 11 AM Eastern. Communities across the country hold parades, school programs, and veteran-focused observances.

Businesses have built a parallel tradition: many restaurant chains offer free meals or discounts to veterans on the day, and national parks waive entrance fees. Schools that stay open often invite veteran speakers. Veterans organizations including the American Legion and VFW run their own ceremonies and charity drives.

Veterans Day on the Calendar

The date never moves: November 11, every year, is the historical anniversary of the armistice. One attempt to change it did fail: from 1971 to 1977 the day was moved to the fourth Monday of October under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, and the change was so unpopular that Congress returned it to November 11 in 1978. The returned-date principle stuck: this holiday's meaning is tied to an exact hour as much as an exact day.

Fixed on November 11 (anniversary of the WWI armistice, 1918)

Frequently asked questions

Is Veterans Day a federal holiday?

Yes. It is one of the 11 permanent federal holidays, and federal employees get the day off, observed on the nearest weekday when November 11 falls on a weekend.

Is there mail delivery on Veterans Day 2026?

No. USPS post offices are closed on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, and regular mail is not delivered. Priority Mail Express is the only service delivered that day, and regular delivery resumes Thursday, November 12.

Is the stock market open on Veterans Day?

Yes. NYSE and Nasdaq operate regular hours on Veterans Day, with a two-minute silence before the bell. The bond market is closed, following the Federal Reserve calendar. Banks are mostly closed at the branch level.

When is the observed Veterans Day holiday in 2028 and 2029?

In 2028, November 11 falls on a Saturday, so the federal day off is Friday, November 10. In 2029, it falls on a Sunday, so the observed day off is Monday, November 12.

Why does Veterans Day never move?

The law tried moving it and reversed itself. From 1971 to 1977 the holiday sat on the fourth Monday of October, and the confusion led Congress to restore November 11 in 1978. The date is part of the meaning: the hour the guns of World War I went silent.