To count business days between two dates, exclude Saturdays and Sundays (and optionally holidays). From Monday June 15 to Friday June 26, 2026 (12 calendar days): removing 2 weekends (4 days) = 8 business days. To add 30 business days to June 15, 2026: count forward 30 Mon–Fri days = August 25, 2026 (approximately 6 weeks).
Business day calculations matter for: legal response deadlines ("answer within 30 business days"), payment and shipping terms ("ships within 3 business days"), contract notice periods, project management timelines, and any process that pauses on weekends and holidays.
Use the free Working Days Calculator at RoughTools to count business days between dates and find future business day dates.
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How Business Day Calculation Works
Counting business days between two dates:
Business Days = Calendar Days - (Saturdays + Sundays in range) - Holidays
For each week in the range: 5 business days. For partial weeks at start and end, count only weekdays in those partial weeks.
Adding N business days to a date: Start on the start date. Count forward only on Mon–Fri. Skip Sat, Sun, and any holidays. Count N weekday steps.
Example — June 14, 2026 (Sunday) + 10 business days:
| Business Day | Date | |-------------|------| | 1 | June 15 (Mon) | | 2 | June 16 (Tue) | | 3 | June 17 (Wed) | | 4 | June 18 (Thu) | | 5 | June 19 (Fri) | | [skip weekend] | Jun 20-21 | | 6 | June 22 (Mon) | | 7 | June 23 (Tue) | | 8 | June 24 (Wed) | | 9 | June 25 (Thu) | | 10 | June 26 (Fri) |
10 business days from June 14 = June 26, 2026
Business Days vs. Calendar Days Reference
| Calendar Days | Approx Business Days | Business Days | Approx Calendar Days | |-------------|---------------------|--------------|---------------------| | 7 (1 week) | 5 | 5 | 7 | | 14 (2 weeks) | 10 | 10 | 14 | | 30 | 21–23 | 30 | 42 (6 weeks) | | 60 | 43–45 | 60 | 84 (12 weeks) | | 90 | 65–67 | 90 | 126 (18 weeks) |
The ratio varies slightly based on which day you start and how many holidays fall in the range.
US Federal Holidays (2026)
| Holiday | Date (2026) | |---------|------------| | New Year's Day | January 1 (Thu) | | MLK Jr. Day | January 19 (Mon) | | Presidents' Day | February 16 (Mon) | | Memorial Day | May 25 (Mon) | | Juneteenth | June 19 (Fri) | | Independence Day | July 4 (Sat) → July 3 (observed) | | Labor Day | September 7 (Mon) | | Columbus Day | October 12 (Mon) | | Veterans Day | November 11 (Wed) | | Thanksgiving | November 26 (Thu) | | Christmas | December 25 (Fri) |
Adding these 11 holidays to a working days calculation reduces the available business days per year to approximately 250 (from 261 weekdays).
Applications by Industry
Legal: Response deadlines in litigation are usually specified in business days (Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, state court rules). "30 days to respond" in California state court means calendar days; "30 days" in federal court may mean business days — always check the specific rule.
Shipping: "Ships within 2 business days" means processing starts immediately but Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are excluded. An order placed Friday evening typically ships by Tuesday (2 business days from Monday when processing begins).
HR/Employment: Notice periods in employment contracts are usually calendar days ("30 days written notice"). Severance pay periods, benefits continuation, and COBRA eligibility windows are typically calendar days.
Finance: US stock trades settle T+1 (trade date plus 1 business day). T+1 settlement means a stock sold Monday settles Tuesday; a stock sold Friday settles Monday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day is 30 business days from today? From June 14, 2026 (Sunday): 30 business days starts counting from June 15 (Monday). 30 business days from June 15 = August 25, 2026 (assuming standard holidays — Juneteenth June 19 reduces count by 1, so July 4 weekend removes 2 calendar days that aren't counted anyway). For the most accurate result, use the Working Days Calculator at RoughTools, which accounts for all US federal holidays.
Do "business days" always exclude Saturday? Conventionally, yes — US business days are Monday through Friday, excluding weekends and federal holidays. However, some industries operate differently: retail businesses operate on weekends; "business days" for banking purposes (ACH transfers) in some contexts may include Saturday; some contracts explicitly define "business days" to include or exclude specific days. Always check the contract or regulatory language for the specific definition being used.
How do I calculate shipping delivery date? Carrier transit time in business days + order processing time. If an item ships in "1–2 business days" and carrier transit is "3–5 business days": total = 4–7 business days from order. If ordered Monday, shipping starts Tuesday–Wednesday; delivery: the following week. Add holiday delays — FedEx and UPS don't deliver on major holidays, and packages in transit may be delayed 1–2 days around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
How many working days are in a year? In the US: 365 calendar days − 104 weekend days (52 Saturdays + 52 Sundays) − 11 federal holidays = 250 working days (approximately). In leap years: 251 or 252 business days depending on whether Feb 29 is a weekend. Note: 2026 has July 4 on Saturday, so the observed holiday is July 3 (Friday), resulting in 250 business days.
What is the EXCEL formula for calculating business days?
NETWORKDAYS function: =NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, holidays) returns the number of business days between two dates, including start and end dates. To add business days: =WORKDAY(start_date, days, holidays). Example: =WORKDAY(DATE(2026,6,14), 30) returns August 24, 2026 (without holidays). With holiday list in A1:A11: =WORKDAY(DATE(2026,6,14), 30, A1:A11).
Related Free Tools on RoughTools
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Calculate Business Days Now
The free Working Days Calculator at RoughTools counts business days between two dates, adds business days to find a future date, and accounts for US federal holidays. No account needed, completely free.