Arkansas Holidays 2026
Arkansas has 11 federal holidays and 1 state holiday in 2026. Private employers don't have to give any of them.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026
11 federal holidays, 1 state holiday and 2 commonly given in 2026.
11 federal holidays and 1 state holiday in 2026.
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All 2026 holidays in Arkansas
15 days listed| Month | Date | Holiday | Type | Paid by law? | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1Thu | New Year's Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| 19Mon | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| February | 16Mon | Washington's Birthday | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| April | 5Sun | Easter Sunday | Observance | Not a day off | |
| May | 25Mon | Memorial Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| June | 19Fri | JuneteenthNot an Arkansas state holiday | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| July | 4Sat | Independence DayFalls on a Saturday. Observed Fri Jul 3 | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| September | 7Mon | Labor Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| October | 12Mon | Columbus DayNot an Arkansas state holiday | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| November | 11Wed | Veterans Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| 26Thu | Thanksgiving Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 27Fri | Day after Thanksgiving | Commonly given | Not required | ||
| December | 24Thu | Christmas Eve | State | Not required for private employers | |
| 25Fri | Christmas Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 31Thu | New Year's Eve | Commonly given | Not required |
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What employers need to know
Holiday pay follows your policy
Arkansas's Division of Labor will only take a wage claim for holiday pay if the employee provides a company policy stating that holiday pay will be paid. Put your holiday pay rules in writing.
Working on a holiday
Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require extra pay for work on a holiday unless the hours are overtime hours.
Holidays and overtime
In Arkansas, overtime is due for hours actually worked over 40 in a workweek. Paid holiday hours don't count as hours worked for state or federal overtime.
Holidays that fall on a weekend
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday.
Unused vacation when someone leaves
Arkansas has no state law requiring payout of unused vacation when someone leaves. The employer's policy or employment contract decides whether earned, unused vacation is paid.
From our Arkansas leave laws guideSick leave
No Arkansas law requires private employers to provide sick leave, paid or unpaid, so employees have only the rights guaranteed by the federal FMLA.
From our Arkansas leave laws guideMaximize your PTO in 2026
These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Arkansas. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Arkansas state offices close for: Christmas Eve. Take all 12 suggested PTO days and you get 46 days off across 11 breaks, including 9 long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar.
- Federal
- State
- Commonly given
- Suggested PTO day
- Weekend
- Today
January 2026
February 2026
March 2026
April 2026
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
October 2026
November 2026
December 2026
When US teams take time off
The national pattern from Vacation Tracker data. We don't have enough Arkansas data for a state view yet.
How Arkansas holidays differ
State holidays
Arkansas has 1 holiday of its own in 2026 on top of the federal ones. The median across the 50 states and DC is 2; 35 have more and 4 have fewer.
Federal holidays
Not a paid day off for Arkansas state employees: Juneteenth and Columbus Day.
Neighboring states in 2026
- Louisiana8 holidays of its own
- Mississippi1 holiday of its own
- Missouri2 holidays of its own
- Oklahoma2 holidays of its own
- Tennessee4 holidays of its own
- Texas10 holidays of its own
Sources
- Arkansas Secretary of State – 2026 State Holidays (Act 304 of 2001, amended by Act 561 of 2017)
- Arkansas DSAS/OPM Policy 52 – Holidays and Birthday Leave (eff. May 22, 2025)
- State Holiday Information – Arkansas Secretary of State
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays
- Wage Claims | Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing
- Overtime Pay | U.S. Department of Labor
- FAQs | Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing
Holiday calendar data includes date-holidays (CC BY-SA 3.0), checked against the official sources above.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026. Holiday dates come from public sources. Check your employment contract and the official sources above before you rely on them.
Frequently asked questions
Arkansas's Division of Labor only accepts a holiday pay claim when the employee can show a company policy stating that holiday pay will be paid. So holiday pay comes from your policy, not from a state mandate.
In 2026, Arkansas has the 11 federal holidays and 1 state holiday: Christmas Eve (December 24). Juneteenth and Columbus Day are federal holidays, but not Arkansas state holidays.
No. Juneteenth is a federal holiday, but it isn't an Arkansas state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19.
No. Columbus Day is a federal holiday, but it isn't an Arkansas state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12.
No. It isn't an Arkansas state holiday, so private employers don't have to give it. In 2026 it falls on Friday, November 27.
Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require extra pay for work on a holiday unless the hours are overtime hours.
No. Arkansas's labor department says hours paid for a holiday but not worked don't count as hours actually worked for state or federal overtime.
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. In 2026, Independence Day falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, July 3.