Delaware Holidays 2026
Delaware has 11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays in 2026. Private employers don't have to give any of them.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026
11 federal holidays, 4 state holidays and 2 commonly given in 2026.
11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays in 2026.
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All 2026 holidays in Delaware
18 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 BirthdayNot a Delaware state holiday | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| April | 3Fri | Good Friday | State | Not required for private employers | |
| 5Sun | Easter Sunday | Observance | Not a day off | ||
| May | 25Mon | Memorial Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| June | 19Fri | Juneteenth | 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 a Delaware state holiday | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| November | 3Tue | Election Day | State | Not required for private employers | |
| 5Thu | Return DayHalf-day state holiday after 12 noon, for state employees in Sussex County | State | Not required for private employers | ||
| 11Wed | Veterans Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 26Thu | Thanksgiving Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 27Fri | Day After Thanksgiving | State | Not required for private employers | ||
| December | 24Thu | Christmas Eve | Commonly given | Not required | |
| 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
Paid holidays
Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require employers to pay for holidays not worked; holiday pay is a matter of agreement between employer and employee.
Holiday pay you promise must be paid
If a Delaware employer has agreed to provide holiday or vacation pay, Delaware's Wage Payment and Collection Act requires it to pay those amounts within 30 days after they are due.
Delaware Paid Leave
Delaware Paid Leave has been in full effect since Jan. 1, 2026. Employers with 25 or more employees must provide full coverage, employers with 10 to 24 employees must provide parental leave only, and employers with 9 or fewer employees are exempt but can join voluntarily.
Holidays that fall on a weekend
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday.
Unused vacation when someone leaves
Delaware leaves vacation payout to the employer's written policy or agreement. If the policy or contract requires payout, the employer must pay the value of the accrued time within 30 days of separation.
From our Delaware leave laws guideMaximize your PTO in 2026
These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Delaware. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Delaware state offices close for: Good Friday, Election Day and Day After Thanksgiving. Take all 14 suggested PTO days and you get 54 days off across 13 breaks, including 11 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 Delaware data for a state view yet.
How Delaware holidays differ
State holidays
Delaware has 4 holidays of its own in 2026 on top of the federal ones. The median across the 50 states and DC is 2; 5 have more and 37 have fewer.
Only in Delaware
Only Delaware has Return Day as a holiday in 2026.
Federal holidays
Not a paid day off for Delaware state employees: Washington's Birthday and Columbus Day.
Neighboring states in 2026
Compare all 50 states and DCSources
- 2027 State Holidays - Delaware DHR
- 2026 State Holidays - Delaware DHR
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays
- Holiday Pay | U.S. Department of Labor
- Delaware Code Title 19, Chapter 11: Wage Payment and Collection (§ 1109)
- Delaware Paid Leave | Delaware Department of Labor
- Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA | U.S. Department of Labor
- FLSA Hours Worked Advisor: Holidays, Vacations and Sick Time | U.S. Department of Labor
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
Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require employers to pay for holidays not worked; holiday pay is a matter of agreement between employer and employee.
In 2026, Delaware has the 11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays: Good Friday (April 3), Election Day (November 3), Return Day (November 5) and Day After Thanksgiving (November 27). Washington's Birthday and Columbus Day are federal holidays, but not Delaware state holidays.
Yes. Juneteenth is a federal holiday and a Delaware state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19.
No. Columbus Day is a federal holiday, but it isn't a Delaware state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12.
Yes. The day after Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27) is a Delaware state holiday. Private employers don't have to give it.
Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require extra pay for work on holidays as such; holiday hours only earn overtime when they push an employee past 40 hours in the workweek.
Under federal law (the FLSA), a paid holiday the employee takes off is not hours worked, so it doesn't have to count toward 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.