South Carolina Holidays 2026
South Carolina 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 1 commonly given in 2026.
11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays in 2026.
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All 2026 holidays in South Carolina
17 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 | 11Mon | Confederate Memorial Day | State | Not required for private employers | |
| 25Mon | Memorial Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| June | 19Fri | JuneteenthNot a South Carolina 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 a South Carolina 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 | State | Not required for private employers | ||
| December | 24Thu | Christmas Eve | State | Not required for private employers | |
| 25Fri | Christmas Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 26Sat | Day after ChristmasFalls on a Saturday. Observed Mon Dec 28 | State | 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
South Carolina law does not require private employers to give holiday pay. If you choose to offer it, you must give employees written notice of the policy and follow it.
Working on a holiday
Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require overtime pay just because an employee works on a holiday. Overtime is owed for hours worked over 40 in a workweek.
No state overtime law
South Carolina has no state law on minimum wage or overtime pay. Those rules come from the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, enforced by the US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.
Holidays that fall on a weekend
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday.
Unused vacation when someone leaves
South Carolina employers must include accrued, unused vacation in final wages only if company policy or the employment contract requires it. State law gives no clear directive when the policy or contract is silent.
From our South Carolina leave laws guideSick leave
South Carolina has not passed a paid sick leave law and doesn't mandate paid or unpaid sick days. Employers that decide to offer sick days must stick to their company policy or employment agreement.
From our South Carolina leave laws guideMaximize your PTO in 2026
These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in South Carolina. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days South Carolina state offices close for: Confederate Memorial Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day after Christmas. Take all 13 suggested PTO days and you get 52 days off across 12 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 South Carolina data for a state view yet.
How South Carolina holidays differ
State holidays
South Carolina 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.
Shared with a few states
Confederate Memorial Day is also a state holiday in Alabama and Mississippi. Day after Christmas is also a state holiday in Texas.
Federal holidays
Not a paid day off for South Carolina state employees: Juneteenth and Columbus Day.
Neighboring states in 2026
Compare all 50 states and DCSources
- Holiday Leave - SC Department of Administration (2026 & 2027 Holiday Schedule)
- Legal Holidays in S.C. (Code §53-5-10) - SC Legislative Manual
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays
- S.C. Wages and Child Labor brochure | SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
- Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA | U.S. Department of Labor
- Employee/Employer Rights and Responsibilities Under S.C. and Federal Law | SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
- 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
No. No South Carolina law requires holiday pay, but if you offer it, you must give employees written notice of the policy and follow it.
In 2026, South Carolina has the 11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays: Confederate Memorial Day (May 11), Day after Thanksgiving (November 27), Christmas Eve (December 24) and Day after Christmas (December 26). Juneteenth and Columbus Day are federal holidays, but not South Carolina state holidays.
No. Juneteenth is a federal holiday, but it isn't a South Carolina state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19.
No. Columbus Day is a federal holiday, but it isn't a South Carolina state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12.
Yes. The day after Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27) is a South Carolina state holiday. Private employers don't have to give it.
No. South Carolina has no state overtime law, and federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require overtime pay for holiday work as such; overtime is owed for hours worked over 40 in a workweek.
No, under federal law (the FLSA), which governs overtime in South Carolina. Paid time off for a holiday isn't hours worked, so it doesn't have to be counted 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; Day after Christmas falls on a Saturday and is observed on Monday, December 28.