SOURCE: Vacation Tracker TITLE: Utah State Holidays 2026: Dates & Holiday Pay Rules URL: https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/utah/2026/ LANG: en PUBLISHED: 2026-10-31 UPDATED: 2026-11-01 SUMMARY: All 11 federal and 1 Utah state holiday for 2026, with observed dates, holiday pay rules and free calendar downloads. # Utah Holidays 2026 Utah 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. ## All 2026 holidays in Utah | Holiday | Date | Day of week | Notes | Type | Paid by law? | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | New Year's Day | 2026-01-01 | Thursday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | 2026-01-19 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Washington's Birthday | 2026-02-16 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Easter Sunday | 2026-04-05 | Sunday | | Observance | Not a day off | | Memorial Day | 2026-05-25 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Juneteenth (Utah legal holiday under the 2026 statute (the Monday before June 19)) | 2026-06-15 | Monday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Juneteenth | 2026-06-19 | Friday | Utah's 2026 Juneteenth legal holiday is Monday, June 15 instead | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Independence Day | 2026-07-04 | Saturday | Falls on a Saturday. Observed Fri Jul 3 | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Pioneer Day | 2026-07-24 | Friday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Labor Day | 2026-09-07 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Columbus Day | 2026-10-12 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Veterans Day | 2026-11-11 | Wednesday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Thanksgiving Day | 2026-11-26 | Thursday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Day after Thanksgiving | 2026-11-27 | Friday | | Commonly given | Not required | | Christmas Eve | 2026-12-24 | Thursday | | Commonly given | Not required | | Christmas Day | 2026-12-25 | Friday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | New Year's Eve | 2026-12-31 | Thursday | | Commonly given | Not required | ## What employers need to know **Paid holidays.** In general, Utah labor law doesn't require employers to provide paid vacation, holiday pay, sick leave or severance pay. If you set a policy or practice of giving them, you're expected to follow it in a non-discriminatory way. **Working on a holiday.** For Utah employers, federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require extra pay for work on holidays as such. Overtime is owed for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. **Overtime in holiday weeks.** Utah has no state overtime law. For overtime in a holiday week, follow the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which the U.S. Department of Labor enforces. **Holidays that fall on a weekend.** Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. **Unused vacation when someone leaves.** Utah law is silent on vacation payout, so it depends on the employer's written policy or agreement. An employer must pay accrued, unused vacation on termination unless its policy explicitly states use-it-or-lose-it and that unused leave isn't paid. (https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/utah/#payment-of-accrued-unused-vacation-on-termination) **Sick leave.** Utah law doesn't require private employers to offer sick leave, paid or unpaid; federal FMLA provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Employers that offer sick days must follow their company policy or employment agreement. (https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/utah/#sick-leave-in-utah) Full rules: Utah leave laws: https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/utah/ ## Maximize your PTO in 2026 These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Utah. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Utah state offices close for: Juneteenth (June 15) and Pioneer Day. Take all 14 suggested PTO days and you get **53 days off across 13 breaks**, including 12 long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar. - Take Friday, January 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from January 1 to 4 (New Year's Day). - Take Friday, January 16 off to get a 4-day weekend from January 16 to 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day). - Take Friday, February 13 off to get a 4-day weekend from February 13 to 16 (Washington's Birthday). - Take Friday, May 22 off to get a 4-day weekend from May 22 to 25 (Memorial Day). - Take Friday, June 12 off to get a 4-day weekend from June 12 to 15 (Juneteenth). - Take Thursday, June 18 off to get a 4-day weekend from June 18 to 21 (Juneteenth). - Take Thursday, July 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from July 2 to 5 (Independence Day). - Take Thursday, July 23 off to get a 4-day weekend from July 23 to 26 (Pioneer Day). - Take Friday, September 4 off to get a 4-day weekend from September 4 to 7 (Labor Day). - Take Friday, October 9 off to get a 4-day weekend from October 9 to 12 (Columbus Day). - Take Friday, November 27 off to get a 4-day weekend from November 26 to 29 (Thanksgiving Day). - Take Thursday, December 24 off to get a 4-day weekend from December 24 to 27 (Christmas Day). - Take Monday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 10 off to get a 5-day break from November 7 to 11 (Veterans Day). ## When US teams take time off The national pattern from Vacation Tracker data. We don't have enough Utah data for a state view yet. - Dec 21 – 27 (Week 52): 2.5× a normal week - Jun 29 – Jul 5 (Week 27): 1.5× a normal week - Jul 6 – 12 (Week 28): 1.5× a normal week - Jul 27 – Aug 2 (Week 31): 1.5× a normal week - Aug 3 – 9 (Week 32): 1.5× a normal week ## How Utah holidays differ **State holidays.** Utah 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. **Only in Utah.** Only Utah has Juneteenth and Pioneer Day as holidays in 2026. **Federal holidays.** Utah state offices observe Juneteenth on June 15. Neighboring states in 2026: - [Arizona](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/arizona/2026/): no holidays of its own - [Colorado](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/colorado/2026/): 3 holidays of its own - [Idaho](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/idaho/2026/): no holidays of its own - [Nevada](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/nevada/2026/): 2 holidays of its own - [New Mexico](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/new-mexico/2026/): 1 holiday of its own - [Wyoming](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/wyoming/2026/): no holidays of its own Compare all 50 states and DC: https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/2026/#compare ## Frequently asked questions Q: Do private employers in Utah have to give paid holidays? No. In general, Utah labor law doesn't require employers to provide holiday pay or other paid leave. Employers that set a holiday policy or practice are expected to follow it consistently and without discrimination. Q: What are the Utah state holidays in 2026? In 2026, Utah has the 11 federal holidays and 1 state holiday: Pioneer Day (July 24). Utah state offices observe Juneteenth on Monday, June 15 instead of its federal date. Q: Is Juneteenth a Utah state holiday? Yes, on a different day. Juneteenth is a federal holiday, and Utah state offices observe it on Monday, June 15 instead. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19. Q: Is Columbus Day a Utah state holiday? Yes. Columbus Day is a federal holiday and a Utah state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12. Q: Is the day after Thanksgiving a holiday in Utah? No. It isn't a Utah state holiday, so private employers don't have to give it. In 2026 it falls on Friday, November 27. Q: Do employers in Utah have to pay extra for working on a holiday? Not under federal law. For Utah employers, the FLSA doesn't require extra pay for work on holidays as such; overtime is owed for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Q: Do paid holidays count toward overtime in Utah? Not under federal law. For Utah employers, the FLSA treats paid time off for a holiday as not hours worked, so it doesn't have to be counted toward overtime. Q: What happens if a holiday falls on a weekend in Utah? 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. ## Sources - Utah Code 63G-1-301 Legal holidays (effective 1/1/2027, as amended by H.B. 309, 2026): https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title63G/Chapter1/C63G-1-S301_2026050620270101.html - Utah Code 63G-1-301 Legal holidays (effective 5/6/2026, as amended by S.B. 193; superseded 1/1/2027): https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title63G/Chapter1/C63G-1-S301_2026050620260506.html - Utah State Tax Commission: Juneteenth (Observed) closure Fri Jun 18, 2027: https://tax.utah.gov/event/juneteenth-holiday-observed-offices-closed-3/ - Utah State Tax Commission: Pioneer Day (Observed) closure Fri Jul 23, 2027: https://tax.utah.gov/event/pioneer-day-observed-offices-closed/ - U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ - Utah Labor Commission: Wage Claim FAQ: https://laborcommission.utah.gov/divisions/utah-antidiscrimination-and-labor-uald/wage-claim/ - U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet #23, Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/23-flsa-overtime-pay - FLSA Hours Worked Advisor: Holidays, Vacations and Sick Time | U.S. Department of Labor: https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/whd/flsa/hoursworked/screenEE14.asp Holiday calendar data includes date-holidays (CC BY-SA 3.0), checked against the official sources above. Holiday dates come from public sources. Check your employment contract and the official sources above before you rely on them. CSV: https://vacationtracker.io/static/data/holiday-pages/united-states/utah-holidays-2026.csv