SOURCE: Vacation Tracker TITLE: Virginia State Holidays 2027: Dates & Holiday Pay Rules URL: https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/virginia/2027/ LANG: en PUBLISHED: 2026-10-31 UPDATED: 2026-11-01 SUMMARY: All 11 federal and 4 Virginia state holidays for 2027, with observed dates, holiday pay rules and free calendar downloads. # Virginia Holidays 2027 Virginia has 11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays in 2027. Private employers don't have to give any of them. Last updated on Nov 1, 2026. ## All 2027 holidays in Virginia | Holiday | Date | Day of week | Notes | Type | Paid by law? | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | New Year's Day | 2027-01-01 | Friday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | 2027-01-18 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Washington's Birthday | 2027-02-15 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Easter Sunday | 2027-03-28 | Sunday | | Observance | Not a day off | | Memorial Day | 2027-05-31 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Juneteenth | 2027-06-19 | Saturday | Falls on a Saturday. Observed Fri Jun 18 | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Independence Day | 2027-07-04 | Sunday | Falls on a Sunday. Observed Mon Jul 5 | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Labor Day | 2027-09-06 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Columbus Day | 2027-10-11 | Monday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Election Day (Virginia observes Election Day every year (Code 2.2-3300).) | 2027-11-02 | Tuesday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Veterans Day | 2027-11-11 | Thursday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Day before Thanksgiving (half day) (4 hours of additional holiday time for state employees) | 2027-11-24 | Wednesday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Thanksgiving Day | 2027-11-25 | Thursday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | | Day after Thanksgiving (Virginia state holiday.) | 2027-11-26 | Friday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Day before Christmas Eve (half day) (4 hours of additional holiday time for state employees) | 2027-12-23 | Thursday | | State | Not required for private employers | | Christmas Day | 2027-12-25 | Saturday | Falls on a Saturday. Observed Fri Dec 24 | Federal | Not required for private employers | | New Year's Day (observed) (Observed for New Year's Day on Sat Jan 1, 2028) | 2027-12-31 | Friday | | Federal | Not required for private employers | ## What employers need to know **Holiday pay isn't wages.** Virginia's Department of Labor and Industry says paid holidays, vacation leave and sick leave are not wages under the state wage statute, so they can't be part of a state unpaid-wage claim. **State now enforces overtime.** Since July 1, 2026, Virginia's Department of Labor and Industry can investigate and enforce overtime claims, including for holiday-week hours. Overtime owed for work before that date goes to the U.S. Department of Labor or to court. **Paid sick leave from July 2027.** Virginia's general paid sick leave law starts July 1, 2027, for employers with at least 50 employees. It extends to employers with 25 or more on January 1, 2028, and to all employers on January 1, 2029. **Holidays that fall on a weekend.** Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. **Unused vacation when someone leaves.** Virginia does not require employers to provide a PTO payout at termination. A company policy or employment contract defines whether accrued, untaken vacation is paid. (https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/virginia/#payment-of-accrued-unused-vacation-on-termination) Full rules: Virginia leave laws: https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/usa/virginia/ ## Maximize your PTO in 2027 These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Virginia. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Virginia state offices close for: Election Day and Day after Thanksgiving. Take all 13 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 Wednesday, November 24 off to get a 5-day break from November 24 to 28 (Thanksgiving Day and Day after Thanksgiving). - Take Monday, January 4 off to get a 4-day weekend from January 1 to 4 (New Year's Day). - Take Friday, January 15 off to get a 4-day weekend from January 15 to 18 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day). - Take Friday, February 12 off to get a 4-day weekend from February 12 to 15 (Washington's Birthday). - Take Friday, May 28 off to get a 4-day weekend from May 28 to 31 (Memorial Day). - Take Thursday, June 17 off to get a 4-day weekend from June 17 to 20 (Juneteenth). - Take Friday, July 2 off to get a 4-day weekend from July 2 to 5 (Independence Day). - Take Friday, September 3 off to get a 4-day weekend from September 3 to 6 (Labor Day). - Take Friday, October 8 off to get a 4-day weekend from October 8 to 11 (Columbus Day). - Take Monday, November 1 off to get a 4-day weekend from October 30 to November 2 (Election Day). - Take Friday, November 12 off to get a 4-day weekend from November 11 to 14 (Veterans Day). - Take Thursday, December 23 off to get a 4-day weekend from December 23 to 26 (Christmas Day). - Take Thursday, December 30 off to get a 4-day weekend from December 30 to January 2 (New Year's Day). ## When Virginia teams take time off The 5 weeks when the most Virginia employees using Vacation Tracker were off, compared with an average week. - Dec 27 – Jan 2 (Week 52): 3.6× a normal week - Aug 23 – 29 (Week 34): 1.9× a normal week - Aug 16 – 22 (Week 33): 1.6× a normal week - Sep 27 – Oct 3 (Week 39): 1.6× a normal week - Jul 19 – 25 (Week 29): 1.5× a normal week ## How Virginia holidays differ **State holidays.** Virginia has 4 holidays of its own in 2027 on top of the federal ones. The median across the 50 states and DC is 2; 1 have more and 45 have fewer. **Only in Virginia.** Only Virginia has Day before Thanksgiving (half day) and Day before Christmas Eve (half day) as holidays in 2027. **Shared with a few states.** Election Day is also a state holiday in Indiana, New Jersey and New York. **Federal holidays.** Virginia state offices observe all 11 federal holidays. Neighboring states in 2027: - [District of Columbia](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/district-of-columbia/2027/): 2 holidays of its own - [Kentucky](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/kentucky/2027/): 3 holidays of its own - [Maryland](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/maryland/2027/): 1 holiday of its own - [North Carolina](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/north-carolina/2027/): 4 holidays of its own - [Tennessee](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/tennessee/2027/): 1 holiday of its own - [West Virginia](https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/west-virginia/2027/): 2 holidays of its own Compare all 50 states and DC: https://vacationtracker.io/holidays/united-states/2027/#compare ## Frequently asked questions Q: Do private employers in Virginia have to give paid holidays? Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require pay for holidays not worked; it treats holiday pay as a matter of agreement between employer and employee. Q: What are the Virginia state holidays in 2027? In 2027, Virginia has the 11 federal holidays and 4 state holidays: Election Day (November 2), Day before Thanksgiving (half day) (November 24), Day after Thanksgiving (November 26) and Day before Christmas Eve (half day) (December 23). Q: Is Juneteenth a Virginia state holiday? Yes. Juneteenth is a federal holiday and a Virginia state holiday. In 2027 it falls on Saturday, June 19, and federal offices observe it on Friday, June 18. Q: Is Columbus Day a Virginia state holiday? Yes. Columbus Day is a federal holiday and a Virginia state holiday. In 2027 it falls on Monday, October 11. Q: Is the day after Thanksgiving a holiday in Virginia? Yes. The day after Thanksgiving (Friday, November 26) is a Virginia state holiday. Private employers don't have to give it. Q: Do employers in Virginia have to pay extra for working on a holiday? Federal law (the FLSA) doesn't require overtime pay for work on holidays as such. Q: Do paid holidays count toward overtime in Virginia? Under federal law (the FLSA), paid holiday time off isn't hours worked and doesn't have to be counted toward overtime. Q: What happens if a holiday falls on a weekend in Virginia? Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. In 2027, Juneteenth falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, June 18; Independence Day falls on a Sunday and is observed on Monday, July 5; Christmas Day falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, December 24. ## Sources - Pay and Holiday Calendar - Virginia DHRM: https://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/payandholidaycalendar - Commonwealth of Virginia 2027 Pay and Holiday Calendar: https://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2027-pay-and-holiday-calendar.pdf?sfvrsn=19dff6ab_2 - Commonwealth of Virginia 2026 Pay and Holiday Calendar: https://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2026-pay-and-holiday-calendar.pdf?sfvrsn=301dddbc_0 - U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ - Virginia Department of Labor and Industry: Claim for Unpaid Wages form and instructions: https://doli.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/LL-POW-01-POW-Claim-Form-112024.pdf - Virginia Department of Labor and Industry: Payment of Wage: https://doli.virginia.gov/labor-law/payment-of-wage/ - Code of Virginia § 40.1-33.6:1 (effective July 1, 2027): paid sick leave definitions: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodeupdates/title40.1/section40.1-33.6:1/ - Holiday Pay | U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/holidays - Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA | U.S. Department of Labor: 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/virginia-holidays-2027.csv