Check your bank's holiday schedule and hours before you go
Most banks close on federal holidays, but the specific days vary by bank and by state. The safest way to know whether your bank is open is to call the branch directly or check their website — do not assume based on what you think the holiday is. Many banks stay open on days people think they are closed, and some close on days that are not federal holidays.
If you need to access your account on a day you think might be a holiday, log into your online banking first. You can transfer money, pay bills, and check your balance from home without stepping into a branch. Most banks process online transactions even when physical branches are closed, though the timing of when the money moves may be delayed until the next business day.
For time-sensitive refunds or payments, knowing your bank's actual schedule matters. A tax refund or insurance payment that arrives on a Friday before a three-day weekend will not clear until Tuesday, for example. If you are waiting for money and the timing is tight, call ahead rather than showing up to find the doors locked.
Key Takeaways
- Federal holidays when most banks close include New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
- Your specific bank may have different hours or closures than other banks in your area, so check their website or call before you go.
- Online banking and mobile apps work around the clock, even when branches are closed, though deposits and transfers may not process until the next business day.
- If you are waiting for a refund or payment to arrive, confirm your bank's schedule so you know when the money will actually be available to use.
Federal holidays when banks typically close
Banks in the United States close on these federal holidays: New Year's Day (January 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Presidents' Day (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth (June 19), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Veterans Day (November 11), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), and Christmas Day (December 25).
Some banks also close on the day after Thanksgiving. A few banks close on Good Friday or other religious holidays, though this is less common. State-chartered banks sometimes follow state holidays that federal banks do not observe, so a bank in your state might be closed on a day when banks in other states are open.
The Federal Reserve itself closes on these same federal holidays, which affects how quickly money moves between banks. A deposit you make on a Friday before a three-day weekend will not clear until the following Tuesday, even if your bank branch is open on Monday.
How to check if your specific bank is open
Call your bank's main customer service line or your local branch directly. The phone number is on your debit card, your statements, or the bank's website. When you call, you will hear a recorded message if the branch is closed, or you can ask a person if you reach someone. This takes two minutes and removes all doubt.
Visit your bank's website and look for "hours" or "locations." Most banks list each branch's hours and note which holidays they are closed. Some banks also show this information in their mobile app. If you cannot find it online, the phone call is your backup.
If you need to do banking on a holiday and your branch is closed, use your bank's online platform or mobile app instead. You can transfer money between your own accounts, send money to other people, pay bills, and deposit checks by photograph. The transaction will be recorded in your account immediately, but the money may not actually move until the next business day.
What you can and cannot do when your bank is closed
You can use online banking, mobile apps, ATMs, and debit cards at any time, including holidays and nights. You can check your balance, transfer money between your accounts, send money to other banks, pay bills, and deposit checks by phone or app. None of these require a person to be working at the bank.
You cannot go into a branch to withdraw cash, deposit cash, get a cashier's check, or speak to a banker in person. You cannot use a teller. If you need cash and the ATM is empty or broken, you will have to wait until the branch reopens.
Transactions you make online or by app on a holiday will show up in your account right away, but the actual movement of money between banks may be delayed. A check you deposit on a holiday will not clear until the next business day at the earliest. A transfer you send to another bank on a holiday may not arrive until the following day.
What to do if you need cash on a holiday
Use an ATM. Most ATMs work 24 hours, even on holidays, as long as they have cash in them. If your bank's ATM is empty, try an ATM from another bank — you will pay a fee (usually $2 to $3), but you will get your cash. Grocery stores, convenience stores, and gas stations have ATMs.
If you do not have a debit card or the ATM is broken, you have limited options. Some banks have a 24-hour customer service line that can help you find an open ATM or tell you when the branch will reopen. If you need a large amount of cash or a cashier's check, you will have to wait until the branch is open again.
Plan ahead if you know a holiday is coming. Withdraw cash the day before if you think you will need it. This is especially important before three-day weekends or the winter holidays.
How bank closures affect refunds and payments
If a tax refund, insurance refund, or other payment is scheduled to arrive on a day your bank is closed, the money will sit in the banking system until the next business day. The sending bank (the IRS, your insurance company, or whoever is paying you) will have sent the money, but your bank cannot process it until it reopens.
This matters most when a refund is supposed to arrive on a Friday before a three-day weekend. The money will not be available in your account until Tuesday. If you are counting on that money to pay a bill on Monday, you will be short.
Check the expected arrival date of any refund you are waiting for. If it falls on a holiday or the day before a three-day weekend, assume the money will not be available until the next business day after the holiday. If the timing is critical, contact the organization sending the money and ask whether they can send it earlier or whether they can send it to a different account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are banks closed on weekends?
Most bank branches are closed on Saturday and Sunday, though some branches in busy areas stay open on Saturday. ATMs and online banking work 24 hours on weekends. If you need to do banking on a weekend, use your ATM, mobile app, or online banking.
What if I need to deposit a check on a holiday?
Use mobile check deposit through your bank's app if you have it. Take a photo of the front and back of the check and submit it through the app. The check will be recorded in your account right away, though the money may not clear until the next business day.
Do credit unions close on the same holidays as banks?
Most credit unions close on the same federal holidays as banks, but some have different schedules. Call your credit union or check their website to confirm. The same online and ATM access rules apply — you can use those services even when the branch is closed.
Will my direct deposit go through if the bank is closed?
Your employer will send the direct deposit on schedule, but your bank may not process it until the next business day if the holiday falls on a weekday. If payday is a holiday, the money usually arrives the day before or the day after, depending on your employer's system.
Can I use my debit card on a holiday when the bank is closed?
Yes. Your debit card works at stores, ATMs, and online merchants 24 hours a day, even on holidays. The transaction will go through, though it may take a day or two to show up in your account if the merchant's bank is also closed.