Working Days Calculator
Count Mon–Fri and subtract public holidays by state – for project planning, notice periods and vacation planning
- Updated
- Basis
- State public holiday laws
Both days are counted.
Deducted from the working days.
Mon–Fri excluding public holidays
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–Working days in Germany: calculation and public holidays
Nationwide and state-specific public holidays at a glance
The working days calculator counts every Monday-to-Friday day (business day) in any given period and automatically subtracts the statutory public holidays. The result is the number of working days – the days on which people in Germany actually work. Depending on the selected federal state, additional state-specific holidays are taken into account.
Germany has 9 nationwide public holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, German Unity Day, and the two Christmas holidays. The movable holidays (Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday) are calculated using the Gaussian Easter formula – a mathematical method that determines Easter Sunday precisely for any given year. For 2026, Easter Sunday falls on 5 April.
In addition, there are state-specific public holidays that only apply in certain federal states. Epiphany (6 January) applies in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt. Corpus Christi is a holiday in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland – in Saxony and Thuringia only in certain predominantly Catholic municipalities. All Saints' Day (1 November) applies in BW, BY, NW, RP and SL. Reformation Day (31 October) is a statutory holiday in the eastern states as well as in Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. Since 2019 Thuringia has also observed World Children's Day (20 September, § 2 ThürFGtG).
The calculator is especially useful for notice periods (e.g. 3 months to the end of the month), project planning (sprint duration in working days), vacation planning (how many vacation days do I need?), payment terms (14 business days) or calculating deadlines in employment and contract law. A public holiday that falls on a weekend does not count twice – it does not cost a working day.
Typical use cases
What is the working days calculator used for?
- Project planning
- Plan sprint duration, milestones and delivery dates in working days
- Notice periods
- Determine the exact deadline for a 3-month notice period to month-end
- Vacation planning
- How many vacation days do I use up for a given period?
- Payment terms
- Calculate 14 or 30 business days from the invoice date
- Payroll
- Determine working days per month for daily-rate pay
- Authorities & law
- Deadlines in employment law, administrative law or commercial law
Calculation example: January 2026
- Period
- 01.01. – 31.01.2026
- Business days (Mon–Fri)
- 22
- New Year's Day (Thu, 01.01.)
- − 1
- Working days
- 21
- Period
- 01.01. – 31.01.2026
- Business days (Mon–Fri)
- 22
- New Year's Day (Thu, 01.01.)
- − 1
- Epiphany (Tue, 06.01.)
- − 1
- Working days (BY)
- 20
Frequently asked questions about the working days calculator
Public holidays, federal states and calculation explained
How many working days does January 2026 have?
January 2026 has 22 business days (Monday to Friday). Of these, 1 January (New Year's Day, a Thursday) is a statutory holiday, leaving 21 working days – in all federal states, since New Year's Day applies nationwide. In Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg, 6 January (Epiphany, a Tuesday) is an additional holiday, leaving only 20 working days there.
Which public holidays apply throughout Germany?
The 9 nationwide public holidays in Germany are: New Year's Day (1 January), Good Friday (movable), Easter Monday (movable), Labour Day (1 May), Ascension Day (movable, 39 days after Easter), Whit Monday (movable, 50 days after Easter), German Unity Day (3 October), Christmas Day (25 December) and Boxing Day (26 December). All other public holidays only apply in certain federal states.
When is Easter Sunday in 2026?
Easter Sunday 2026 falls on 5 April. This is calculated using the Gaussian Easter formula. From this follow: Good Friday = 3 April, Easter Monday = 6 April. Ascension Day (39 days after Easter) = 14 May 2026, Whit Monday (50 days after Easter) = 25 May 2026.
What is the difference between business days and working days?
Business days are all days from Monday to Friday, regardless of public holidays. Working days are business days minus the statutory public holidays that fall on a business day. A public holiday on a Saturday or Sunday does not reduce the number of working days. In legal and employment contexts, calculations are often based on "business days" (sometimes including Saturday, depending on the context).
How many working days does a year have in Germany?
A standard year in Germany has between approximately 249 and 257 working days, depending on the federal state. The difference arises from state-specific public holidays: Bavaria has particularly many (up to 13 statutory holidays), while Berlin, for example, has fewer. In addition, some public holidays fall on weekends and then do not cost a working day. In 2026, the 9 nationwide public holidays fall differently on business days.