Working Days Calculator
Calculate the number of business/working days between two dates. Customize weekends and add holidays to get an accurate count of workdays for project planning, payroll, or deadline calculations.
Table of Contents
What are Working Days?
Working days, also known as business days or workdays, are the days of the week when most businesses and organizations operate. In most Western countries, working days typically refer to Monday through Friday, excluding weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and public holidays.
Understanding working days is essential for various purposes:
- Project Management: Accurately estimating project timelines and deadlines
- Payroll Processing: Calculating employee wages based on days worked
- Contract Negotiations: Determining delivery dates and penalty clauses
- Legal Matters: Understanding filing deadlines and response times
- Shipping & Logistics: Estimating delivery times for business shipments
How to Calculate Working Days Between Two Dates
Calculating working days manually involves several steps:
- Count the total number of days between your start and end dates (inclusive or exclusive, depending on your needs)
- Identify and count weekend days that fall within this period
- Subtract weekend days from the total
- Identify public holidays that fall on working days
- Subtract holidays from the remaining count
The Working Days Formula
Working Days = Total Days - Weekend Days - Holidays (on weekdays)
It's important to note that holidays falling on weekends should not be double-counted. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it has already been excluded when you subtracted weekend days.
Calculation Examples
Example 1: December 2024
Let's calculate working days in December 2024:
- Total days in December: 31
- Weekend days (Saturdays and Sundays): 9
- Holidays on weekdays (Christmas Day on Wednesday): 1
- Working days: 31 - 9 - 1 = 21 working days
Example 2: Project Timeline
If a project starts on January 6, 2025 (Monday) and ends on January 24, 2025 (Friday):
- Total days: 19
- Weekend days: 4 (2 Saturdays + 2 Sundays)
- Holidays: 1 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 20)
- Working days: 19 - 4 - 1 = 14 working days
Working Days by Month (2025)
Here's a reference table for working days in each month of 2025 (based on US federal holidays and standard Monday-Friday work week):
| Month | Total Days | Weekend Days | Holidays | Working Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 8 | 2 | 21 |
| February | 28 | 8 | 1 | 19 |
| March | 31 | 10 | 0 | 21 |
| April | 30 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
| May | 31 | 8 | 1 | 22 |
| June | 30 | 8 | 1 | 21 |
| July | 31 | 8 | 1 | 22 |
| August | 31 | 10 | 0 | 21 |
| September | 30 | 8 | 1 | 21 |
| October | 31 | 8 | 1 | 22 |
| November | 30 | 10 | 2 | 18 |
| December | 31 | 8 | 2 | 21 |
Notice Periods and Working Days
A common question arises regarding resignation notice periods: Do notice periods count only working days?
In most cases, notice periods include both working and non-working days (calendar days). This means:
- A "2-week notice" typically means 14 calendar days, not 10 working days
- A "30-day notice" means 30 calendar days from the date of notice
- Always check your employment contract or local labor laws for specific requirements
However, some contracts specifically state "business days" or "working days," in which case you would exclude weekends and holidays from the count.
International Working Day Standards
Different countries have different weekend configurations and holidays:
| Region/Country | Weekend Days | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USA, Canada, UK, Europe | Saturday, Sunday | Standard Monday-Friday work week |
| Israel | Friday, Saturday | Sunday is a regular working day |
| UAE, Saudi Arabia | Friday, Saturday | Sunday through Thursday work week |
| Iran | Friday | Saturday through Thursday work week |
| Brunei | Friday, Sunday | Unique configuration |
Our calculator allows you to customize which days are considered weekends, making it useful for international calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many working days are in a year?
In a typical year with a Monday-Friday work week, there are approximately 260-262 working days (52 weeks × 5 days). After subtracting federal/public holidays (usually 10-12 in the US), you'll have around 248-252 actual working days.
Does the calculator include the start and end dates?
Yes, our calculator includes both the start date and end date in the calculation. If you need to exclude either date, you can adjust your input dates accordingly.
What happens if a holiday falls on a weekend?
If a holiday falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), it doesn't reduce the working day count since weekends are already excluded. However, some employers may observe the holiday on the nearest weekday (e.g., the following Monday), which would reduce working days.
How do I calculate working days in Excel?
Excel provides the NETWORKDAYS function: =NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays]). For custom weekend configurations, use NETWORKDAYS.INTL with a weekend parameter.
What's the difference between working days and business days?
The terms are generally used interchangeably. Both refer to days when normal business operations occur, typically Monday through Friday excluding public holidays. Some industries may have specific definitions based on their operating schedules.