Business Days Between Dates Calculator
Many deadlines, shipping windows, payment terms, and legal notices are measured in business days rather than calendar days, so weekends do not count against the clock. This calculator counts the working days between two dates by including every Monday through Friday in the range and subtracting any public holidays you tell it fall on weekdays. Because holiday calendars differ by country, state, and employer, the holiday count is a user-editable input rather than a fixed assumption, keeping the result accurate for your own jurisdiction. Pick your start and end dates to see total calendar days, weekend days, and net business days.
Business days formula
calendar days = (end - start) in days + 1 (inclusive)
weekdays = count of days that are Mon to Fri
weekend days = calendar days - weekdays
business days = weekdays - holidays on weekdays
The range is inclusive of both endpoints. Each day is classified by its day of week; Saturday and Sunday are weekend days. Holidays you enter that land on a weekday are subtracted from the weekday total to give net business days.
Where business-day counts matter
- Contract and invoice payment terms such as net 30 business days.
- Shipping and delivery estimates from carriers and retailers.
- Legal and regulatory filing or response deadlines.
- Project planning and staffing across a working calendar.
- Bank processing windows, which exclude weekends and bank holidays.
Business days: frequently asked questions
What counts as a business day?
A business day, also called a working day, is any weekday from Monday to Friday that is not a public holiday. This calculator counts every Monday through Friday in the chosen range and then subtracts the number of holidays you say fall on weekdays within that range.
Are the start and end dates included?
Yes. This calculator uses an inclusive count, so both the start date and the end date are part of the range if they fall on a weekday. If you prefer an exclusive count that ignores the start date, subtract one business day from the result.
How are holidays handled?
Because public holidays vary by country, state, and employer, this calculator does not assume any fixed list. Instead you enter the number of holidays that fall on weekdays within your date range, and the tool subtracts them. The U.S. federal holiday list is published by the Office of Personnel Management.
Why exclude weekends?
Many contracts, shipping estimates, payment terms, and legal deadlines are stated in business days precisely so they do not count Saturdays and Sundays, when most offices, banks, and courts are closed. Counting only weekdays gives a realistic estimate of elapsed working time.
Does this account for half days or different work weeks?
No. The calculator assumes a standard five-day working week of Monday to Friday and treats each working day as whole. If your organization works a different pattern, such as a six-day week, the weekday count will not match your schedule.
Official sources
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal Holidays.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology: NIST home.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 17 June 2026. See our methodology.