Florida state holidays 2026: what's paid and what isn't
Florida state offices close for nine standing paid holidays, set out in F.S. 110.117 — and the list is worth reading carefully, because it is shorter than the federal list. Florida pays for the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is not a federal holiday, but does not pay for Juneteenth or Columbus Day, which are. For 2026 there is one addition: Washington's Birthday, February 16, added by proclamation for that year.
Florida keeps two different lists
Almost every problem with Florida holiday dates comes from one thing: the state has two lists, and most websites merge them.
F.S. 683.01 is the ceremonial list — days the legislature has named as legal holidays. It is long, and it includes Pascua Florida Day, Confederate Memorial Day, the birthday of Jefferson Davis, Flag Day and several others. None of this means state offices close.
F.S. 110.117 is the paid list, and it is much shorter. That is the one that determines whether a state office is shut. When a website tells you Florida observes a given day, check which list it came from — if it is only on the 683.01 list, nothing closes.
The 2026 paid schedule
Dates as published by Florida's Department of Management Services. Independence Day is the only one of the nine standing days that moves in 2026.
| Date | Holiday | Day | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | New Year's Day | Thursday | Same as federal |
| Jan 19 | Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Monday | Third Monday in January |
| Feb 16 | Washington's Birthday | Monday | 2026 only, by proclamation — see note below |
| May 25 | Memorial Day | Monday | Last Monday in May |
| Jul 3 | Independence Day (observed) | Friday | July 4 falls on a Saturday |
| Sep 7 | Labor Day | Monday | First Monday in September |
| Nov 11 | Veterans' Day | Wednesday | Same as federal |
| Nov 26 | Thanksgiving Day | Thursday | Fourth Thursday in November |
| Nov 27 | Friday after Thanksgiving | Friday | Florida only, among the standing paid days |
| Dec 25 | Christmas Day | Friday | Same as federal |
The February 16 addition — read this before you rely on it
Washington's Birthday appears on Florida's 2026 calendar by proclamation, not as a standing item on the paid list. The state's own Department of Management Services holiday page, which is where the other nine dates come from, does not carry February 16.
The two sources are both official and they disagree, so this page reports the day but flags it. Practically: state offices were announced closed for Monday, February 16, 2026, and the SmartFL press release is the authority for that. What you should not do is assume Washington's Birthday is a Florida holiday in 2027 or later — the standing paid list has never included it.
Presidents' Day is the wider version of the same day. Florida names it Washington's Birthday, matching the federal statute rather than the common usage.
Friday after Thanksgiving: Florida's extra day
This is the one day Florida adds. The Friday after Thanksgiving is not a federal holiday, and it is not a paid holiday in most states — but it is on Florida's paid list, so state offices close on Friday, November 27, 2026.
It is the reason Florida's list looks odd next to the federal one: the state gives up two federal days and takes this one, which is why the total comes to nine rather than eleven.
Worth knowing: a great many private employers also treat that Friday as a holiday, which makes it feel more official than it is. South of the state line, the day is a normal working day for government offices.
Two federal holidays Florida does not pay for
Juneteenth (June 19) became a federal holiday in 2021. It is not on Florida's paid holiday list, so state offices stay open. In 2026 it falls on a Friday, which makes it the most visible of the gaps — federal offices shut, state offices do not.
Columbus Day (second Monday in October) is the other one, and this is where the two-list problem bites hardest. Columbus Day is named as a legal holiday in F.S. 683.01, under the title "Columbus Day and Farmers' Day". It is not on the paid list, so state offices are open on Monday, October 12, 2026.
If you are checking whether a state office is open, the paid list is the one that matters. If you are checking whether a day is legally named at all, that is the other list.
Days that are legal holidays but close nothing
For completeness, these are on the ceremonial list and are the ones most often mistaken for closures. None of them shuts a state office:
- Pascua Florida Day — April 2, marking Juan Ponce de León's landing in 1513
- Confederate Memorial Day — April 26
- Birthday of Jefferson Davis — June 3
- Flag Day — June 14
- Good Friday — not a Florida paid holiday, unlike in several other states
- Lincoln's Birthday — February 12, and Susan B. Anthony's Birthday — February 15
If you are not a state employee
Florida's paid list governs state government offices. Private employers are not bound by it — the Fair Labor Standards Act requires no paid holidays in the private sector at all.
Banks follow the Federal Reserve, which tracks the federal list. So a Florida bank branch is typically closed on Juneteenth and Columbus Day and open on the Friday after Thanksgiving — precisely the reverse of what Florida state offices do. That inversion catches people out every November.
Frequently asked questions
How many paid state holidays does Florida have in 2026?
Nine standing paid holidays under F.S. 110.117, plus Washington's Birthday on February 16 by proclamation for 2026 only.
Is the Friday after Thanksgiving a Florida state holiday?
Yes. It is on Florida's paid holiday list, so state offices close on Friday, November 27, 2026. It is not a federal holiday.
Does Florida observe Juneteenth?
Not as a paid state holiday. Juneteenth is a federal holiday but does not appear on Florida's paid holiday list, so state offices remain open. It falls on Friday, June 19 in 2026.
Does Florida observe Columbus Day?
It is named as a legal holiday in F.S. 683.01, but it is not on the paid holiday list, so state offices stay open. Columbus Day 2026 is Monday, October 12.
Why is Independence Day observed on July 3 in Florida?
July 4, 2026 falls on a Saturday. Under F.S. 110.117 a Saturday holiday is observed on the preceding Friday, which is July 3.
What is Pascua Florida Day?
April 2, marking Juan Ponce de León's 1513 landing on the Florida coast. It is a legal holiday under F.S. 683.01 but not a paid state holiday, so state offices do not close.
Are Florida state offices closed on Confederate Memorial Day?
No. April 26 is named in the ceremonial list at F.S. 683.01 but is not a paid holiday, so state offices are open.
What is the difference between F.S. 683.01 and F.S. 110.117?
683.01 is the ceremonial list of legal holidays — days with a name but usually no closure. 110.117 is the paid holiday list, and that one determines whether state offices are shut.
Official sources
- Florida Department of Management Services — State Holidays — the paid holiday list this page is built on
- F.S. 110.117 — Paid holidays — the statute, including the Saturday and Sunday rules
- F.S. 683.01 — Legal holidays — the ceremonial list, including Pascua Florida Day and Columbus Day and Farmers' Day
- Florida Department of State — 2026 holiday announcement — the proclamation adding February 16, 2026
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management — Federal Holidays — the federal list Florida is compared against
Last verified against official sources on September 29, 2026.