Information checked: Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 8:06 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in Washington, D.C. (EST, UTC−05:00; 13:06 UTC).
Yes—today, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, is Veterans Day in the United States. The federal holiday falls on its traditional calendar date this year, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lists Wednesday, November 11, as the official 2026 observance. The day honors people who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
For people making plans today, the distinction matters: many federal government offices are closed, the U.S. Postal Service is observing the holiday, and some banking services may be affected. Schools, stores, medical providers and other local services do not all follow one national closure rule. Veterans Day is also not automatically moved to Monday merely to create a long weekend.
Veterans Day is observed annually on November 11. In 2026, that date falls on a Wednesday, so the date of the holiday and the regular federal employee observance coincide. There is no separate nationwide federal Veterans Day observance on Tuesday, November 10, or Thursday, November 12, for the usual Monday-through-Friday schedule.
The definitive federal schedule is maintained by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. USAGov’s federal holiday guide also identifies November 11 as Veterans Day. Unlike holidays defined as a particular Monday of a month, Veterans Day is tied to a fixed date. The date matters more than the weekday on which it falls.
The commemoration remains November 11 every year, but the day off used for pay and leave by most federal workers can be different when November 11 lands on a weekend. OPM explains that when a federal holiday falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday is generally the observed day for most federal employees. When it falls on Sunday, the following Monday is generally the observed day. Employees on nonstandard schedules may follow different “in lieu of” rules.
That distinction can produce two dates in a holiday calendar: the historic Veterans Day date and the weekday designated for some federal workers. It does not change the annual November 11 remembrance itself. Read OPM’s in-lieu-of holiday guidance for the less common work-schedule cases. None of these weekend substitutions is necessary for the Wednesday, November 11, 2026, observance.
Being a federal holiday affects government schedules, but it does not mean every organization in the country must close. Here is the practical distinction for Wednesday, November 11:
| Service or organization | What to expect on November 11, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Federal government offices | Many are closed under the federal holiday calendar; essential operations and agency-specific services can differ. |
| USPS Post Offices and regular mail | USPS says Post Office locations are closed and regular retail and mail delivery services resume Thursday, November 12. |
| Banks and payment processing | The Federal Reserve observes Veterans Day. Many bank branches close, and certain bank settlement services pause; individual branch and online-service availability may vary. |
| Public schools and colleges | Varies by district, school system and institution; check the published academic calendar. |
| Stores, restaurants and private workplaces | Not uniformly closed by federal holiday designation; hours and paid-time-off rules depend on the organization. |
| City, county and state services | Schedules vary by jurisdiction; consult official local notices for offices, libraries and waste collection. |
USPS confirmed its November 11 closure in a November 4 service announcement. This article focuses on the overall holiday and when it is observed, rather than a detailed guide to mail delivery options. The Federal Reserve holiday schedule confirms the banking system’s Veterans Day observance; an individual bank may still offer certain app, ATM or other self-service functions.
The date goes back to the armistice that halted fighting on the Western Front during World War I, which took effect on November 11, 1918. The occasion became known in the United States as Armistice Day. President Woodrow Wilson marked the first anniversary in 1919, and a 1938 law established November 11 as a legal holiday dedicated to peace.
In 1954, following World War II and the Korean War, Congress changed the holiday’s name to Veterans Day so that it would recognize U.S. veterans beyond those who had served in World War I. For a period starting in 1971, the federal observance moved to an October Monday under legislation intended to create more three-day weekends. The original November 11 date was restored beginning in 1978 because of its historical significance.
That history is documented in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ official Veterans Day timeline. It is also why the holiday is different from a general autumn day off: the specific November date connects the modern observance with the 1918 armistice and with generations of U.S. military service.
No. Veterans Day honors those who served in the U.S. military, including living veterans. Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday in May, specifically honors military personnel who died while serving. The distinction is laid out in USAGov’s explanation of American holidays.
A respectful way to mark Veterans Day is to thank veterans in your community, learn about their experiences, attend a locally announced ceremony or support an established veterans service organization. Events and commemorations can take place at different times and locations, so the relevant organizer—not a general holiday calendar—should be the source for event-specific schedules.
If you have an appointment at a government office, check the agency's holiday notice or online appointment system before traveling. If you need to visit a bank, ask the specific branch about its hours and be aware that a transfer submitted today might not settle on the usual timetable. For students and families, rely on your school district's posted 2026–27 calendar rather than assuming every school is closed.
People planning travel, shopping or dining should check the operating hours of the particular business. A federal holiday can affect staffing or public services without changing the hours of every privately operated location. For routine plans, the safest approach is to verify the exact office, branch or store, instead of treating “federal holiday” as a single nationwide opening-hours rule.
Looking ahead, the OPM federal schedule lists Thursday, November 11, 2027, as the next Veterans Day. For the current 2026 observance, the key point is simpler: the holiday is today, Wednesday, November 11, not a substitute weekday later in the week.
Yes. Wednesday, November 11, 2026, is Veterans Day and is the federal holiday's official observed date in the United States.
Yes. The national commemoration remains on November 11. When that date falls on a weekend, many federal workers receive a different weekday as their observed holiday for pay and leave.
No. Federal holiday status does not require every private business or school to close. Check the specific employer, school district, bank branch or local government service for its November 11 schedule.
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