How Many Days Until New Year's Day?
New Year's Day follows one rule. January 1 every year. This page counts down to the next one. It also lists the exact dates for the next five years and the business days left.
Counted from today in your device's time zone.
Updated: October 2, 2026 · Sources and methodology
New Year's Day dates for the next five years
| Year | Date | Day of week | Observed (federal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | January 1 | Thursday | Same day |
| 2027 | January 1 | Friday | Same day |
| 2028 | January 1 | Saturday | Fri, Dec 31, 2027 |
| 2029 | January 1 | Monday | Same day |
| 2030 | January 1 | Tuesday | Same day |
How the date of New Year's Day is set
Rule: January 1 every year. The calendar date is fixed. Only the weekday changes. In 2026 it is a Thursday. In 2027 it is a Friday. The gap between New Year's Day 2026 and 2027 is 365 days.
Federal holidays follow OPM's rule. A holiday on Saturday is observed on Friday. A holiday on Sunday is observed on Monday. For New Year's Day, the next time this matters is 2028. That year the day off is Friday, December 31, 2027.
How the countdown is calculated
We subtract today's date from the date of New Year's Day. We count midnight to midnight. Here is the same math by hand, from Saturday, October 3, 2026 to Friday, January 1, 2027.
- Rest of October after the 3rd: 28 days
- All of November 2026: 30 days
- All of December 2026: 31 days
- January 1 through 1: 1 days
- Total: 28 + 30 + 31 + 1 = 90 days (12 weeks and 6 days), of which 60 are business days.
Business days leave out Saturdays, Sundays and observed U.S. federal holidays. So 30 of those 90 days are not business days. Your bank or employer may close on other days too.
History and traditions
New Year's Day became a federal holiday in 1870. It is the first of the eleven permanent federal holidays every year.
There is one odd case. If January 1 lands on a Saturday, the day off is Friday, December 31 of the year before. So that year has no observed New Year's holiday of its own.
Related countdowns
| Event | Next | Following |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas | Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | Sat, Dec 25, 2027 |
| Tax Day | Thu, Apr 15, 2027 | Tue, Apr 18, 2028 |
Frequently asked questions
What day of the week is New Year's Day in 2026?
New Year's Day 2026 falls on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
When is New Year's Day 2027?
New Year's Day 2027 is on Friday, January 1, 2027. That is 365 days after New Year's Day 2026.
Is New Year's Day a federal holiday?
Yes. New Year's Day is one of the 11 permanent federal holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103. Federal offices, the Postal Service and most banks close. In 2028 it falls on a Saturday. So the day off is Friday, December 31, 2027.
How is the date of New Year's Day determined?
January 1 every year. The date never changes. The weekday moves forward one day each year, or two days after a February 29.
Is the countdown on this page right for my time zone?
Yes. Your browser counts from your device's local date. So the count changes at your midnight, not ours. The next New Year's Day starts at midnight on Friday, January 1, 2027, wherever you are.