Are federal offices open on Independence Day?

July 4 is on OPM's federal holiday schedule and federal offices close for it. Because the date is fixed, it lands on a weekend regularly, and that's where the federal rule shows itself: a Saturday Fourth means federal employees take the Friday before, and a Sunday Fourth means offices close the following Monday.

That backwards shift is the opposite of the bank rule. The Federal Reserve leaves a Saturday holiday where it is, so in those years banks are open on the very Friday federal offices close. If you need a passport agency or a Social Security office that week, the Friday is the day that catches people out.

What else on Independence Day?

Independence Day across the board

Who	Status
Banks	Closed No — banks are closed for Independence Day.
Mail & the Post Office	Closed No — there's no mail delivery on Independence Day, and post offices are closed.
The Stock Market	Closed No — the stock market is closed for Independence Day.
UPS	Closed No — UPS doesn't pick up or deliver on Independence Day.
FedEx	Closed No — FedEx is closed for Independence Day, with no pickup or delivery.
Trash Pickup	Varies Usually not — July 4 is on nearly every collection calendar, though whether your week slides is up to your hauler.
Schools	Closed No — schools are out for summer on the Fourth of July.

Questions people ask

If July 4 falls on a Saturday, are federal offices closed the Friday before?

Yes. OPM's rule moves a Saturday holiday back to the preceding Friday for federal employees, so offices close that Friday. Banks do the opposite and stay open.

Is the post office closed on July 4?

Yes — USPS observes the same eleven federal holidays and there's no regular delivery. USPS runs its own calendar, though, so its weekend mechanics don't always match the federal office rule.

Checked against the OPM federal holiday schedule, verified August 2026. When a schedule for a new year has not been published yet, this page says so — it never guesses.