Are Banks Open on Columbus Day? (2026)
No — most US banks are closed on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12, 2026. Columbus Day is a federal holiday, so the Federal Reserve is closed and the vast majority of banks follow the Fed’s schedule. Check the live answer for your state on our US bank holiday checker.
A few community banks and credit unions stay open, and everything digital keeps working — ATMs, mobile apps, online transfers and card payments are unaffected. Branch counters are what close.
Why banks close on Columbus Day
US banks take their holiday calendar from the Federal Reserve’s K.8 schedule: 11 federal holidays a year, and Columbus Day — the second Monday of October — is one of them. When the Fed closes, the interbank settlement system pauses, so nearly every retail bank closes its branches too. Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citi and US Bank all observe it.
Columbus Day honors the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. Many states and cities now observe it as Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead, but the federal holiday — and the bank closure — is the same day.
What’s still open on Columbus Day
The closure only affects branch counters. ATMs dispense cash, mobile check deposit works, and Zelle, Venmo and card payments run normally. One quirk: the stock market stays open — the NYSE and Nasdaq do not observe Columbus Day — so investors see a normal trading session while bank branches are dark.
If you need a branch service like a cashier’s check, a safe-deposit box or a notary, go on Friday, October 9, or wait until Tuesday, October 13. Direct deposits scheduled for Monday still arrive on schedule for most banks.
Columbus Day 2026 date — don’t trust last year’s pages
Columbus Day 2026 is Monday, October 12. Many competitor pages still show October 13 — that was Columbus Day 2025. The holiday is always the second Monday of October, so the date moves every year. Our date comes from the Federal Reserve K.8 schedule, the same calendar the banks themselves use.
For 2027, Columbus Day falls on Monday, October 11.
The next bank holiday after Columbus Day
After Columbus Day, the next US bank closure is Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2026 — also a federal holiday, so expect the same branch closures. Then Thanksgiving (November 26) and Christmas (December 25) round out the year.
Planning ahead? The full 2026 federal calendar is on our US bank holidays 2026 page, and the 2027 dates are already published on the 2027 page.
Quick answers
Are banks open on Columbus Day 2026?
No — most US banks are closed on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12, 2026. It is a federal holiday: the Federal Reserve is closed and nearly all banks follow the Fed’s schedule. ATMs, mobile banking and card payments still work.
Is Columbus Day a federal holiday?
Yes. Columbus Day, the second Monday of October, is one of the 11 federal holidays in the Federal Reserve K.8 schedule, which is why banks close.
Are ATMs open on Columbus Day?
Yes. ATMs, online and mobile banking, direct deposits and card payments all work normally on Columbus Day — only branch counters close.
Is the stock market open on Columbus Day?
Yes. The NYSE and Nasdaq stay open on Columbus Day even though most bank branches are closed. Banks and markets follow different holiday calendars.
Do all banks close on Columbus Day?
Almost all. The major national banks close, but a small number of community banks and credit unions may open with reduced hours — confirm with your bank before visiting.
When is Columbus Day 2027?
Columbus Day 2027 is Monday, October 11, 2027 — again the second Monday of October, and again a federal bank holiday.