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PAYROLL CALENDAR · 2026

2026 semimonthly payroll calendar

Every 2026 pay date when you pay twice a month (semimonthly), with the day to send the bank file and the federal tax deposit due dates.

Build your calendar

The calendar opens with the most common setup. Change it to match your payroll; the pay periods, bank file dates, deposit due dates and holiday moves follow.

Your schedule

Your bank's file deadline; two banking days ahead is common.
The deposit due dates the month grids mark.
Pay dates in 2026
24
Moved for a weekend or holiday
8
First pay date
Thu, Jan 15
Last pay date
Thu, Dec 31

Send the bank file by your bank's file deadline; two banking days ahead is common, and a bank holiday in between moves it a day earlier.

2026 at a glance

Pay dates, bank holidays and the monthly deposit due dates for your schedule.

  • Pay date
  • Deposit due (monthly)
  • Bank holiday
  • IRS legal holiday, banks open
January
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
1, Bank holiday23
45678910
1112131415, Pay date, Deposit due (monthly)1617
1819, Bank holiday2021222324
252627282930, Pay date31
February
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
1234567
8910111213, Pay date14
1516, Bank holiday17, Deposit due (monthly)18192021
222324252627, Pay date28
March
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
1234567
8910111213, Pay date14
1516, Deposit due (monthly)1718192021
22232425262728
293031, Pay date
April
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
1234
567891011
12131415, Pay date, Deposit due (monthly)16, IRS legal holiday, banks open1718
19202122232425
2627282930, Pay date
May
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
12
3456789
101112131415, Pay date, Deposit due (monthly)16
17181920212223
2425, Bank holiday26272829, Pay date30
31
June
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
123456
78910111213
1415, Pay date, Deposit due (monthly)16171819, Bank holiday20
21222324252627
282930, Pay date
July
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
123, IRS legal holiday, banks open4
567891011
12131415, Pay date, Deposit due (monthly)161718
19202122232425
262728293031, Pay date
August
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
1
2345678
91011121314, Pay date15
1617, Deposit due (monthly)1819202122
23242526272829
3031, Pay date
September
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
12345
67, Bank holiday89101112
131415, Pay date, Deposit due (monthly)16171819
20212223242526
27282930, Pay date
October
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
123
45678910
1112, Bank holiday131415, Pay date, Deposit due (monthly)1617
18192021222324
252627282930, Pay date31
November
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
1234567
891011, Bank holiday1213, Pay date14
1516, Deposit due (monthly)1718192021
2223242526, Bank holiday2728
2930, Pay date
December
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
12345
6789101112
131415, Pay date, Deposit due (monthly)16171819
202122232425, Bank holiday26
2728293031, Pay date

2026 pay dates and deposit due dates

Every pay date with its pay period, the day to send the bank file and the federal deposit due date under both deposit schedules.

#Pay periodPay dateSend the bank file byDeposit due, monthlyDeposit due, semiweekly
1Thu, Jan 1 to Thu, Jan 15
2Fri, Jan 16 to Sat, Jan 31moved from Sat, Jan 31
3Sun, Feb 1 to Sun, Feb 15moved from Sun, Feb 15
4Mon, Feb 16 to Sat, Feb 28moved from Sat, Feb 28
5Sun, Mar 1 to Sun, Mar 15moved from Sun, Mar 15
6Mon, Mar 16 to Tue, Mar 31
7Wed, Apr 1 to Wed, Apr 15
8Thu, Apr 16 to Thu, Apr 30
9Fri, May 1 to Fri, May 15
10Sat, May 16 to Sun, May 31moved from Sun, May 31
11Mon, Jun 1 to Mon, Jun 15
12Tue, Jun 16 to Tue, Jun 30
13Wed, Jul 1 to Wed, Jul 15
14Thu, Jul 16 to Fri, Jul 31
15Sat, Aug 1 to Sat, Aug 15moved from Sat, Aug 15
16Sun, Aug 16 to Mon, Aug 31
17Tue, Sep 1 to Tue, Sep 15
18Wed, Sep 16 to Wed, Sep 30
19Thu, Oct 1 to Thu, Oct 15
20Fri, Oct 16 to Sat, Oct 31moved from Sat, Oct 31
21Sun, Nov 1 to Sun, Nov 15moved from Sun, Nov 15
22Mon, Nov 16 to Mon, Nov 30
23Tue, Dec 1 to Tue, Dec 15
24Wed, Dec 16 to Thu, Dec 31

Federal tax deposits only; state deposit deadlines and pay date rules differ. Rules last checked on October 3, 2026.

2026 federal payroll tax deadlines

The federal returns and forms due in 2026, moved off weekends and holidays.

Due dateWhat is due
moved from Sat, Jan 31W-2s and 1099-NEC to workers, SSA and IRS
moved from Sat, Jan 31Form 941 for Q4 due
moved from Sat, Jan 31Form 940 annual FUTA return
Forms 1095-C furnished to employees
Forms 1094-C / 1095-C e-filed with IRS
Form 941 for Q1 due
Form 941 for Q2 due
moved from Sat, Oct 31Form 941 for Q3 due

Monthly depositors deposit by the 15th of the next month. Semiweekly depositors: taxes on pay dates Wednesday to Friday are due the following Wednesday, and Saturday to Tuesday the following Friday, later when a legal holiday leaves fewer than three business days. On either schedule, once the taxes you accumulate in a deposit period reach $100,000, they are due the next business day.

See the full compliance calendar

2026 bank holidays and IRS legal holidays

No ACH settlement. By standard practice, a payday that falls on one of these days is paid the business day before. The days marked are IRS legal holidays only: banks are open, so pay dates hold, but no tax deposit is due that day (it moves to the next business day), and a semiweekly deposit gets an extra day when one falls in the three weekdays after its period ends.

DateHolidayPayroll effect
New Year's DayBanks closed; no ACH settlement
Martin Luther King Jr. DayBanks closed; no ACH settlement
Washington's BirthdayBanks closed; no ACH settlement
DC Emancipation DayIRS legal holiday; banks open
Memorial DayBanks closed; no ACH settlement
JuneteenthBanks closed; no ACH settlement
Independence DayObserved as an IRS legal holiday; banks open
Independence DaySaturday; banks stay open the Friday before
Labor DayBanks closed; no ACH settlement
Columbus DayBanks closed; no ACH settlement
Veterans DayBanks closed; no ACH settlement
Thanksgiving DayBanks closed; no ACH settlement
Christmas DayBanks closed; no ACH settlement

When a holiday falls on a Saturday, Federal Reserve Banks are open the preceding Friday. Holidays on a Sunday are observed Monday.

2026 payroll calendar questions

What payroll teams ask when they build the year's calendar.

Terms used here: Pay period · Payroll calendar · Tax deposit schedule · Payroll funding

WORKLIO HCM

Tax deposits scheduled every run

With Worklio HCM, tax payments are scheduled to each agency every run, and Forms 941, 940 and their state equivalents are filed for you.

Sources

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the relevant agency or your advisor. You remain responsible for your employment taxes.

Your next payroll could be your first one on Worklio.