How to calculate business days
Use the calculator above to count working days between two dates:
- Enter Start date and End date.
- Check or uncheck the workweek days. Monday to Friday is selected by default.
- Optionally enter Holidays to exclude, using one date per line or comma-separated dates.
- Click Calculate business days.
How the count is calculated
The calculator checks each calendar date from the start date through the end date, including both endpoints. It counts dates whose weekdays you selected, then subtracts entered holidays that match counted workdays.
- Duplicate holiday entries are deduplicated and counted once.
- Holidays outside the date range or selected workweek have no effect.
Input rules and limits
Both dates must be valid, and End date must be on or after Start date. Select at least one workweek day. Holiday entries must use YYYY-MM-DD format; separate them with line breaks or commas.
The inclusive date range cannot exceed 36,600 days. Dates are treated as calendar dates without time-of-day or time-zone input. Invalid input stops the calculation and displays an error.
Read, copy, or download the result
After a successful calculation, the result section shows the business-day count, total calendar days, excluded holidays, selected workweek, matching workdays, and holiday effects. It also shows the formula and assumptions used. It does not reproduce the complete raw holiday list.
Use Copy result to copy the plain-text summary, or use Download result (.txt) to download it as a .txt file.
Reset the calculator
Click Reset to clear both dates and the holiday list, restore Monday to Friday, clear errors, and hide the result.
What the calculator does not include
No public holiday calendar is applied automatically. Only holiday dates you enter are excluded. The calculation does not apply a jurisdiction-specific legal or contractual definition of a business day and is not legal, contractual, or compliance advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the business day count calculated?
The calculator counts every calendar day from the start date to the end date, inclusive, keeps only the days that fall on the weekdays you selected as your workweek, then subtracts any of your entered holiday dates that fall on one of those workdays within the range.
Are the start and end dates included in the count?
Yes. Both the start date and end date are included in the range if they fall on a selected workday and are not listed as a holiday. This is stated explicitly in the result so you can adjust your input if you intended an exclusive range.
Does this tool know my country's public holidays?
No. It does not fetch or store any jurisdiction's public holiday calendar. You must type in the holiday dates you want excluded; the calculator only ever excludes dates you explicitly enter.
Can I use a workweek other than Monday to Friday?
Yes. Check or uncheck any day of the week to define your own workweek, for example a Sunday-to-Thursday schedule. The calculation uses exactly the days you select.
Is this official guidance on contract or legal deadlines?
No. This is a deterministic arithmetic calculation based only on the dates and settings you provide. It does not apply any jurisdiction's legal definition of a business day and is not legal, contractual, or compliance advice.