If you’ve ever asked yourself how many business days in a year, you’re not alone. This is one of the most searched questions by employees, freelancers, business owners, HR managers, accountants, and project planners. Knowing how many business days in a year helps with salary calculations, project timelines, productivity planning, leave management, and legal compliance.
The answer isn’t always as simple as it sounds. The number of business days in a year depends on weekends, public holidays, leap years, and sometimes even your country or company policy.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll break down how many business days in a year, explain different scenarios, show exact calculations, and answer the most common questions people search for online.
What Are Business Days?
Before calculating how many business days in a year, it’s important to understand what a business day actually means.
A business day is typically:
- Monday to Friday
- Excludes weekends (Saturday and Sunday)
- Excludes public or federal holidays
In most countries, business days are the standard working days used for offices, banks, courts, schools, and corporate workplaces.
However, some industries (like healthcare, retail, or manufacturing) may follow different working schedules.
How Many Days Are There in a Year?
To calculate how many business days in a year, we start with the total number of days.
- Normal year: 365 days
- Leap year: 366 days
A leap year occurs every four years and adds one extra day (February 29).
How Many Weekends Are in a Year?
Most years have:
- 52 weeks
- 104 weekend days (52 Saturdays + 52 Sundays)
Sometimes there is an extra day (or two in leap years), but weekends usually stay close to 104 days per year.
How Many Business Days in a Year (Without Holidays)?
Let’s calculate how many business days in a year if we only remove weekends.
Normal Year Calculation
- Total days: 365
- Weekend days: 104
365 − 104 = 261 business days
Leap Year Calculation
- Total days: 366
- Weekend days: 104
366 − 104 = 262 business days
So, without considering holidays:
- 261 business days in a normal year
- 262 business days in a leap year
How Many Business Days in a Year With Holidays?
This is where things vary.
The number of business days in a year depends heavily on:
- Country
- State or province
- Public holidays
- Company-specific holidays
Example: United States
In the US, there are usually 10–11 federal holidays.
- Normal year: 261 business days
- Minus 10 holidays
≈ 251 business days in a year
Example: United Kingdom
The UK typically has:
- 8 public holidays (England & Wales)
261 − 8 = 253 business days in a year
Example: Pakistan
Pakistan has:
- 10–15 public holidays (varies yearly)
This means:
- 246–251 business days in a year depending on the calendar
Average Business Days Per Month
People often ask how many business days in a year translate into monthly averages.
- 261 business days ÷ 12 months ≈ 21.75 business days per month
Most months have:
- 20–23 business days
February usually has the fewest, while months like July or October may have more.
Why Knowing How Many Business Days in a Year Matters
Understanding how many business days in a year is important for many reasons:
1. Salary & Payroll Calculations
HR teams use business days to calculate:
- Daily wages
- Hourly rates
- Overtime
- Leave deductions
2. Project Planning & Deadlines
Project managers rely on business days to:
- Set realistic deadlines
- Track milestones
- Avoid delays caused by weekends or holidays
3. Legal & Contractual Agreements
Many contracts specify timelines in business days rather than calendar days.
Example:
“Payment must be made within 10 business days.”
4. Productivity Tracking
Companies measure output based on available working days, not total days.
Business Days vs Working Days
Although often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference.
- Business days: Usually Monday to Friday, excluding holidays
- Working days: May include Saturdays depending on company policy
Some countries consider Saturday a half-working day, which changes the total count.
How to Calculate Business Days Manually
To calculate how many business days in a year manually:
- Start with total days (365 or 366)
- Subtract weekends (usually 104)
- Subtract public holidays
Formula:
Business Days = Total Days − Weekends − Holidays
How Many Business Days in a Leap Year?
A leap year slightly increases the total.
- Total days: 366
- Weekend days: 104
- Average holidays: 10
366 − 104 − 10 = 252 business days
So, a leap year usually has one extra business day compared to a normal year.
Industry-Specific Business Days
Different industries calculate business days differently:
- Banks: Follow official bank holidays
- Government offices: Strict public holiday calendars
- Private companies: Custom holiday policies
- Freelancers: Often count only client-approved working days
This is why there is no single universal answer to how many business days in a year.
Common FAQs About Business Days
How many business days in a year on average?
On average, most countries have 250–255 business days in a year.
Is Saturday a business day?
In most countries, Saturday is not considered a business day, but some organizations treat it as a working day.
How many business days are in 5 years?
- Average per year: 252
- 5 years ≈ 1,260 business days
Do holidays count as business days?
No. Public and federal holidays are excluded from business days.
Business Days for Freelancers & Remote Workers
Remote work has changed how people think about business days.
Freelancers often define business days based on:
- Client time zones
- Agreed working schedules
- Contract terms
Still, most online contracts rely on the standard definition when referring to how many business days in a year.
Tools to Calculate Business Days Automatically
Instead of manual counting, you can use:
- Business day calculators
- Excel WORKDAY function
- Google Sheets formulas
- Payroll software
These tools automatically exclude weekends and holidays.
Final Thoughts
So, how many business days in a year?
The most accurate answer is:
- 261 business days without holidays
- 250–255 business days in most countries after holidays
The exact number depends on your location, holidays, and work policy.
Whether you’re calculating payroll, planning projects, or managing time, understanding how many business days in a year gives you better control, accuracy, and efficiency.
If you want precise numbers, always check your local holiday calendar or company policy.
