Is Columbus Day a Federal Holiday? What’s Closed, What’s Open on Oct. 13, 2025
Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the United States, observed on the second Monday in October under federal law. Federal agencies recognize it alongside other statutory holidays, confirming that “Columbus Day (Second Monday in October)” is part of the official schedule.
In 2025, Columbus Day falls on Monday, Oct. 13. The date follows the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which set the observance on the second Monday in October starting in 1971.
Columbus Day 2025 is Monday, Oct. 13. Most banks that follow the Federal Reserve’s holiday calendar will be closed, and payments routed through Fed systems will observe the holiday. Customers should check individual branches for any exceptions.
The U.S. Postal Service says Post Office locations will be closed on Monday, Oct. 13. Regular mail will not be delivered; only Priority Mail Express will operate. Retail counters resume on Tuesday.
U.S. stock exchanges—including the NYSE—plan to operate on Columbus Day. There is two key caveats: the U.S. bond market follows SIFMA guidance and will close, and some brokerage branch offices may run limited hours.
UPS lists Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Columbus Day) as a normal operating day for pickup and delivery. FedEx indicates modified service for some products while FedEx Freight and most other services remain open. Always verify service levels by product before shipping; cutoff times can shift.
Whether there is school on Columbus Day varies by district. Many public schools align with state schedules or local bargaining agreements; some remain open while others close for the columbus day school holiday. Families should check district calendars rather than assume a uniform closure. (Yes, that’s definately the safer bet.)
At the federal level, columbus day federal holiday remains in effect. Dozens of states and cities also mark columbus day indigenous peoples day, either alongside or instead of Columbus Day; observance and naming differ by jurisdiction.
The White House issued a columbus day proclamation on Oct. 9, 2025, formally designating Monday, Oct. 13, as the observance for this year—consistent with statute. Such proclamations are ceremonial and do not change the underlying federal holiday status.
Congress created Columbus Day as a federal holiday in legislation signed in 1968, effective 1971, which also placed the observance on Mondays. Earlier presidential proclamations and laws recognized Oct. 12; the 1968 act standardized the Monday observance.
- Federal employees: Most non-essential offices close; pay and scheduling follow OPM rules for holidays.
- Banks and payments: Federal Reserve operations observe the holiday; many banks close.
- Mail and shipping: USPS closed (limited express); UPS open; FedEx modified.
- Markets: Stock market open; bond market closed per SIFMA.
- Courts and local offices: Varies by jurisdiction; check local notices.
The question is columbus day a federal holiday endures amid a broader debate about commemoration and local naming. While federal status is unchanged, state and municipal choices—columbus day vs indigenous peoples day—shape practical impacts for residents, from school calendars to city service hours. Planning around columbus day closures has increasingly become a local exercise, reflecting where you live as much as what the statute says. The shift to Monday observance also occured to create consistent long weekends.
Columbus Day is a federal holiday set by law for the second Monday in October; in 2025 it is Monday, Oct. 13. Federal offices and the Postal Service close; most banks following the Federal Reserve calendar close; the NYSE stays open while the U.S. bond market closes under SIFMA guidance. UPS operates; FedEx runs with modified service. Local school and city closures vary by jurisdiction.