Indiana's holiday schedule is deliberately simple. The state has resisted the urge to add days of recognition and observances that would make it difficult to administer. The result is a holiday schedule that answers one simple question: Are public offices open or closed?
As for the answer for Indiana, it is nearly entirely influenced by the federal system. New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are the foundational days of the year. Upon their occurrence, courts go into recess, licensing offices are closed, and administrative deadlines are advanced without any room for misinterpretation.
Indiana does nothing to imbue these days with additional meaning. There are no renamed holidays, state-only holidays, or hybrid holidays. The policy is practical. Not closing state offices, it seems, is a criterion for a day being excluded from Indiana’s calendar system.
And that is as true for what Indiana chooses to exclude as for what is included. Election Day is not a holiday. Offices are open. Good Friday is not observed. Neither is Columbus Day, statehood days, or regional festivals.
Juneteenth is observed in Indiana simply because the federal government recognizes it. There has not been an enacted statute in Indiana to observe this day. Simply observing federal closure regulations is why it’s closed.
The following table includes all holidays on which state government offices are closed in Indiana.
Official State Holidays in Indiana for 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 01 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Federal |
| Jan 19 | Monday | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Federal |
| Feb 16 | Monday | Washington’s Birthday | Federal |
| May 25 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| Jun 19 | Friday | Juneteenth | Federal |
| Jul 03 | Friday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| Sep 07 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| Nov 11 | Wednesday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| Nov 26 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | Federal |
How Holidays Work in Indiana
The dates mentioned above are when Indiana state government offices are closed uniformly. Courts and public departments have the same schedule for closure. In case of filing deadlines and other related deadlines that happen to be holidays, it automatically shifts to the next business day.
Banking holidays are aligned with the federal banking calendar, which is very similar to this list. There are no holidays that must be observed as days off by private employers.
The Indiana method leaves very little to interpretation. It is not necessary to go through any special lists or advertisements in order to determine which offices will be open.
FAQs
1. Does Indiana observe Election Day as a holiday?
No. State government offices remain open.
2. Is Good Friday a holiday in Indiana?
No. It is not a state government closure day.
3. Why does Indiana follow the federal calendar so closely?
To maintain administrative clarity and consistency across agencies.
4. Is Juneteenth a state holiday in Indiana?
It is federal in origin and observed through federal alignment.
5. Do counties follow the same list?
Not always. This list applies to state government offices.