Brazil public holidays
Brazil has 10 national holidays a year: nine fixed dates set by federal law plus Good Friday, which moves with Easter. Carnival and Corpus Christi are optional days (pontos facultativos), not national holidays.
Holidays in 2026, 2027 and 2028
| Year | National holidays | On weekdays | Optional days | Business days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil 2026 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 252 |
| Brazil 2027 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 254 |
| Brazil 2028 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 251 |
Every holiday, 2026 to 2028
Fixed dates only change weekday; movable ones follow Easter (April 5, March 28, and April 16). Carnival Tuesday falls on February 17, February 9, and February 29, respectively.
| Holiday | Rule | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day (Confraternização Universal) | Fixed: January 1 | |||
| Carnival Monday (Carnaval) (ponto facultativo (optional)) | 48 days before Easter | |||
| Carnival Tuesday (Carnaval) (ponto facultativo (optional)) | 47 days before Easter | |||
| Ash Wednesday (Quarta-Feira de Cinzas) (ponto facultativo (optional)) | 46 days before Easter | |||
| Good Friday (Paixão de Cristo) | 2 days before Easter | |||
| Tiradentes Day (Tiradentes) | Fixed: April 21 | |||
| Labor Day (Dia Mundial do Trabalho) | Fixed: May 1 | |||
| Corpus Christi (ponto facultativo (optional)) | 60 days after Easter | |||
| Independence Day (Independência do Brasil) | Fixed: September 7 | |||
| Our Lady of Aparecida (Nossa Senhora Aparecida) | Fixed: October 12 | |||
| Public Servant Day (federal staff) (Dia do Servidor Público) (ponto facultativo (optional)) | Fixed: October 28 | |||
| All Souls' Day (Finados) | Fixed: November 2 | |||
| Proclamation of the Republic (Proclamação da República) | Fixed: November 15 | |||
| Black Consciousness Day (Dia Nacional de Zumbi e da Consciência Negra) | Fixed: November 20 | |||
| Christmas Day (Natal) | Fixed: December 25 |
Where each holiday comes from
The base is Lei 662/1949, which as amended by Lei 10.607/2002 fixes seven dates: January 1, April 21, May 1, September 7, November 2, November 15 and December 25. Lei 6.802/1980 added October 12 (Our Lady of Aparecida) and Lei 14.759/2023 added November 20 (Black Consciousness Day), first observed in 2024.
Good Friday is, under Lei 9.093/1995, one of up to four religious holidays each municipality declares; in practice it is observed nationwide, and the annual ordinance from the Ministry of Management (MGI) lists it as a national holiday. The same law lets each state add one founding-date holiday.
Optional days (Carnival, Ash Wednesday until 2 pm, Corpus Christi, Public Servant Day) are set every year by the MGI ordinance and apply to the federal civil service. Article 3 of Lei 662/1949 states that optional days decreed by states and cities do not suspend school or court and notary business.
Frequently asked questions
- What are Brazil's fixed national holidays?
- January 1 (New Year's Day), April 21 (Tiradentes), May 1 (Labor Day), September 7 (Independence Day), October 12 (Our Lady of Aparecida), November 2 (All Souls' Day), November 15 (Proclamation of the Republic), November 20 (Black Consciousness Day) and December 25 (Christmas). The tenth, Good Friday, is movable.
- Are holidays that fall on a weekend moved in Brazil?
- No. Federal law has no substitute-day rule: the holiday stays on its date, even on a Saturday or Sunday. Only optional days can be shifted by the annual government ordinance.
- Do employees in Brazil get double pay for working on a holiday?
- Yes, unless they get a compensatory day off. Lei 605/1949 guarantees paid rest on holidays, and TST Súmula 146 requires double pay for holiday work that is not compensated.
- Is Good Friday a national holiday in Brazil?
- In practice, yes: it is observed nationwide and the federal ordinance lists it as a national holiday. Legally, Lei 9.093/1995 counts it among the municipal religious holidays.
Last reviewed by Arielton Oberek.