Public Holidays in Netherlands 2026 – National & King’s Day Holidays

The Netherlands has 11 individual official public-holiday dates in 2026, including New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter, King’s Day, Liberation Day, Ascension Day, Pentecost and Christmas. An important feature of the Dutch system is that an official public holiday does not automatically give every employee a legal right to a day off. Whether an employee is free from work generally depends on the applicable collective labour agreement (CAO) or employment contract.

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Next Public Holiday in Netherlands

[next_public_holiday country="Netherlands"]

Public Holidays in Netherlands 2026

[public_holidays country="Netherlands" year="2026"]

How Public Holidays Work in the Netherlands

The Government of the Netherlands publishes the official Dutch public-holiday calendar. For 2026, it recognizes New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, King’s Day, Liberation Day, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday and Whit Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Official holiday status and entitlement to time off are separate issues in the Netherlands. Dutch government guidance states that there is no general law giving every employee a legal right to a day off simply because a date is an official public holiday. Employees should check their CAO or employment contract to determine whether they are required to work and how the holiday is treated.

Good Friday in the Netherlands

Good Friday, known in Dutch as Goede Vrijdag, is included in the Dutch government's official public-holiday list. In 2026 it falls on Friday, 3 April.

Good Friday does not automatically mean that every employee is off work. As with other Dutch public holidays, entitlement to leave depends on the relevant CAO or employment contract. School arrangements can also differ, so parents should check the school calendar where necessary.

King’s Day in the Netherlands

King’s Day, or Koningsdag, is one of the Netherlands' main national celebrations. In 2026, King’s Day falls on Monday, 27 April.

The holiday normally takes place on 27 April, the birthday of King Willem-Alexander. When 27 April falls on a Sunday, the celebration is held on the preceding Saturday. No such adjustment is needed in 2026 because 27 April falls on a Monday.

Liberation Day in the Netherlands

Liberation Day, or Bevrijdingsdag, is an official national holiday celebrated every year on 5 May. It commemorates the liberation of the Netherlands in 1945 and is also used to reflect on freedom, democracy and human rights.

In 2026, Liberation Day falls on Tuesday, 5 May. The holiday always remains on 5 May, including when that date falls on a Sunday or another religious day.

Being an official holiday does not mean every employee automatically receives the day off on Liberation Day. Employees should check their employer, employment contract or CAO to establish whether 5 May is a non-working day for them.

Christian Public Holidays in the Netherlands

Several Dutch public holidays are based on the Christian calendar. These include Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, Whit Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The dates of Easter, Ascension and Pentecost change from year to year because they are connected to the movable Easter calendar. Their official 2026 dates have already been published by the Dutch government, so they do not require later religious or astronomical confirmation.

Are Public Holidays Paid Days Off in the Netherlands?

There is no general statutory rule giving employees an automatic day off on every Dutch public holiday. Whether an employee is free from work is determined by the applicable collective labour agreement or employment contract.

This distinction is important when planning around dates such as Good Friday and Liberation Day. A date can be an official public holiday even though an individual employee may still be scheduled to work.

Are Schools Closed on Public Holidays in the Netherlands?

Dutch schools are generally closed on public holidays, but individual school calendars should still be checked. Government guidance notes that schools are nearly always closed for King’s Day and Liberation Day, while schools may make their own arrangements for certain religious or special days.

Schools publish their closure dates in their school prospectus or calendar, making that the best source for parents who need to confirm a particular date.

Are Shops Open on Public Holidays in the Netherlands?

Shop opening on Dutch public holidays is not determined by one nationwide opening schedule. Municipalities can decide whether shops are permitted to open on Sundays and public holidays, while certain types of shops can operate under national exemptions.

Opening hours may therefore vary by municipality and retailer. Anyone planning to shop on a public holiday should check local rules and the individual business's opening hours.

Long Weekends in the Netherlands in 2026

Several 2026 holidays can create useful long weekends for people who normally work Monday to Friday and whose employment terms provide the relevant holiday as a day off.

• Easter: Easter Monday falls on Monday, 6 April. Employees who also receive Good Friday off may have a four-day break from Friday through Monday.
• King’s Day: Monday, 27 April can create a three-day weekend from Saturday through Monday.
• Ascension Day: Thursday, 14 May can become a four-day break if an employee is entitled to the holiday and chooses to take annual leave on Friday, 15 May.
• Whit Monday: Monday, 25 May can create a three-day weekend for employees who receive the holiday off.
• Christmas: Christmas Day falls on Friday, 25 December, followed by Boxing Day on Saturday, 26 December, giving many Monday-to-Friday workers a holiday weekend beginning on Friday.

These examples are planning possibilities rather than additional official holidays. Annual leave and entitlement to public-holiday leave depend on the employee's own working arrangements.

What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend?

The Netherlands does not have a general rule automatically creating a substitute Monday simply because an official public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday. The official calendar should therefore be followed rather than assuming that every weekend holiday generates an additional weekday off.

King’s Day has its own observance rule: if 27 April falls on a Sunday, the celebration is moved to the preceding Saturday.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public holidays are there in the Netherlands in 2026?

There are 11 individual official public-holiday dates on the Dutch government's 2026 list. Easter, Pentecost and Christmas each include two separately listed dates.

Is Good Friday a public holiday in the Netherlands?

Yes. Good Friday is included in the Dutch government's official public-holiday list. However, official holiday status does not automatically give every employee a day off.

Is Liberation Day an official public holiday in the Netherlands?

Yes. Liberation Day on 5 May is an official public holiday and national celebration in the Netherlands. Whether an employee receives the day off depends on their CAO or employment contract.

Does everyone get public holidays off work in the Netherlands?

No. Dutch law does not give every employee an automatic legal right to a day off on an official public holiday. Employment contracts and collective labour agreements determine entitlement.

When is King’s Day in the Netherlands in 2026?

King’s Day is Monday, 27 April 2026. Because 27 April is a Monday that year, no date adjustment is required.

Does the Netherlands provide substitute holidays when a holiday falls on a weekend?

There is no general nationwide rule that automatically moves every weekend public holiday to the following Monday. Any special observance rule must be considered separately.

Are Dutch public-holiday dates the same every year?

No. Holidays such as New Year’s Day, King’s Day, Liberation Day and Christmas use fixed calendar dates, while Easter, Ascension and Pentecost move each year.

Are schools closed on public holidays in the Netherlands?

Schools are generally closed on public holidays, although families should check the individual school's published calendar because arrangements for some dates can differ.

Can shops open on Dutch public holidays?

Yes, in some cases. Municipalities determine whether shops may open on public holidays and Sundays, and some types of shops are covered by exemptions.

Who publishes the official public holidays in the Netherlands?

The Government of the Netherlands, through Government.nl and Rijksoverheid.nl, publishes the official Dutch public-holiday schedule and guidance on employment-related holiday rules.

Official Sources for Public Holidays in the Netherlands

• Government of the Netherlands: official 2026 and 2027 public-holiday schedule and guidance explaining that public holidays do not automatically create a statutory right to a day off.
• Rijksoverheid: Dutch-language official public-holiday calendar and employment guidance.
• Rijksoverheid – Liberation Day: official information about 5 May, its national status and rules concerning time off work.
• Government of the Netherlands – School Holidays: guidance on school closures during public holidays and other special days.
• Government of the Netherlands – Shop Opening Hours: guidance on municipal rules for shop opening on Sundays and public holidays.