Public Holidays in Saint Lucia 2026

Saint Lucia has 15 public-holiday dates in 2026 when the two official Monday substitute days are included. The country’s legal framework describes the statutory dates as bank holidays, while the Bank Holidays Act also requires them to be observed as public holidays at public offices. This guide explains the 2026 schedule, substitute-day rules, bank and public-office closures, employment rules and useful long-weekend opportunities.

Next Public Holiday in Saint Lucia

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
October 5, 2026	Monday	Thanksgiving Day	Confirmed

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
January 1, 2026	Thursday	New Year's Day	Confirmed
January 2, 2026	Friday	New Year Holiday	Confirmed
February 22, 2026	Sunday	Independence Day	Confirmed
February 23, 2026	Monday	Independence Day (in lieu)	Confirmed
April 3, 2026	Friday	Good Friday	Confirmed
April 6, 2026	Monday	Easter Monday	Confirmed
May 1, 2026	Friday	Labour Day	Confirmed
May 25, 2026	Monday	Whit Monday	Confirmed
June 4, 2026	Thursday	Corpus Christi	Confirmed
August 1, 2026	Saturday	Emancipation Day	Confirmed
October 5, 2026	Monday	Thanksgiving Day	Confirmed
December 13, 2026	Sunday	National Day	Confirmed
December 14, 2026	Monday	National Day (in lieu)	Confirmed
December 25, 2026	Friday	Christmas Day	Confirmed
December 26, 2026	Saturday	Boxing Day	Confirmed

How Public Holidays Work in Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia’s statutory holiday framework is established by the Bank Holidays Act schedule. It includes fixed holidays such as New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Labour Day, Emancipation Day, 13 December, Christmas Day and 26 December, as well as movable holidays including Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday and Corpus Christi.

Under section 2 of the Bank Holidays Act, the statutory days are kept as close holidays by banks throughout Saint Lucia. Section 8 further provides that all bank holidays are observed as public holidays at public offices.

National Day and Saint Lucia Day

The official 2026 holiday calendar refers to 13 December as National Day. The Bank Holidays Act uses the legal wording “Saint Lucia Day” for 13 December. Both references therefore relate to the same statutory holiday date.

Substitute and Observed Holidays in Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia has a specific statutory rule for holidays that fall on Sunday. The Bank Holidays Act states that when a listed holiday falls on a Sunday, or on another bank holiday, the next following day that is not already a holiday becomes a bank holiday unless another day is officially appointed.

This rule applies twice in 2026. Independence Day falls on Sunday, 22 February, so Monday, 23 February is listed as Independence Day in lieu. National Day falls on Sunday, 13 December, so Monday, 14 December is listed as National Day in lieu. Both substitute dates appear in the official Saint Lucia 2026 holiday list published by the Consulate General in Martinique.

The statutory automatic-substitution rule is based on a holiday falling on Sunday, not simply on any weekend day. Emancipation Day falls on Saturday, 1 August 2026, and Boxing Day falls on Saturday, 26 December 2026. The official 2026 list does not add Monday, 3 August or Monday, 28 December as substitute public holidays.

Movable Christian Holidays in Saint Lucia

Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday and Corpus Christi are statutory public holidays in Saint Lucia, but their calendar dates change from year to year because they are linked to the Christian Easter cycle. The Public Holidays in Saint Lucia 2026 schedule on this page displays their applicable dates for the year.

Other statutory holidays, including New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Labour Day, Emancipation Day, the 13 December national observance, Christmas Day and 26 December, are attached to fixed calendar dates.

Are Banks Closed on Public Holidays in Saint Lucia?

Yes. The Bank Holidays Act requires the days contained in its schedule to be kept as close holidays in all banks in Saint Lucia. Banking obligations affected by a bank holiday are generally dealt with on the next applicable working day under the Act.

The Banking Act also recognizes public holidays when dealing with the working days of licensed financial institutions.

Are Government Offices Closed on Public Holidays?

Saint Lucia’s Bank Holidays Act expressly provides that all bank holidays are to be kept as public holidays at public offices. Government services may therefore be unavailable or operate differently on these dates, although essential services can follow separate operational arrangements.

Working on a Public Holiday in Saint Lucia

The Labour Act generally prevents an employer from requiring an employee to work on a public holiday without the employee’s agreement and the applicable overtime payment. The law contains exceptions for certain activities, including hospitality services, essential agricultural work, continuous-shift operations, emergency work and protective services.

Under section 32 of the Labour Act, overtime performed on a public holiday is generally calculated at not less than twice the employee’s wage for each qualifying hour.

Public Holiday Pay for Daily-Paid Workers

Section 34 of the Labour Act provides public-holiday pay protection for qualifying daily-paid employees. An employee paid on a daily basis who works on the working day before and after the public holiday, or who would ordinarily have been required to work on the public holiday, is entitled to payment for that holiday under the conditions set out in the Act.

Long Weekends in Saint Lucia in 2026

For people who normally have Saturday and Sunday off, several Saint Lucia public holidays create three- or four-day breaks in 2026 without needing an additional weekday of annual leave.

New Year break: Thursday, 1 January to Sunday, 4 January, with both 1 and 2 January designated holidays.
Independence weekend: Saturday, 21 February to Monday, 23 February, because the Sunday Independence Day has an official Monday substitute.
Easter weekend: Friday, 3 April to Monday, 6 April, covering Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Labour Day weekend: Friday, 1 May to Sunday, 3 May.
Whit Monday weekend: Saturday, 23 May to Monday, 25 May.
Thanksgiving weekend: Saturday, 3 October to Monday, 5 October.
National Day weekend: Saturday, 12 December to Monday, 14 December, because National Day falls on Sunday and has a Monday substitute.
Christmas weekend: Friday, 25 December to Sunday, 27 December.

These planning periods assume a normal Saturday-Sunday weekend. Individual work schedules, especially in hospitality, tourism, essential services and continuous operations, may differ.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public holidays are there in Saint Lucia in 2026?

Saint Lucia has 15 public-holiday dates in the verified 2026 schedule. This figure includes the original Sunday dates for Independence Day and National Day as well as their two official Monday substitute holidays.

What is the next public holiday in Saint Lucia?

The Next Public Holiday in Saint Lucia section on this page automatically displays the upcoming holiday from the VisaBoards holiday database, so the information can remain current throughout the year.

What happens when a public holiday falls on Sunday in Saint Lucia?

When a statutory holiday falls on Sunday, the next following day that is not already a holiday becomes a bank holiday unless another day is officially appointed. This rule creates substitute Mondays for Independence Day and National Day in 2026.

Does a Saturday public holiday automatically move to Monday?

No. The automatic rule in the Bank Holidays Act specifically addresses a listed holiday falling on Sunday or another bank holiday. The official 2026 schedule therefore does not add Monday substitutes for Emancipation Day on Saturday, 1 August or Boxing Day on Saturday, 26 December.

Are banks closed on Saint Lucia public holidays?

Yes. The Bank Holidays Act requires statutory bank holidays to be kept as close holidays in banks throughout Saint Lucia.

Are public offices closed on public holidays?

The Bank Holidays Act states that all bank holidays are to be observed as public holidays at public offices in Saint Lucia.

Are public holidays paid in Saint Lucia?

Saint Lucia’s Labour Act provides public-holiday pay protection for qualifying daily-paid employees and regulates overtime for public-holiday work. Exact entitlement can depend on the employee’s circumstances, work schedule and the applicable provisions of the Labour Act.

Can the official holiday date be changed?

Yes. Section 7 of the Bank Holidays Act allows the Governor General, by proclamation, to replace a scheduled bank holiday with another day in a particular year when considered appropriate.

Is National Day the same as Saint Lucia Day?

The 2026 official holiday list uses the name National Day for 13 December, while the Bank Holidays Act states that 13 December is to be referred to as Saint Lucia Day. Both names refer to the same statutory holiday date.

Official Sources for Public Holidays in Saint Lucia

Consulate General of Saint Lucia in Martinique 2026 Holiday List: provides the year-specific Saint Lucia public holiday dates for 2026.
Attorney General’s Chambers Bank Holidays Act Schedule: establishes the statutory holidays and the Sunday substitute-day rule.
Bank Holidays Act, Section 2: establishes the closure of banks on statutory bank holidays.
Bank Holidays Act, Section 8: confirms that bank holidays are observed as public holidays at public offices.
Labour Act, Section 33: sets rules on employees working on public holidays and identifies relevant exceptions.
Labour Act, Section 34: covers public-holiday pay for qualifying daily-paid workers.
Government of Saint Lucia – Public Holidays Archive: confirms the principal fixed-date public holidays recognized by the Government of Saint Lucia.

Next Public Holiday in Saint Lucia