Public Holidays in Slovakia 2026 – National & Public Holidays
Slovakia has 11 nationwide public-holiday dates that operate as days of rest in 2026. The holiday system requires an important distinction between legally recognized state holidays and actual non-working public holidays. In particular, 8 May and 15 September are working days in 2026, while 1 September, 28 October and 17 November are state holidays that do not provide a general day of rest under the current legislation.
Next Public Holiday in Slovakia
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 1, 2026 | Sunday | All Saints’ Day | Confirmed |
Public Holidays in Slovakia 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | Day of the Establishment of the Slovak Republic | Confirmed |
| January 6, 2026 | Tuesday | Epiphany | Confirmed |
| April 3, 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Confirmed |
| April 6, 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Confirmed |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | International Workers' Day | Confirmed |
| July 5, 2026 | Sunday | St. Cyril and Methodius Day | Confirmed |
| August 29, 2026 | Saturday | Slovak National Uprising Anniversary | Confirmed |
| November 1, 2026 | Sunday | All Saints’ Day | Confirmed |
| December 24, 2026 | Thursday | Christmas Eve | Confirmed |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Confirmed |
| December 26, 2026 | Saturday | St. Stephen's Day | Confirmed |
The 2026 schedule above follows the official calendar published by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic. Good Friday falls on 3 April and Easter Monday on 6 April in 2026. Fixed-date holidays remain on their statutory calendar dates even when they fall on a weekend.
How Public Holidays Are Classified in Slovakia
Slovakia distinguishes between state holidays and other statutory days of rest. This distinction matters because a date can remain an officially recognized state holiday without being a non-working day.
The legal framework is set out in Act No. 241/1993 Coll. on State Holidays, Days of Rest and Memorial Days. Under the current version of the law, 1 January, 5 July and 29 August are state holidays that are also days of rest in 2026.
By contrast, Constitution Day of the Slovak Republic on 1 September, the Day of the Establishment of an Independent Czecho-Slovak State on 28 October and Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day on 17 November remain state holidays but are not days of rest. They are therefore not included in the primary VisaBoards public-holiday dataset.
Why 8 May and 15 September Are Working Days in 2026
Two additional dates have a special rule that applies specifically to 2026: 8 May, Day of Victory over Fascism, and 15 September, Our Lady of Sorrows.
Section 4b of Slovakia’s holiday legislation provides that these two holidays are not days of rest in 2026. The National Labour Inspectorate confirms that employers may assign work on 8 May 2026 and 15 September 2026 as on ordinary working days.
The distinction is unusual but important. Both dates retain their status as holidays for certain remuneration purposes even though employees do not receive an automatic day off. The Labour Inspectorate states that an employee working on either date remains entitled to the applicable holiday-work remuneration rules.
For this reason, neither 8 May nor 15 September appears in the VisaBoards nationwide days-off schedule for Slovakia in 2026.
Is 17 November a Public Holiday in Slovakia?
17 November remains the state holiday known as Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day, but it is no longer a day of rest. The change took effect on 1 November 2025.
The National Labour Inspectorate’s guidance on the legislative changes confirms that 17 November continues to be a Slovak state holiday but is treated as a working day and is no longer considered a holiday for the statutory holiday-work wage supplement.
Are Constitution Day and 28 October Days Off?
No. Constitution Day on 1 September and the Day of the Establishment of an Independent Czecho-Slovak State on 28 October are officially recognized state holidays, but Slovakia’s holiday legislation specifies that they are not days of rest.
This is why lists that combine every state holiday with every public day off can show more dates than the 2026 VisaBoards public-holiday schedule. For practical planning, the distinction between recognition as a state holiday and entitlement to a day of rest is essential.
What Happens When a Slovak Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend?
The official 2026 schedule keeps fixed public holidays on their calendar dates rather than moving them automatically to the following Monday. For example, St. Cyril and Methodius Day falls on Sunday, 5 July; Slovak National Uprising Anniversary falls on Saturday, 29 August; All Saints’ Day falls on Sunday, 1 November; and St. Stephen’s Day falls on Saturday, 26 December.
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs lists these weekend dates directly and does not list additional substitute weekdays for them. VisaBoards therefore does not add replacement dates that have not been officially declared.
Long Weekends in Slovakia in 2026
Several public holidays create useful extended breaks for people who normally work Monday to Friday. These are based only on statutory holidays and the standard Saturday-Sunday weekend; no unofficial bridge days are counted.
- Easter weekend: Good Friday on 3 April and Easter Monday on 6 April create a four-day break from Friday through Monday.
- International Workers’ Day: Friday, 1 May creates a three-day weekend ending on Sunday, 3 May.
- Christmas: Christmas Eve on Thursday, 24 December and Christmas Day on Friday, 25 December lead directly into the weekend, creating a four-day break through Sunday, 27 December for a typical Monday-to-Friday worker.
Other public holidays falling on Saturday or Sunday do not create an additional weekday off in the official 2026 holiday calendar.
Holiday Pay and Working on Public Holidays in Slovakia
Slovak labour law provides special remuneration when an employee works on a qualifying holiday. According to the National Labour Inspectorate, an employee who works on a holiday is generally entitled to the wage earned for the work plus a wage supplement of at least 100% of the employee’s average earnings.
An employer and employee may instead agree on compensatory leave for holiday work. In that case, the employee receives one hour of compensatory leave for each hour worked under the applicable Labour Code rules, rather than the holiday-work wage supplement.
The 2026 treatment of 8 May and 15 September requires particular attention. Although they are ordinary working days for the purpose of assigning work, the National Labour Inspectorate states that they remain holidays for remuneration purposes. The rules for 17 November are different: since 1 November 2025, that date is not treated as a holiday for the holiday-work wage supplement.
Are Shops Open on Public Holidays in Slovakia?
Public-holiday status does not mean that every shop or business must automatically close. Slovakia’s labour rules regulate when an employer may assign employees to retail sales work.
Following legislative changes effective from 1 November 2025, the main restrictions on assigning retail sales work apply on 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, 24 December after 12:00, 25 December and 26 December. Statutory exceptions include certain sales at petrol stations, pharmacies, airports and other transport facilities, hospitals, as well as ticket and souvenir sales.
This retail rule should not be confused with the nationwide public-holiday calendar. Easter Sunday, for example, is relevant to the retail-work restriction even though it is not a separate row in the primary VisaBoards public-holiday dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nationwide public holidays are there in Slovakia in 2026?
The VisaBoards 2026 dataset contains 11 nationwide public-holiday dates that are officially scheduled as days of rest. The total excludes recognized state holidays and other holiday dates that are working days under the legislation applicable in 2026.
What is the next public holiday in Slovakia?
The next public holiday changes during the year. Use the Next Public Holiday in Slovakia section near the top of this page for the current holiday name, date and countdown.
Is 8 May a public day off in Slovakia in 2026?
No. Day of Victory over Fascism remains a recognized holiday, but 8 May 2026 is specifically excluded from days of rest under the temporary 2026 rule. It is therefore treated as an ordinary working day for the purpose of assigning work.
Is 15 September a public holiday in Slovakia in 2026?
Our Lady of Sorrows remains a recognized holiday, but 15 September is not a day of rest in 2026. Employees can generally be assigned work as on an ordinary working day, although special holiday remuneration rules continue to apply to work performed on that date.
Is 17 November a day off in Slovakia in 2026?
No. Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day remains a state holiday, but it ceased to be a day of rest from 1 November 2025. It is therefore excluded from the 2026 nationwide public-holiday schedule.
Is Constitution Day a public day off in Slovakia?
No. Constitution Day of the Slovak Republic on 1 September remains a state holiday, but current Slovak legislation does not classify it as a day of rest.
Does Slovakia move a weekend public holiday to Monday?
The official 2026 calendar does not automatically move fixed holidays that fall on Saturday or Sunday to Monday. Weekend holidays remain listed on their actual statutory dates unless a separate legal measure creates another day off.
Are employees paid extra for working on a public holiday?
Generally, yes. For qualifying holiday work, Slovak labour rules provide the employee’s earned wage plus a supplement of at least 100% of average earnings, unless the employer and employee agree on compensatory leave instead. Special rules apply to working holidays such as 8 May and 15 September in 2026.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Slovakia
- Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic official 2026 public-holiday calendar and weekdays.
- Slov-Lex — Act No. 241/1993 Coll. statutory classification of state holidays, days of rest and the special 2026 rule.
- National Labour Inspectorate official labour-law guidance for 8 May and 15 September 2026.
- National Labour Inspectorate Legislative Changes confirms the changed status of 17 November and the temporary 2026 treatment of 8 May and 15 September.
- National Bank of Slovakia supplementary official calendar showing the 2026 holiday schedule and working-day changes.
