Mexico Public Holidays: Official Rest Days and What Closes

Mexico’s public holidays are the seven yearly rest days in Article 74 of the Federal Labor Law (Ley Federal del Trabajo): January 1, the first Monday of February, the third Monday of March, May 1, September 16, the third Monday of November and December 25. Anyone who works those days earns double pay on top of the regular wage.

Which days are official rest days in Mexico?

Article 74 lists the days employers must give off with pay, called días de descanso obligatorio. Three of them commemorate a fixed date but are observed on a Monday, which creates long weekends. The table below shows the dates for 2026 and 2027, worked out from the rules in the law.

Two more rest days apply only in some years. October 1 is a holiday every six years, when a new president takes office; the next one falls in 2030. Election days set by federal and state electoral laws are also rest days in the years when ordinary elections are held.

What happens if you work on a public holiday?

An employee who works on an official rest day is owed a double wage for that work, in addition to the regular pay for the holiday, under Article 75 of the same law. In practice that means three days’ pay for one day. Employers and workers agree on who covers the shift, and a labor court decides if they cannot agree.

The rule covers private-sector employees under the Federal Labor Law. Government workers fall under a separate law, which says their rest days are those in the official calendar plus election days. Freelancers and people paid by invoice are not covered by Article 75. This is a general explanation, not legal advice; a labor lawyer or the federal labor ombudsman (PROFEDET) can look at an individual case.

Which famous dates are not official holidays?

Several of the busiest celebrations in Mexico City are not in Article 74, so private employers do not have to give the day off unless a contract or company policy says so:

• Holy Thursday and Good Friday (Jueves y Viernes Santo), which move with Easter.
• Day of the Dead on November 2.
• The feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12, when pilgrims fill the Basilica area in the north of the city.
• Mother’s Day on May 10, the night of the Independence cry (el Grito) on September 15, and Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Many offices still close early or run skeleton staff on these dates, and public schools follow the education ministry’s own calendar of vacations.

When are banks closed in Mexico?

Banks follow a separate, longer list issued each year by the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV), the bank regulator. Its rules for 2026, published in the official gazette on December 10, 2025, close supervised banks on the seven labor-law holidays plus four extra days, and on every Saturday and Sunday, as of November 2026.

The full list sits on the CNBV’s 2026 calendar page. Banks may still open selected branches on those days if they notify the CNBV in advance, and currency exchange houses (casas de cambio) may open every day of the year. The 2027 bank calendar is normally published in December, so check it before planning a branch visit in early January. If you are setting up your finances, our guide to opening a bank account in Mexico covers what the branch will ask for.

What stays open in Mexico City on holidays?

Public transport runs, but on a reduced timetable. The Metro operates on its Sunday and holiday schedule, starting later in the morning than on weekdays; hours and fares are in our guide to the Mexico City Metro and the integrated mobility card.

Government offices are a different story. Federal agencies such as the National Migration Institute (INM) and the Tax Administration Service (SAT), and the city government, close on the official rest days and publish their own lists of non-working days (días inhábiles), which can add dates such as Holy Week. Deadlines for filings usually move to the next working day, but check the agency’s notice rather than assume.

Most supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies and shopping malls open on holidays, often with shorter hours. Markets and street vendors vary by neighborhood. Federal museums run by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) follow their normal weekly schedule; our page on free museum days in Mexico City explains who gets in free and when.

How do long weekends affect travel and traffic?

The three Monday holidays, Holy Week and the stretch from December 12 to early January are the heaviest travel periods out of the capital. Bus terminals and the airport fill up, and highway exits such as the roads toward Cuernavaca, Puebla and Querétaro back up on Friday afternoons and Monday evenings. Book bus seats and flights early, and expect quieter streets inside the city while many residents are away.

Driving restrictions under Hoy No Circula are set by the environmental authorities rather than by the labor calendar. Our Hoy No Circula guide explains how the program treats Sundays and holidays.

Bottom line

Put the seven Article 74 dates in your calendar, including the Monday holidays in February, March and November, and add the CNBV’s extra bank closures if you handle payments in person. If you employ a housekeeper, nanny or driver, plan for the double-pay rule when you ask them to work on a holiday.

FAQ

Is Day of the Dead a public holiday in Mexico?

No. November 2 is not one of the rest days in Article 74, so private employers do not have to give it off. Banks do close that day under the CNBV’s 2026 calendar, and many offices reduce hours.

Are banks open on Holy Thursday and Good Friday?

No, as a rule. The CNBV’s rules for 2026 list April 2 and 3 as days when supervised banks close, although a bank can open selected branches if it notifies the regulator. ATMs, card payments and online banking are separate from branch hours.

What is the next presidential inauguration holiday?

Article 74 makes October 1 a rest day every six years, when the federal executive changes hands. The current term began in 2024, so the next October 1 holiday is in 2030.

Do holidays that fall on a weekend move to Monday?

Only the three that the law ties to a Monday: the February, March and November holidays. January 1, May 1, September 16 and December 25 stay on their calendar date even when it is a Saturday or Sunday.