Yes, Columbus Day is a holiday in Florida, but with a catch worth understanding before you plan around it. State law lists the second Monday in October as “Columbus Day and Farmers’ Day,” one of Florida’s recognized legal holidays.1Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 683.01 – Legal Holidays It is not, however, a paid day off for state employees, and state government offices stay open. Federal offices, banks, and the post office close. In 2026 the date falls on Monday, October 12.
Legal Holiday Is Not the Same as Paid Holiday
Florida Statute 683.01 lists Columbus Day and Farmers’ Day among the state’s legal holidays. That list is long and includes dates like Pascua Florida Day and Shrove Tuesday in counties with carnival associations. Being on the list means the date is formally recognized for official purposes. It says nothing about whether anyone gets the day off.
The paid holiday list for Florida’s state workforce is a separate, shorter statute. Florida Statute 110.117 grants state employees nine paid holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, the Friday after Thanksgiving, and Christmas.2Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 110.117 – Paid Holidays Columbus Day is not on it. State agencies, departments, and offices remain open and staffed on the second Monday in October.
What’s Closed and What’s Open
Federal Offices and Mail
Columbus Day is one of eleven federal public holidays established by statute.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays Every federal entity in Florida follows that schedule. Federal courthouses, Social Security Administration offices, and other non-essential federal facilities close.4Social Security Administration. Holiday Closings of Social Security Offices The U.S. Postal Service also observes the day: post office locations close, regular mail delivery is suspended, and only Priority Mail Express packages go out.5U.S. Postal Service. USPS to Observe Columbus Day
Banks
Most banks close because the Federal Reserve observes Columbus Day.6Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Holidays Observed – K.8 Wire transfers, ACH processing, and in-branch transactions are generally unavailable. ATMs and online banking keep working.
State Offices
Florida state offices operate normally. If you need to visit a state agency, a state-run service center, or handle anything with a state department, the second Monday in October is a regular business day.
County, City, and Local Services
Florida’s 67 counties and hundreds of municipalities each set their own holiday schedules. A county commission can give its employees Columbus Day off even though the state does not. Broward County, for example, establishes its holiday calendar through the Board of County Commissioners rather than defaulting to the state’s paid holiday list.7Broward County. Holiday Schedule The result is uneven: one county’s tax collector office might be closed while the same office in the next county is open. Trash and recycling pickup can also shift. Check your city or county’s published calendar before heading to a government office or putting bins at the curb.
Public Schools
School calendars are set at the district level. Many Florida districts use the day as a non-instructional day or teacher planning day, with students at home. Others hold a regular school day. Consult your district’s published calendar rather than assuming the day off is universal.
Private Employers
No federal or Florida law requires private businesses to close on Columbus Day or pay a premium for working it. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked on any holiday. Whether you get the day off is up to your employer’s policy or your employment agreement.8U.S. Department of Labor. Holiday Pay Most Florida retail, restaurant, grocery, and service businesses keep regular hours.
Why the Legal Holiday Label Still Matters
Even without a day off, the “legal holiday” designation shifts filing and contract deadlines. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6 provides that when the last day of a filing period falls on a legal holiday, the period runs until the end of the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.9Legal Information Institute (LII). Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6 Columbus Day is specifically named in that rule.
Florida state courts follow a similar principle. Because Columbus Day sits in the Section 683.01 legal holiday list, state court deadlines that fall on the date are likewise extended, as are contract performance deadlines and other time-sensitive legal obligations. If you have a filing or deadline near the second Monday in October, check the calendar carefully. Getting this wrong can mean a missed filing.
Does Florida Observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
Not at the state level. Seventeen states and Washington, D.C. now recognize a holiday honoring Native Americans on the second Monday in October, some replacing Columbus Day and others recognizing both.10Pew Research Center. Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day or Just a Regular Monday? It Depends on Where You Are Florida has not made that change. The statute still reads “Columbus Day and Farmers’ Day,” and no legislation changing that designation has been enacted. Individual Florida cities and counties can adopt their own resolutions recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and some have.
Upcoming Columbus Day Dates in Florida
Because the holiday falls on the second Monday in October, the date shifts each year:
- 2026: Monday, October 12
- 2027: Monday, October 11
- 2028: Monday, October 9