2026 Semi-Monthly Payroll Calendar
24 pay dates on the 15th and the last day of each month, moved to the previous business day when they fall on a weekend or federal holiday.
All 2026 semi-monthly pay dates
| # | Pay date |
|---|---|
| 1 | Thu, Jan 15, 2026 |
| 2 | Fri, Jan 30, 2026 (moved from Jan 31) |
| 3 | Fri, Feb 13, 2026 (moved from Feb 15) |
| 4 | Fri, Feb 27, 2026 (moved from Feb 28) |
| 5 | Fri, Mar 13, 2026 (moved from Mar 15) |
| 6 | Tue, Mar 31, 2026 |
| 7 | Wed, Apr 15, 2026 |
| 8 | Thu, Apr 30, 2026 |
| 9 | Fri, May 15, 2026 |
| 10 | Fri, May 29, 2026 (moved from May 31) |
| 11 | Mon, Jun 15, 2026 |
| 12 | Tue, Jun 30, 2026 |
| 13 | Wed, Jul 15, 2026 |
| 14 | Fri, Jul 31, 2026 |
| 15 | Fri, Aug 14, 2026 (moved from Aug 15) |
| 16 | Mon, Aug 31, 2026 |
| 17 | Tue, Sep 15, 2026 |
| 18 | Wed, Sep 30, 2026 |
| 19 | Thu, Oct 15, 2026 |
| 20 | Fri, Oct 30, 2026 (moved from Oct 31) |
| 21 | Fri, Nov 13, 2026 (moved from Nov 15) |
| 22 | Mon, Nov 30, 2026 |
| 23 | Tue, Dec 15, 2026 |
| 24 | Thu, Dec 31, 2026 |
8 of the 24 scheduled dates fall on a weekend or holiday in 2026 and move to the previous business day: Jan 31 → Jan 30, Feb 15 → Feb 13, Feb 28 → Feb 27, Mar 15 → Mar 13, May 31 → May 29, Aug 15 → Aug 14, Oct 31 → Oct 30, Nov 15 → Nov 13. Download as PDF or Excel.
How semi-monthly pay works
Semi-monthly payroll pays employees twice a month on fixed dates, most often the 15th and the last day of the month (some employers use the 1st and 15th). Because the dates are fixed, there are always 24 pay periods a year, and each paycheck covers 1/24 of annual salary. That is why a semi-monthly paycheck is slightly larger than a biweekly one for the same salary: 26 (or 27) biweekly checks split the same amount into smaller pieces.
The trade-off is that semi-monthly pay periods are uneven: a period can be 13, 14, 15 or 16 days long, and for hourly staff the number of workdays in each check changes. Overtime also has to be tracked by the 7-day workweek, which does not line up with the pay period. Most companies therefore use semi-monthly pay for salaried staff and biweekly pay for hourly staff.
When the 15th or the last day is a weekend
Direct deposits only settle on banking days. If the 15th or the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday, employers normally pay on the previous business day so that employees are not paid late. Some employers pay on the next business day instead; use the rule selector in the generator to see both versions.
Want a different schedule? See the 2026 biweekly payroll calendar or the 2026 weekly pay dates.