How to Count Business Days Between Two Dates

“Your order will arrive in 5–7 business days.” What does that actually mean? Business days exclude weekends — so 5 business days from Monday is the following Monday, not Saturday.

What counts as a business day

A business day is Monday through Friday. Weekends (Saturday and Sunday) are excluded. Public holidays are technically also excluded in many contexts, but they vary by country and are often handled separately.

The counting method

To count business days between two dates:

1. Start from the day AFTER the start date
2. Count each day that is Monday–Friday
3. Stop when you reach the end date (inclusive)

Example: From Monday June 2 to Friday June 13:

• Skip June 2 (start date excluded)
• Count: Jun 3 (Tue) through Jun 13 (Fri)
• Skip Jun 7 (Sat), Jun 8 (Sun)
• Result: 9 business days

Why business days matter

• Shipping: “5 business days” means one full week (Mon to Mon)
• Legal deadlines: Court filings, notice periods often specify business days
• Banking: Wire transfers process on business days only
• Project management: Sprint planning uses working days
• HR: Leave calculations, notice periods

Quick reference

Business days	Calendar equivalent
1	1–3 days (if starting Thu/Fri)
5	7 calendar days (one full week)
10	14 calendar days (two weeks)
20	~28 calendar days (one month)
260	~365 days (one year)

How many business days in a year?

A standard year has 52 weeks × 5 = 260 weekdays. After removing ~10–15 public holidays (varies by country), you get approximately 245–250 actual working days.

Count business days instantly with the OurDailyCalc business days calculator.

TL;DR

• Business days = Monday through Friday only
• Start date is typically excluded, end date included
• 5 business days = 1 calendar week
• ~260 business days per year (before holidays)