Mexico has 7 mandatory paid federal holidays under the Federal Labor Law (Ley Federal del Trabajo), plus additional civic dates that many employers observe. Mexico is also famous for "puentes" — bridge days that turn holidays into 4-day weekends — which affect scheduling for US teams working with Mexican counterparts.
Mexico's Federal Public Holidays 2026
- 1 January — New Year's Day (Año Nuevo)
- 2 February — Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución) — observed first Monday in February
- 16 March — Benito Juárez's Birthday — observed third Monday in March
- 3 April — Good Friday (Semana Santa / Viernes Santo) — widely observed but not federal
- 1 May — International Labour Day (Día del Trabajo)
- 16 September — Independence Day (Día de la Independencia)
- 16 November — Revolution Day (Día de la Revolución) — observed third Monday in November
- 25 December — Christmas Day (Navidad)
Semana Santa: Holy Week in Practice
While only Good Friday is a mandatory federal holiday, Semana Santa (Holy Week, the week before Easter) sees dramatically reduced productivity across Mexico. Many businesses close Thursday through Sunday. Easter week in 2026 falls 29 March–5 April. Plan accordingly.
The Puente Culture
Mexico deliberately moved several holidays to Mondays (Constitution Day, Benito Juárez's Birthday, Revolution Day) to create 3-day weekends. In practice, many employees also take the Tuesday after as an informal "bridge day," creating a de facto 4-day weekend. Teams should confirm coverage with Mexican colleagues around these dates.
Additional Widely Observed Dates
While not federal holidays, these dates affect productivity: 2 November (Día de Muertos — Day of the Dead), 12 December (Our Lady of Guadalupe, major in many regions), 24 December (Christmas Eve, many offices close early or all day).
US-Mexico Cross-Border Team Scheduling
US and Mexico federal holidays overlap on New Year's Day, Labour Day (May 1), and Christmas. Independence Day calendars diverge (US: 4 July, Mexico: 16 September). Thanksgiving (US holiday) is not observed in Mexico. This means late November is often a productive cross-border window.
View the full list of Mexico's public holidays and add them to your Google Calendar at autolidays.com/holidays/mexico
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Good Friday a federal holiday in Mexico?
Good Friday is not technically a federal mandatory holiday under the Federal Labor Law, but it is so widely observed that most businesses close. Semana Santa (Holy Week) is effectively a national slowdown.
How many paid holidays are Mexican employees legally entitled to?
Mexico's Federal Labor Law mandates 7 paid public holidays per year. Employers may offer additional days at their discretion.
Does Mexico observe US federal holidays?
No. Mexican employees are not entitled to US federal holidays like Thanksgiving or the US Independence Day (4 July). If you have a US-Mexican cross-border team, you need to manage both holiday calendars separately.
Sync Mexican and US Holiday Calendars Automatically
Stop manually cross-referencing two holiday calendars. Autolidays syncs Mexico's federal holidays directly to your Google Calendar. Visit autolidays.com/holidays/mexico to get started.