Public Holidays in Guatemala in [2026]

Are you living in Guatemala or planning a trip there? Here’s a practical guide to the public holidays you need to know in 2026, plus the next two years for easier planning. Guatemala’s Labour Code gives private-sector workers 10 full paid statutory holidays at national level, and it also includes 2 half-days: Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve from 12:00 noon onward.

Whether you live in Guatemala or are just visiting, it helps to note these dates in advance. Banks, offices, and many businesses may close or work shorter hours, especially during Holy Week. The Labour Code also adds 1 local feast day for the municipality or locality where the employee works.

How many public holidays are there in Guatemala?

Under Article 127 of Guatemala’s Labour Code, private-sector workers are entitled to paid leave on New Year’s Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Labour Day, Army Day, Independence Day, Revolution Day, All Saints’ Day, and Christmas Day. The same article also grants a half-day off from noon on 24 December and 31 December, plus the local patronal feast day.

That means the national calendar has 10 full statutory paid holidays, 2 half-days, and 1 additional local holiday that depends on where you are in the country. The Guatemalan Ministry of Labour’s 2026 holiday notice follows that same structure.

The most popular public holidays in Guatemala

The best-known holidays in Guatemala are Holy Week, especially Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, along with Independence Day on 15 September, Revolution Day on 20 October, All Saints’ Day on 1 November, and Christmas Day. Holy Week is especially important because it affects travel, business hours, and local events across the country.

Public Holidays in Guatemala in 2026

The table below follows Guatemala’s Labour Code and the Ministry of Labour’s 2026 holiday calendar. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are included as half-days because the law grants paid leave from 12:00 noon.

What are the public holidays in Guatemala?

New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day on 1 January is a statutory paid holiday under Article 127 of the Labour Code.

Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday

Guatemala’s Labour Code lists Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday as paid holidays. These are the statutory Holy Week holidays for workers. Easter Sunday is widely observed religiously, but it is not listed as a separate paid holiday in Article 127.

International Workers’ Day

Labour Day falls on 1 May and is one of the fixed statutory paid holidays in Guatemala.

Army Day

Army Day is celebrated on 30 June and is included in the Labour Code’s holiday list.

Independence Day

Independence Day falls on 15 September and is one of Guatemala’s most important civic holidays.

Revolution Day

Revolution Day is observed on 20 October and commemorates the 1944 Revolution. It is a statutory paid holiday under the Labour Code.

All Saints’ Day

All Saints’ Day is observed on 1 November and is one of the national paid holidays listed in Article 127.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

The Labour Code gives workers a half-day off from noon on 24 December and a full paid holiday on 25 December.

New Year’s Eve

Workers are also entitled to a half-day off from noon on 31 December.

Local feast day

In addition to the national holidays, the Labour Code grants paid leave for the local feast day of the locality where the employee works. This date is not the same across the whole country.

Public Holidays in Guatemala in 2027

For 2027, the fixed holiday dates follow Article 127 of the Labour Code, while the Holy Week dates match the published 2027 Guatemala holiday calendar.

Public Holidays in Guatemala in 2028

For 2028, the fixed holiday dates again follow the Labour Code, and the Holy Week dates match the published 2028 Guatemala holiday calendar.

Conclusion

Guatemala’s public holiday calendar is fairly straightforward once you separate full paid holidays from the two half-days at the end of December. The biggest dates to watch are Holy Week, Independence Day, All Saints’ Day, and Christmas, plus the local feast day that applies where you work.

Last Updated on 04/02/2026