Public Holidays in the Netherlands 2027: Full List of Dates and Your Rights at Work

Last updated: October 2, 2026

THE HAGUE – October 1, 2026 | The Dutch Daily

Public holidays Netherlands 2027: there are eleven official public holidays (feestdagen) next year, from New Year’s Day on Friday 1 January to Boxing Day on Sunday 26 December. King’s Day falls on Tuesday 27 April 2027 and Ascension Day on Thursday 6 May. But an official public holiday is not automatically a day off: whether you are free depends on your collective labour agreement (cao) or employment contract. This guide lists every date and explains your rights at work.

1. All public holidays in the Netherlands in 2027

The Dutch government lists the following days as official public holidays. The dates below are for 2027; the dates for Easter, Ascension and Whitsun move every year because they depend on the date of Easter.

Three things stand out in 2027. Easter is early, at the end of March. King’s Day, Liberation Day and Ascension Day fall within ten days of each other, from 27 April to 6 May. And Christmas Day and Boxing Day both fall on a weekend, so there is no extra weekday off around Christmas unless your cao or employer provides for it.

2. Do you get a day off on a public holiday?

This is a common misunderstanding among internationals. The government is clear: there is no law that says employees must be given a day off on certain public holidays. An official public holiday (officiële feestdag) is not automatically a free day.

Whether you are free depends on:

• Your cao (collective labour agreement). Most sectors have a cao, and it usually states which public holidays are days off and whether you are paid for them.
• Your employment contract or the staff handbook (personeelshandboek) if there is no cao.
• The nature of the work. Hospitals, public transport, hospitality, retail and many other sectors keep running on public holidays, and staff work in shifts.

If you are unsure, check your contract and cao first, then ask HR. Ask about extra pay too: whether you receive a supplement (toeslag) for working on a public holiday also depends on the cao or your contract.

3. Liberation Day (5 May): official holiday, but not always free

Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag) on 5 May celebrates the liberation of the Netherlands in 1945. It is an official public holiday, but according to the government not everyone is free on that day. Your cao states whether you are. Some caos give Liberation Day off every year, others only in certain years or not at all, so check your own agreement rather than relying on what colleagues in another sector get.

In 2027 Liberation Day falls on Wednesday 5 May, the day before Ascension Day. If you are free on both, two days off in the middle of the week make it easy to create a long break with only a few days of leave.

The day before, 4 May, is Remembrance Day (Dodenherdenking). It is not a public holiday, but at 20:00 the country observes two minutes of silence for the victims of war. Many internationals are surprised how quiet streets, trains and even supermarkets become at that moment.

4. King’s Day 2027: Tuesday 27 April

King’s Day (Koningsdag) celebrates the birthday of King Willem-Alexander on 27 April. In 2027 it falls on a Tuesday. Expect free markets (vrijmarkt) where anyone can sell second-hand goods, orange clothing everywhere and big crowds in Amsterdam and other cities. When 27 April falls on a Sunday, King’s Day is celebrated on the Saturday before; that does not apply in 2027.

Practical tips for King’s Day:

• Plan your travel. Trains and city centres are very busy, and some streets are closed to traffic.
• Check opening hours of shops, supermarkets and government offices in advance; they differ per city and per shop.
• With King’s Day on Tuesday, Monday 26 April is a popular day to take off (a bridge day).

5. Long weekends and bridge days in 2027

If your cao gives you the usual holidays off, 2027 offers several long weekends. Many Dutch people use a bridge day (brugdag): one day of leave between a public holiday and the weekend.

Good Friday is an official public holiday, but in many sectors it is a normal working day. Check your cao before you book that Easter trip.

Bridge days are popular, so employers often receive many leave requests for the same days. Ask early. How leave is requested and approved is set out in your contract, cao or staff handbook; our guide to vacation days and holiday allowance explains how many days you build up.

6. Remaining public holidays in 2026

For the rest of this year, the official list includes Christmas Day on Friday 25 December 2026 and Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December 2026. Earlier in 2026, King’s Day was on Monday 27 April, Liberation Day on Tuesday 5 May, Ascension Day on Thursday 14 May and Whit Monday on 25 May.

7. Days that are not public holidays

Some Dutch traditions feel like holidays but are not official public holidays:

• Remembrance Day (4 May): two minutes of silence at 20:00, but a normal working day.
• Sinterklaas (5 December): a big family celebration, especially with children, but not a public holiday.
• Carnival (carnaval): widely celebrated in the south, especially Limburg and North Brabant, but not a national public holiday.
• Prinsjesdag (third Tuesday of September): the King presents the government’s plans for the coming year. It is a ceremonial day, not a day off. Read our explainer on Prinsjesdag 2026.

8. Practical tips for public holidays

• Shops and supermarkets: opening hours on public holidays vary per municipality and per shop. Check before you go.
• Public transport: timetables can differ on public holidays. Check the NS app or 9292 before you travel.
• Government offices and GPs: check the opening hours of your municipality before a public holiday. If you need urgent medical help outside your GP’s hours, call the out-of-hours GP service (huisartsenpost); in an emergency call 112. See our guide to finding a huisarts.
• Your contract: working on a public holiday? Check whether your cao gives a supplement or a compensation day.

9. FAQ

Is King’s Day a day off in the Netherlands?

It is an official public holiday, but there is no law that gives every employee the day off. Most caos make it a day off; check yours.

When is King’s Day 2027?

Tuesday 27 April 2027.

Is Good Friday a public holiday in the Netherlands?

Yes, it is on the official list, but in many sectors it is a normal working day. Your cao decides.

Do I get paid for a public holiday?

That depends on your cao or employment contract. If your cao says the public holiday is a paid day off, you are paid as usual.

What happens when a public holiday falls on a weekend?

In 2027 Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on Saturday and Sunday. There is no general rule that gives you a weekday instead; only your cao or contract can do that.

🇳🇱 Dutch Corner

Sources

• Government.nl: official public holidays in the Netherlands (2026 and 2027 dates; no legal right to a day off).
• Rijksoverheid: official public holidays and Liberation Day (whether you are free depends on your cao).
• Rijksoverheid: vacation days and holiday allowance (“an official public holiday is not automatically a free day”).
• Koninklijk Huis: Koningsdag (when 27 April falls on a Sunday, King’s Day is celebrated the day before).

More in our guide: Moving to the Netherlands – the newcomer guide for internationals

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