Columbus Day 2025: Is It Still a Federal Holiday? What Banks, Post Offices & Stores Are Open

Subhead: When is Columbus Day in 2025? Columbus Day lands on Monday, October 13, 2025, marking the 10th of the 11 federal holidays on the U.S. calendar. Because it is written into Title 5 of the U.S. Code, all non-essential federal government offices will shut their doors for the three-day weekend, and thousands of Americans will receive a paid day off. Subhead: Columbus Day vs. Indigenous Peoples’ Day Over the past decade, more than a dozen states and hundreds of cities have re-branded the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, recognizing Native communities in place of Christopher Columbus. The name change, however, does not alter the federal status of the holiday: Columbus Day remains the official federal observance, while Indigenous Peoples’ Day is commemorative only and carries no automatic office closures or paid leave requirements. Subhead: What’s closed on the federal holiday? • Federal agencies: Social Security offices, IRS walk-in centers, national parks visitor centers staffed by federal employees, and passport agencies will all be closed Monday. • U.S. Postal Service: No retail window service or residential mail delivery will occur. • Banks and credit unions: Because the Federal Reserve system observes Columbus Day, major brick-and-mortar banks—including Bank of America, Chase, and Wells Fargo—will keep branches dark, though ATMs and mobile apps remain available. • Courts: Federal courts and most state courts follow the holiday schedule; check local dockets for emergency hearings. • Schools: Districts vary, but many public K-12 systems align with the federal calendar, giving students a day off or using the date for professional-development. Subhead: What stays open? • Retailers and restaurants: Walmart, Target, Costco, major grocery chains, and most national dining brands plan to operate on regular Monday hours to capture holiday traffic. • Stock markets: The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will open at 9:30 a.m. EDT and close at 4 p.m. as usual, although the bond market will observe a full-day closure. • Package carriers: UPS stores, FedEx Office, and Amazon deliveries run on normal schedules, making the day a good opportunity for last-minute Prime orders. Subhead: Travel outlook and gas prices AAA forecasts that road travel spikes up to 10 % on the long weekend as families squeeze in a final fall getaway before colder weather sets in. Expect bottlenecks Friday afternoon on I-95, I-5, and other major corridors, and plan for airport security lines to lengthen by 20-30 % compared with a normal Monday. Subhead: A brief history Congress first recognized Columbus Day in 1937 after lobbying by Italian-American civic groups, and it became a fixed Monday holiday under the 1968 Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The growing Indigenous Peoples’ Day movement, begun in 1977 at a United Nations conference, has since shifted the narrative toward acknowledging Native resilience. Subhead: Holiday tips for 2025 • Mail important documents by Friday, October 10 to avoid USPS delays. • Deposit checks via mobile banking; branch lobbies reopen Tuesday, October 14. • If you need in-person DMV or passport service, book appointments for later in the week—backlogs typically peak the day after the holiday. • Take advantage of early “Black-Friday-style” sales many retailers launch to coincide with the three-day weekend. As debates over the day’s name continue, one thing is certain: whether you celebrate Columbus Day or honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day, planning ahead for closures will keep your Monday running smoothly and help you make the most of autumn’s only federal holiday.