Approach to weekends and public holidays
The lodgment program adopts standard due dates that may fall on a weekend or public holiday. When a due date for lodgment of an approved form or payment of a tax debt falls on a day that is not a business day, you can lodge or pay on the next business day. For the purpose of this rule, ‘business day’ means a day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day that is a public holiday.
A public holiday is defined as a day that is a public holiday for the whole of any state or territory in Australia. This means if a due date falls on a public holiday that is a public holiday for the whole of a state or territory, taxpayers in all states and territories can lodge or pay on the first business day, even if they don't celebrate that public holiday.
Public holiday dates may change during the year. We will review and update these tables with the most current information.
2026 public holidays
|
Date of public holiday |
Name of public holiday |
First business day |
|---|---|---|
|
3 August (Mon) |
Picnic Day (NT) |
4 August (Tue) |
|
25 September (Fri) |
Friday before AFL Grand Final (VIC) |
28 September (Mon) |
|
28 September (Mon) |
King's Birthday (WA) |
29 September (Tue) |
|
5 October (Mon) |
Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA) King's Birthday (QLD) |
6 October (Tue) |
|
3 November (Tue) |
Melbourne Cup (VIC) |
4 November (Wed) |
|
24 December (Thu) |
Christmas Eve (QLD, NT, SA) |
29 December (Tue) |
|
25 December (Fri) |
Christmas Day
|
29 December (Tue) |
|
28 December (Mon) |
Additional public holiday for Boxing Day (ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, TAS, VIC, WA) Additional public holiday for Proclamation Day (SA) |
29 December (Tue) |
|
31 December (Thu) |
New Year's Eve (NT, SA) |
4 January 2027 (Mon) |
2027 public holidays
|
Date of public holiday |
Name of public holiday |
First business day |
|---|---|---|
|
1 January (Fri) |
New Year's Day |
4 January (Mon) |
|
26 January (Tue) |
Australia Day |
27 January (Wed) |
|
1 March (Mon) |
Labour Day (WA) |
2 March (Tue) |
|
8 March (Mon) |
Eight Hours Day (TAS) Labour Day (VIC) Adelaide Cup Day (SA) Canberra Day (ACT) |
9 March (Tue) |
|
26 March (Fri) |
Good Friday |
30 March (Tue) |
|
29 March (Mon) |
Easter Monday |
30 March (Tue) |
|
26 April (Mon) |
Additional public holiday for ANZAC Day (ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, WA) |
27 April (Tue) |
|
3 May (Mon) |
May Day (NT) Labour Day (QLD) |
4 May (Tue) |
|
31 May (Mon) |
Reconciliation Day (ACT)
|
1 June (Tue) |
|
7 June (Mon) |
Western Australia Day |
8 June (Tue) |
|
14 June (Mon) |
King's Birthday (excluding WA and QLD) |
15June (Tue) |