How many working days are in a period? For the German commuter allowance, project planning or the question of how many real working days remain after vacation, you need the exact number. The Working Days Calculator (Germany) counts calendar days, subtracts weekends – and knows the public holidays of all 16 German federal states.
Step by step
- Choose the period: start and end date (both count)
- Choose the federal state: decisive, since Bavaria has up to 13 holidays, Berlin and the north considerably fewer
- Set the week model: 5-day week (Mon–Fri) or 6-day week including Saturday
- Deduct vacation (optional): for the net working days
Worked example 2026
North Rhine-Westphalia, full year, 5-day week: 365 calendar days − 104 weekend days − 8 holidays on weekdays = 253 working days. Important: of the eleven NRW holidays only eight count, because German Unity Day, All Saints' Day and Boxing Day fall on weekends in 2026. In Bavaria it is 252 due to Epiphany – with 30 vacation days, 222 real working days remain there.
What the number is needed for
Tax return: the tax office accepts the commuter allowance only for actual working days – putting down a flat 230 when 253 are possible gives away real money. Project planning: delivery dates in working days instead of calendar days avoid nasty surprises around Easter and Christmas. Part-time and parental leave: converting weekly hours to monthly working days.
'Werktag' is not 'Arbeitstag'
Legally, Saturday counts as a 'Werktag' (business day) in Germany – relevant for notice periods, parcel delivery and parking signs. The calculator covers both: simply switch to the 6-day week. Movable holidays (Easter, Whitsun, Corpus Christi) are computed astronomically correctly via the Gaussian Easter algorithm, Saxony's Day of Repentance as the Wednesday before 23 November.
