Last Updated: August 30, 2026 Reading Time: 7 min

Every federal pay question eventually comes back to the calendar. The federal pay period calendar for 2026 runs 26 pay periods from January 11, 2026 through January 9, 2027 under OPM's leave-year definition, and the 2027 leave year starts January 10. Here is every date, the payday rules that explain why your deposit differs from your coworker's, and the deadlines hiding inside the schedule.

2026 Pay Period Calendar (OPM Leave Year)

All periods run Sunday through Saturday on the standard biweekly cycle. The pay date column uses IBC's second-Tuesday rule; if your agency pays through GSA or NFC, your direct deposit typically arrives the Friday after the period ends, several days earlier.

PP Start End Official pay date (IBC rule)
1 Jan 11 Jan 24 Feb 3
2 Jan 25 Feb 7 Feb 17*
3 Feb 8 Feb 21 Mar 3
4 Feb 22 Mar 7 Mar 17
5 Mar 8 Mar 21 Mar 31
6 Mar 22 Apr 4 Apr 14
7 Apr 5 Apr 18 Apr 28
8 Apr 19 May 2 May 12
9 May 3 May 16 May 26
10 May 17 May 30 Jun 9
11 May 31 Jun 13 Jun 23
12 Jun 14 Jun 27 Jul 7
13 Jun 28 Jul 11 Jul 21
14 Jul 12 Jul 25 Aug 4
15 Jul 26 Aug 8 Aug 18
16 Aug 9 Aug 22 Sep 1
17 Aug 23 Sep 5 Sep 15
18 Sep 6 Sep 19 Sep 29
19 Sep 20 Oct 3 Oct 13
20 Oct 4 Oct 17 Oct 27
21 Oct 18 Oct 31 Nov 10
22 Nov 1 Nov 14 Nov 24
23 Nov 15 Nov 28 Dec 8
24 Nov 29 Dec 12 Dec 22
25 Dec 13 Dec 26 Dec 31†
26 Dec 27 Jan 9, 2027 Jan 19, 2027

*Feb 17, 2026 is Presidents' Day; disbursement may shift to Friday Feb 13 (EFT) or Wednesday Feb 18 depending on your provider. †GSA's 2026 payroll newsletter confirms December 31, 2026 as the year's last official pay date. FedTools 2026 compilation from OPM leave-year dates and the IBC payday rule.

2027 Pay Period Calendar (OPM Leave Year)

The 2027 leave year runs January 10, 2027 through January 8, 2028, 26 pay periods. NFC has already published its official 2027 calendar (Form NFC-1217); paydays follow the same provider rules as 2026.

PP Start End
1 Jan 10 Jan 23
2 Jan 24 Feb 6
3 Feb 7 Feb 20
4 Feb 21 Mar 6
5 Mar 7 Mar 20
6 Mar 21 Apr 3
7 Apr 4 Apr 17
8 Apr 18 May 1
9 May 2 May 15
10 May 16 May 29
11 May 30 Jun 12
12 Jun 13 Jun 26
13 Jun 27 Jul 10
14 Jul 11 Jul 24
15 Jul 25 Aug 7
16 Aug 8 Aug 21
17 Aug 22 Sep 4
18 Sep 5 Sep 18
19 Sep 19 Oct 2
20 Oct 3 Oct 16
21 Oct 17 Oct 30
22 Oct 31 Nov 13
23 Nov 14 Nov 27
24 Nov 28 Dec 11
25 Dec 12 Dec 25
26 Dec 26 Jan 8, 2028

Pay period 1 of 2027 is also where the 2027 pay freeze technically lands. The letter says effective January 1; OPM implements from the first full pay period on or after that date. In a freeze year you won't see the seam: the 2027 rates are the 2026 rates.

26 or 27 Pay Periods in 2026? Both.

This is the question that fills HR inboxes every December, and the answer depends on which calendar you mean:

  • OPM leave year (26 periods): January 11, 2026 to January 9, 2027. This governs annual leave accrual and the use-or-lose deadline. See our 27 pay periods explainer for the paycheck-math side.
  • GSA calendar-year payday count (27 paydays): the paycheck for the period ending December 27, 2025 lands in January 2026, and the period ending December 26, 2026 pays December 31. Twenty-seven deposits hit in one calendar year.
  • IBC earnings year (26 periods): December 14, 2025 to December 12, 2026, counting when the work was performed.

None of these is wrong. If you are planning leave, use the OPM leave year. If you are planning cash flow or TSP percentages, count your actual deposits.

The Deadlines Hiding in the Calendar

Use-or-lose leave: annual leave above your carryover ceiling must be scheduled by November 28, 2026 (November 27 in 2027) or it is forfeited. The Federal Leave Optimizer maps your balance against the remaining pay periods.

TSP contribution pacing: the 2026 elective deferral limit is $23,500. Spread evenly that is $904 per pay period over 26 periods, or $870 over 27 paydays if your agency's cycle gives you 27 deposits this calendar year. Front-loading costs real money: the agency match is computed each pay period, so any period you contribute $0 forfeits that period's 4 percent match.

Retirement dates: the classic end-of-month versus end-of-leave-year decision runs through this table too; retiring at the end of PP 26 maximizes the annual leave lump sum by carrying the full year's accrual.

See What One Pay Period Is Worth

Run your grade and locality through the free Federal Take-Home Pay Calculator to see your per-period net, then check it against the deposit dates above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 2026 have 26 or 27 federal pay periods?

Both, by definition. The OPM leave year has 26 (Jan 11, 2026 to Jan 9, 2027); GSA's calendar-year count shows 27 paydays landing in 2026. Leave accrual follows the 26-period leave year.

Why is my payday different from my coworker's at another agency?

Different payroll providers. IBC's official pay date is the second Tuesday after a period ends; GSA and NFC deposits usually land the prior Friday. Same period, different disbursement calendars.

When does the 2026 leave year end for use-or-lose leave?

The leave year ends January 9, 2027; the use-or-lose scheduling deadline is November 28, 2026.

Which pay period does the 2027 pay freeze take effect?

PP 1 of 2027, beginning January 10. Since 2027 rates equal 2026 rates under the freeze, no visible change hits your paycheck.

How much per pay period maxes out TSP in 2026?

About $904 across 26 pay periods, or $870 if your calendar year has 27 deposits. Keep every period above $0 to collect the full match.

Sources: OPM Leave Year Beginning and Ending Dates · IBC Payroll Announcements · NFC Pay Period Calendars · TSP Contribution Limits