The short answer
How many federal pay periods are in 2027?
26 pay periods. Leave year 2027 starts on Sunday, January 10, 2027 (pay period 1) and ends on Saturday, January 8, 2028 (pay period 26). The deadline to schedule use-or-lose annual leave is Saturday, November 27, 2027.
Federal employees paid by the USDA National Finance Center (NFC) get 26 paydays in calendar 2027. The first deposit is Monday, January 4 (pay period 25 of 2026) and the last is Monday, December 20 (pay period 24 of 2027). Months with three deposits: March, August.
2027 federal pay period calendar
Every pay period is 14 days, from Sunday to the Saturday two weeks later. Pay dates are for agencies paid by NFC; other payroll providers are listed below.
| PP | Pay period | NFC deposit | Official pay date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 10 – Jan 23 | Mon, Feb 1 | Thu, Feb 4 | A January 2027 pay adjustment, if any, starts here |
| 2 | Jan 24 – Feb 6 | Tue, Feb 16 | Thu, Feb 18 | Washington's Birthday moves the deposit to Tuesday |
| 3 | Feb 7 – Feb 20 | Mon, Mar 1 | Thu, Mar 4 | |
| 4 | Feb 21 – Mar 6 | Mon, Mar 15 | Thu, Mar 18 | |
| 5 | Mar 7 – Mar 20 | Mon, Mar 29 | Thu, Apr 1 | |
| 6 | Mar 21 – Apr 3 | Mon, Apr 12 | Thu, Apr 15 | |
| 7 | Apr 4 – Apr 17 | Mon, Apr 26 | Thu, Apr 29 | |
| 8 | Apr 18 – May 1 | Mon, May 10 | Thu, May 13 | |
| 9 | May 2 – May 15 | Mon, May 24 | Thu, May 27 | |
| 10 | May 16 – May 29 | Mon, Jun 7 | Thu, Jun 10 | |
| 11 | May 30 – Jun 12 | Mon, Jun 21 | Thu, Jun 24 | |
| 12 | Jun 13 – Jun 26 | Tue, Jul 6 | Thu, Jul 8 | Independence Day (observed) moves the deposit to Tuesday |
| 13 | Jun 27 – Jul 10 | Mon, Jul 19 | Thu, Jul 22 | |
| 14 | Jul 11 – Jul 24 | Mon, Aug 2 | Thu, Aug 5 | |
| 15 | Jul 25 – Aug 7 | Mon, Aug 16 | Thu, Aug 19 | |
| 16 | Aug 8 – Aug 21 | Mon, Aug 30 | Thu, Sep 2 | |
| 17 | Aug 22 – Sep 4 | Mon, Sep 13 | Thu, Sep 16 | |
| 18 | Sep 5 – Sep 18 | Mon, Sep 27 | Thu, Sep 30 | |
| 19 | Sep 19 – Oct 2 | Tue, Oct 12 | Thu, Oct 14 | Columbus Day moves the deposit to Tuesday |
| 20 | Oct 3 – Oct 16 | Mon, Oct 25 | Thu, Oct 28 | |
| 21 | Oct 17 – Oct 30 | Mon, Nov 8 | Thu, Nov 11 | Official pay date is Veterans Day |
| 22 | Oct 31 – Nov 13 | Mon, Nov 22 | Thu, Nov 25 | Official pay date is Thanksgiving Day |
| 23 | Nov 14 – Nov 27 | Mon, Dec 6 | Thu, Dec 9 | Use-or-lose scheduling deadline: Nov 27 |
| 24 | Nov 28 – Dec 11 | Mon, Dec 20 | Thu, Dec 23 | |
| 25 | Dec 12 – Dec 25 | Mon, Jan 3, 2028 | Thu, Jan 6, 2028 | |
| 26 | Dec 26 – Jan 8, 2028 | Tue, Jan 18, 2028 | Thu, Jan 20, 2028 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day moves the deposit to Tuesday |
Deposits are usually available on the deposit date; the official pay date is the Thursday that week. Some banks post funds a day or two earlier.
How federal pay dates work
NFC (USDA and many agencies)
Pay settles on the second Monday after the pay period ends. If that Monday is a federal holiday, it moves to Tuesday. In 2027 that happens four times: after Washington's Birthday, Independence Day, Columbus Day and, for pay period 26, MLK Day 2028.
DFAS, IBC and GSA
Defense (DFAS), Interior Business Center (IBC) and GSA payroll use the same 26 pay periods but pay on a different day of the following week. Your pay period numbers and leave dates are the same; check your earnings statement for your exact pay day.
Pay raises and step increases
Annual pay adjustments take effect on the first day of the first pay period starting on or after January 1, which in 2027 is January 10. The first paycheck that reflects them is pay period 1, deposited around February 1 for NFC.
Annual and sick leave in 2027
| Years of service | Annual leave per pay period | Annual leave in 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 3 years | 4 hours | 104 hours (13 days) |
| 3 to 15 years | 6 hours (10 in the last full pay period) | 160 hours (20 days) |
| 15 years or more | 8 hours | 208 hours (26 days) |
Full-time employees also earn 4 hours of sick leave per pay period, 104 hours in 2027. Most employees can carry up to 240 hours of annual leave into the next leave year. Anything above that is forfeited unless it was scheduled in writing before November 27, 2027 and then cancelled for an approved reason, such as an exigency of the public business. Use the calculator above to check how much you need to use.
Sources and limitations
Pay period and leave year dates follow the OPM rule that a leave year begins with the first full biweekly pay period of the calendar year (OPM leave year dates). NFC pay dates follow the NFC pay schedule (NFC pay period calendars). Some agencies and part-time or seasonal schedules differ, so confirm with your payroll office before planning around a specific date.
Frequently asked questions
How many pay periods are in 2027 for federal employees?
26. Leave year 2027 runs from Sunday, January 10, 2027 to Saturday, January 8, 2028, which is 26 biweekly pay periods.
When does pay period 1 of 2027 start?
Sunday, January 10, 2027. It ends Saturday, January 23, and NFC pays it on Monday, February 1 (official pay date Thursday, February 4).
Is 2027 a 27 pay period year?
No. Leave year 2027 has the normal 26 pay periods. NFC-paid employees also receive 26 deposits during calendar year 2027.
What is the use-or-lose deadline for 2027?
Saturday, November 27, 2027. Annual leave above your carryover limit (240 hours for most employees) must be scheduled in writing by then to be restored if it is later cancelled for an approved reason.
When is the first federal payday in 2027?
For NFC-paid employees, Monday, January 4, 2027, which pays pay period 25 of 2026. The next is Tuesday, January 19, moved a day by MLK Day.
When does the 2027 leave year end?
Saturday, January 8, 2028, the last day of pay period 26. Leave year 2028 starts Sunday, January 9, 2028.
How much annual leave will I earn in 2027?
104 hours with less than 3 years of service, 160 hours with 3 to 15 years, and 208 hours with 15 years or more, plus 104 hours of sick leave for full-time employees.
Do holidays change federal pay dates?
For NFC, if the Monday settlement date is a federal holiday the deposit moves to Tuesday. In 2027 that happens on February 16, July 6 and October 12, and on January 18, 2028 for pay period 26.