Veterans Day 2020 falls on Wednesday, November 11 and since it’s a federal holiday, most government services will be closed for the day, including courthouses and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Both services will resume regular business hours on Thursday, November 12 and will not close again for a holiday until Thanksgiving Day, which falls on November 26 this year.
Courthouses are typically open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday, except for federal holidays such as Veterans Day. The DMV follows a similar holiday schedule and usually remains open from 8:30 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Monday – Friday and 8:30 to noon on Saturday (closed Sundays), although the specific hours may change depending on your location.
Keep reading for a rundown of the holiday schedules for both the courts and the DMV:
Courts Close For 10 Holidays Each Year, Including MLK Day, Columbus Day & Washington’s Birthday
GettyThe outside of the Sandra Day O’Connor federal courthouse
There are ten observed federal holidays recognized by the United States Government, according to FederalPay.org. “On these days, all non-essential government employees are off work and most government offices (including post offices) are closed,” the website states. You can check out a full list of the 2020 holidays below, although there are only two more remaining this year:
- New Year’s Day (Wednesday, January 1)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, January 20)
- Presidents’ Day/Washington’s Birthday (Monday, February 17)
- Memorial Day (Monday, May 25)
- Independence Day (Friday, July 3)
- Labor Day (Monday, September 7)
- Columbus Day (Monday, October 12)
- Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11)
- Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 26)
- Christmas Day (Friday, December 25)
According to the OPM website, when it comes to holidays that fall on a weekend, the courts will observe the holiday either the Friday before or the Monday after. “Please note that most Federal employees work on a Monday through Friday schedule,” the website states. “For these employees, when a holiday falls on a nonworkday — Saturday or Sunday — the holiday usually is observed on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday).”
If a court date was mistakenly assigned on a holiday, contact the court as soon as possible, Legal Aid suggests. “If the courthouse was closed the day of your hearing, call the judge’s clerk as soon as you can. Ask when the case is going to be on the docket. If you miss a court date, call the judge’s clerk as soon as you can. Ask what happened with your case and if the judge entered anything against you.”
The DMV Follows a Similar Schedule, Although Some States Recognize Holidays Other Than The Regular Ten
The DMV follows a very similar schedule (as does most other government-run services, such as garbage pickup, mail delivery and the Federal Reserve), with facilities closing on most major and minor federal holidays to allow employees to spend the day with their families.
However, depending on the holiday, the DMV doesn’t always reopen the following business day; in certain states and counties, the DMV will remain closed through the entire holiday weekend, including Nevada, Oregon, California, and a plethora of other states (this is typical for Thanksgiving, which falls on a Thursday each year).
Some states celebrate other holidays as well, aside from the ten recognized federal holidays observed by the U.S. government. California observes Cesar Chavez Day on April 1, while Connecticut observes days like Abraham Lincoln’s birthday and Good Friday by adjusting and/or limiting their hours. Washington D.C. also honors D.C. Emancipation Day on April 16 by closing down several government-run facilities.
Keep Reading For Federal Holidays Schedule 2021 & 2022
GettyYes, Veterans Day 2019 is a national holiday.
There are only two more holidays left in 2020 – Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year, and Christmas Day is on December 25. However, some government services may be limited or have reduced hours on days like Black Friday (November 27), Christmas Eve (December 24) and New Year’s Eve (December 31), so we always recommend double checking the hours of your local courthouse or DMV during the holiday season.
To better help you prepare for future holiday closures, we’ve rounded up the dates of the federal holidays for the next few years. Check out a list of the upcoming holidays for 2021 and 2022 below:
2021
- Friday, Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day
- Monday, Jan. 18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Monday, Feb. 15 – George Washington’s birthday
- Monday, May 31 – Memorial Day
- Monday, July 5 – Independence Day
- Monday, Sept. 6 – Labor Day
- Monday, Oct. 11 – Columbus Day
- Thursday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
- Thursday, Nov. 25 – Thanksgiving
- Friday, Dec. 24 – Christmas Day (observed today)
2022
- Saturday, Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day
- Monday, Jan. 17 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Monday, Feb. 21 – George Washington’s birthday
- Monday, May 30 – Memorial Day
- Monday, July 4 – Independence Day
- Monday, Sept. 5 – Labor Day
- Monday, Oct. 10 – Columbus Day
- Friday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
- Thursday, Nov. 24 – Thanksgiving
- Monday, Dec. 26 – Christmas Day (observed today)