What Pay Period Is It?
Today's federal pay period number with its start and end dates, updated live, plus a lookup for any date. Numbering follows the NFC/OPM leave year used by most federal agencies.
Pay period 01 start dates by leave year
A federal leave year begins on the first day of the first full biweekly pay period in the calendar year. These dates match OPM's leave year table.
| Leave year | Pay period 01 begins | Last pay period ends | Pay periods |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sun, Jan 14, 2024 | Sat, Jan 11, 2025 | 26 |
| 2025 | Sun, Jan 12, 2025 | Sat, Jan 10, 2026 | 26 |
| 2026 | Sun, Jan 11, 2026 | Sat, Jan 9, 2027 | 26 |
| 2027 | Sun, Jan 10, 2027 | Sat, Jan 8, 2028 | 26 |
| 2028 | Sun, Jan 9, 2028 | Sat, Jan 6, 2029 | 26 |
| 2029 | Sun, Jan 7, 2029 | Sat, Jan 5, 2030 | 26 |
| 2030 | Sun, Jan 6, 2030 | Sat, Jan 4, 2031 | 26 |
How federal pay periods are numbered
Federal pay periods are 14 days, Sunday through Saturday, in an unbroken cycle. Each leave year starts at pay period 01 and normally ends at 26; when pay period 01 begins on January 1 (or January 2 in a leap year) the leave year has 27. Days in early January before pay period 01 belong to the last pay period of the previous leave year.
Not a federal employee? Your company's pay periods follow its own cycle: use the pay period calculator with any recent payday. Full year tables: 2026 federal pay period calendar · 2027 federal pay period calendar.
FAQ
What pay period is it for federal employees?
The live box at the top shows today's pay period number using the NFC/OPM numbering, which most agencies use. Pay periods run Sunday to Saturday for 14 days.
What is pay period 01?
Pay period 01 is the first full biweekly pay period that starts in the calendar year. In 2027 it begins Sunday, January 10, 2027; in 2028 it begins Sunday, January 9, 2028.
Why does my agency's pay period number differ by one?
Some payroll providers, including GSA and the U.S. Postal Service, number pay periods by a different rule (for example by the year of the pay date). The begin and end dates are what matter when comparing; check your Earnings and Leave Statement for your provider's number.
When is payday for this pay period?
The pay date depends on your payroll provider and is usually one to two weeks after the period ends. Check your provider's published pay-date calendar.
More pay period tools
Sources and method
Pay dates move off weekends and bank holidays. Bank holidays follow the Federal Reserve schedule (a federal holiday on Sunday closes banks on Monday; a holiday on Saturday does not close banks on Friday). Federal office closures follow OPM (Saturday holidays observed Friday, Sunday holidays Monday) and are used for work-day counts and federal pay periods. Tax-year treatment follows IRS Publication 15. Federal pay periods follow the NFC/OPM 14-day cycle. How these calendars are built and checked.
- OPM: Federal holidays
- Federal Reserve: Holiday schedule (banks closed)
- IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide
- USDA National Finance Center (federal pay period calendar)
Last reviewed: . Found a wrong date? Tell us and we will fix it.