by serviced
The UAE National Day holiday 2026 falls on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December on the UAE government's official list of public holidays, which covers the public and private sectors. The list was last updated on 29 October 2026, but this year's holiday circular, which fixes the days, had not been issued when we checked on 11 November 2026. In 2025 the circular came out on 17 November and gave Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 December instead of the listed 2 and 3 December.
Last checked: 11 November 2026. We update this page when the official holiday circular is issued.
Saturday 28 November to Sunday 6 December 2026 holds two weekends, two listed holiday days and three working days. Each status was checked on 11 November 2026 and uses the federal government's Saturday and Sunday weekend.
| Day | Status (checked 11 Nov 2026) | On outside Dubai | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 28 Nov | Weekend | Ras Al Khaimah: stalls and games at the Al Marjan Island entrance, 4 to 7 pm, every weekend to 20 Dec. Abu Dhabi: Saturday fireworks, Sheikh Zayed Festival. Sharjah: programme runs 19 Nov to 3 Dec | Visit Ras Al Khaimah; Khaleej Times; WAM |
| Sun 29 Nov | Weekend | Sharjah: programme continues | WAM |
| Mon 30 Nov | Working day. Commemoration Day is not on the official list of public holidays | Sharjah: programme continues | u.ae; WAM |
| Tue 1 Dec | Working day | Ras Al Khaimah: Sing for the Nation concert, 7 pm (ticketed); RAK EATS opens at Manar Mall, daily to 31 Dec | Visit Ras Al Khaimah |
| Wed 2 Dec | Holiday on the official list. Not confirmed: no 2026 circular yet | Ras Al Khaimah: main celebration, Al Qawasim Corniche, 4 to 11 pm. Abu Dhabi: National Day fireworks, Sheikh Zayed Festival | u.ae; Visit Ras Al Khaimah; Khaleej Times |
| Thu 3 Dec | Holiday on the official list. Not confirmed: no 2026 circular yet | Sharjah: last day of its programme | u.ae; WAM |
| Fri 4 Dec | Working day unless the circular says otherwise: half day in the federal government, weekend for Sharjah government staff | Abu Dhabi: Grand Prix practice, Yas Marina Circuit | u.ae; Formula1.com |
| Sat 5 Dec | Weekend | Abu Dhabi: Grand Prix qualifying; Saturday fireworks, Sheikh Zayed Festival | Formula1.com; Khaleej Times |
| Sun 6 Dec | Weekend | Abu Dhabi: Grand Prix race | Formula1.com |
On a Saturday and Sunday weekend, one day of leave on Friday 4 December turns the two listed days into five days off in a row, and three days of leave make nine. This is calendar arithmetic on the two listed days, so it holds only if the circular keeps them. If they move, we will redo the table.
| Leave you take | Days off in a row | From and to | Depends on |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | 2 | Wed 2 to Thu 3 Dec | The circular keeping the listed days |
| Fri 4 Dec (1 day) | 5 | Wed 2 to Sun 6 Dec | The listed days; Friday being a working day for you |
| Mon 30 Nov and Tue 1 Dec (2 days) | 6 | Sat 28 Nov to Thu 3 Dec | The listed days |
| Mon 30 Nov, Tue 1 Dec and Fri 4 Dec (3 days) | 9 | Sat 28 Nov to Sun 6 Dec | The listed days; how your employer counts holidays inside leave |
| None, for Sharjah government staff | 5 | Wed 2 to Sun 6 Dec | The listed days; a Friday to Sunday weekend |
No. As of 11 November 2026, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) had not published a circular for the 55th Eid Al Etihad, as National Day is officially called, and we found no report of a private-sector notice from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). FAHR's latest circular, No. 12 of 2026, is dated 26 August.
FAHR's notices show when the holiday was announced in earlier years: 22 November 2020, 18 November 2021, 24 November 2023, 22 November 2024 and 17 November 2025. That is a record, not a forecast.
Yes. Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, in force since 1 January 2025, lets the Cabinet move a public holiday other than the two Eids to the beginning or end of the week, by a decision each time. A holiday that falls on a weekend, or on another holiday, is not moved to a weekday.
| Holiday | Listed or expected date | Holiday given | Announced |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Day 2025 | Tue 2 and Wed 3 Dec 2025 | Mon 1 and Tue 2 Dec 2025 | 17 Nov 2025 (FAHR Circular No. 11 of 2025; MOHRE the same day) |
| Hijri New Year 2026 | 1 Muharram, later declared for Tue 16 June | Mon 15 June 2026 | 3 June 2026 (FAHR and MOHRE) |
| Prophet's birthday 2026 | Expected Tue 25 Aug | Fri 28 Aug 2026 | 7 Aug 2026 (FAHR Circular No. 11 of 2026) |
Each time the day off sat next to a weekend. In 2025 that made four days in a row, Saturday 29 November to Tuesday 2 December. We do not predict what this year's circular will say. For the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which follows its own rule, see our Ramadan 2027 guide.
Yes for the private sector: the official list applies to both sectors, and in 2025 MOHRE declared the same two days a paid holiday on the day FAHR announced them. Schools are announced separately. In 2025 the Ministry of Education gave public and private schools the same two days, also on 17 November.
Not on the official list. Commemoration Day is marked on 30 November, a Monday in 2026, and u.ae does not list it as a public holiday. Older calendars show an extra day off because FAHR's 2020 and 2021 notices gave 1 to 3 December as Commemoration Day and National Day holidays. Treat Monday 30 November as a working day unless the circular says otherwise.
Ras Al Khaimah has published a full programme, Sharjah has announced its dates, and Abu Dhabi has the Sheikh Zayed Festival and the Grand Prix weekend. We found nothing official for 2026 from Ajman, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain on 11 November, so we list nothing for them. Holiday parking and toll hours had not been announced either. Dubai has its own programme, which we leave to Dubai guides.
A two-day holiday is not a reason to book a month. A family visit can be: relatives who arrive for National Day and stay through the school winter break are here from about Saturday 28 November to Sunday 3 January, just over five weeks. Most listings on servicedapartments.ae have a 30-night minimum, so one monthly booking can cover the visit.
On the official list, Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026, for the public and private sectors. This year's circular had not been issued as of 11 November 2026, so the days are not yet confirmed.
Not on the official list. It is a working day unless the circular says otherwise: a half day in the federal government, and part of the weekend for Sharjah government staff.
Yes. The official list applies to both sectors, and MOHRE issues its own notice for private employers. In 2025 it did so on 17 November, the same day as FAHR.
Yes. The Cabinet can move it to the beginning or end of the week. In 2025 it was given as Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 December instead of 2 and 3 December.
If the listed days hold, take leave on Monday 30 November, Tuesday 1 December and Friday 4 December, linking Saturday 28 November to Sunday 6 December. Check how your employer counts public holidays inside leave.
Hosting family from National Day into the new year? Our monthly offers page lists current deals. Send your dates through a listing's Request to Book, and say if they depend on the holiday circular.
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