Brazil Public Holidays 2026–2027: A Calendar for US Teams
Every day a developer in Brazil will be off through 2027, which ones the US shares, Carnival and the local holidays, and how to plan releases around them.
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Key takeaways
- Brazil has nine national holidays a year set by federal law, plus Good Friday and Carnival, which almost everyone takes off.
- Only a few dates line up with US holidays. In 2027 there are nine weekdays when your Brazilian developer is off and your US team works, and ten the other way round.
- Put both calendars in the contract or team calendar at the start of the year, and never plan a release for Carnival week.
When you work with a developer in Brazil, the holidays that catch US teams out are not the obvious ones. Christmas and New Year are shared. Carnival, Tiradentes and November’s cluster of holidays are not, and neither is Thanksgiving for the Brazilian side.
This post lists the dates through the end of 2027, marks the ones both countries share, and explains the local holidays on top. It is part of the complete guide to hiring a senior engineer in Brazil; for working hours across time zones, see Brazil time zones for US teams.
What are Brazil’s national holidays?
Federal law sets these national holidays: January 1, April 21 (Tiradentes), May 1 (Labor Day), September 7 (Independence Day), November 2 (All Souls’ Day), November 15 (Proclamation of the Republic) and December 25 (Law 662/1949), plus October 12 (Our Lady of Aparecida) and, since 2024, November 20 (Black Consciousness Day, Law 14,759/2023).
Two more are not national holidays on paper but work like them. Good Friday is a religious holiday declared by cities, and nearly all do. Carnival Monday and Tuesday are an optional day off for the federal government, not a legal holiday, but most companies and most of the country stop.
Unlike the US, Brazil does not move a holiday that falls on a weekend to the nearest weekday. When a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, many people also take the Monday or Friday in between off as a bridge (emenda).
Which days are off through 2027?
| Date | Brazilian holiday | US federal holiday too? |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Oct 12, 2026 | Our Lady of Aparecida | Yes (Columbus Day) |
| Mon, Nov 2, 2026 | All Souls’ Day | No |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | Proclamation of the Republic | No (falls on a Sunday) |
| Fri, Nov 20, 2026 | Black Consciousness Day | No |
| Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | Christmas | Yes |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | New Year’s Day | Yes |
| Mon–Tue, Feb 8–9, 2027 | Carnival (Ash Wednesday is usually a half day) | No |
| Fri, Mar 26, 2027 | Good Friday | No |
| Wed, Apr 21, 2027 | Tiradentes | No |
| Sat, May 1, 2027 | Labor Day | No (falls on a Saturday) |
| Thu, May 27, 2027 | Corpus Christi (optional day off, widely taken) | No |
| Tue, Sep 7, 2027 | Independence Day | No (US Labor Day is Sep 6) |
| Tue, Oct 12, 2027 | Our Lady of Aparecida | No (Columbus Day is Oct 11) |
| Tue, Nov 2, 2027 | All Souls’ Day | No |
| Mon, Nov 15, 2027 | Proclamation of the Republic | No |
| Sat, Nov 20, 2027 | Black Consciousness Day | No (falls on a Saturday) |
| Sat, Dec 25, 2027 | Christmas | Observed Fri, Dec 24 in the US |
Carnival, Good Friday and Corpus Christi move every year because they follow Easter. US dates are from the Office of Personnel Management.
Which US holidays does your Brazilian developer work through?
Most of them. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving are normal working days in Brazil. That is useful: a developer who works on those days can ship fixes, handle support or prepare the next release while the US office is quiet. Agree in advance whether you expect them to, and what they work on without anyone to review it.
What about local holidays?
States and cities add their own. São Paulo city stops on January 25, its anniversary, and São Paulo state on July 9. Rio de Janeiro city stops on January 20 and Rio state on April 23. In the Northeast, the June festivals around São João are a major holiday season. Ask your developer for their local dates once a year; it takes two minutes.
How should a US team plan around them?
- Share one calendar. Add the Brazilian holidays to the team calendar at the start of the year, with the developer’s own local dates.
- Plan releases away from Carnival and the November holidays. In 2027, Carnival week and the stretch from November 2 to 15 have the most days off.
- Agree on holidays in the contract. A contractor sets their own schedule, so write down which days they will be off, or how many, instead of assuming.
- Use the US-only holidays. Your developer’s working days during Thanksgiving week are good for work that needs no meetings.
Frequently asked questions
Is Carnival a public holiday in Brazil?
Not by federal law. Carnival Monday and Tuesday are an optional day off for the federal government, and a holiday in some states and cities, but most companies close and most people are off. In 2027 Carnival falls on February 8–9.
How many public holidays does Brazil have?
Nine national holidays set by federal law, plus Good Friday, which cities declare, and Carnival and Corpus Christi, which work like holidays in most of the country. States and cities add a few local ones.
Do Brazilian developers work on US holidays?
Usually yes. Thanksgiving, Independence Day, Memorial Day and most other US federal holidays are normal working days in Brazil. Only New Year’s Day and Christmas are shared every year; other dates line up only in some years.