When is the next UAE public holiday? Here's what you need to know
Moon sighting will determine the final official date
DUBAI – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is preparing for its next federal public holiday, with Prophet Muhammad's Birthday currently scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, 2026, according to official government calendars.
The holiday will apply to employees across both the public and private sectors, offering the country's next nationwide break after more than two months without a federal holiday. However, as with all Islamic observances, the final date remains subject to the sighting of the moon and an official government announcement.
The August holiday follows the Hijri New Year holiday observed on June 16, while no federal public holidays are scheduled during July, making the August break the next official closure for workplaces and government entities across the UAE.
UAE public holiday
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists August 25, 2026 as the scheduled date for Prophet Muhammad's Birthday, which falls on 12 Rabi Al Awwal in the Islamic calendar. Cabinet Resolution No. 27 allocates one official holiday for the occasion, with the same entitlement applying to employees in both the public and private sectors.
Although government calendars currently identify August 25 as the holiday, authorities will confirm the final date after the lunar observation process. Until then, employers are expected to treat the published date as the working assumption for staffing, payroll planning and customer communications.
Since the holiday falls on a Tuesday, organisations across government offices, private companies and regulated sectors are expected to prepare for a nationwide interruption to normal operations while awaiting official confirmation.
Transfer rules
Federal holiday arrangements are also governed by provisions allowing flexibility in certain circumstances.
Under Article 2 of the Cabinet resolution, the UAE Cabinet may move non-Eid public holidays to the beginning or end of a working week through a separate official decision. However, no such transfer has been announced for the August holiday, meaning employers should not assume any change unless authorities issue a formal resolution.
Article 3 states that holidays cannot be transferred if they coincide with another public holiday or fall on a weekend. Since August 25 falls on a weekday, the Cabinet retains the option to amend the holiday arrangement if considered appropriate.
Meanwhile, local governments continue to hold the authority under Article 4 to declare additional holidays for their own departments and organisations where administrative requirements or emirate-level occasions make them necessary.
Businesses have also been advised to monitor announcements from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, while government entities should follow updates issued by their respective federal or local human resources authorities.
School planning
The holiday also features in the UAE Ministry of Education's academic calendar for the 2026-2027 school year, creating an important planning point for educational institutions.
Administrative and teaching staff are due to return to schools on August 24, with specialised training scheduled from August 24 to August 28. Prophet Muhammad's Birthday falls on the second day of those preparations, while students are scheduled to begin classes on August 31.
Schools will therefore need to organise staff training, campus readiness, transport arrangements and operational checks around the one-day holiday.
The timing also affects parents working in industries that continue operating during public holidays, including hospitality, aviation, healthcare, logistics and retail, where shift planning often requires advance notice.
Businesses are encouraged to finalise staffing arrangements before August and communicate any revised operating hours once authorities confirm the official holiday date. Payroll departments may also need to adjust processing schedules, banking timelines, supplier payments and administrative approvals around the midweek closure.
Following the August holiday, the UAE's remaining federal public holidays for 2026 will be National Day on December 2 and December 3, both of which fall during the working week. That leaves one official holiday in August followed by two consecutive National Day holidays later in the year, with any changes to those dates also requiring a separate Cabinet decision.