Veterans Day and Remembrance Day 2026: What Is Open and Closed

Wednesday, November 11 is Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in Canada, a federal holiday on both sides of the border. The short version for anyone planning the day: post offices, federal offices and most banks are closed in the US, there is no regular mail, the stock market is open, and shops and restaurants are open as usual. In Ottawa, the national Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial marks 25 years since Canadian operations in Afghanistan began.

What is closed in the US

The US Postal Service closes every post office on Veterans Day and there is no regular mail delivery. Normal service resumes on Thursday, November 12. Federal government offices are closed. Most bank branches are closed too, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, Chase and TD Bank. ATMs and online banking still work, but deposits and transfers may not process until the next business day. The Federal Reserve is closed, and the US bond market is closed for the day on the recommendation of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

Schools depend on the district. Many large districts close, among them New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami-Dade, while others stay open. Check your own district before assuming.

What is open in the US

The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq trade normal hours, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern. UPS picks up and delivers as normal and UPS Store locations are open. FedEx pickup and delivery run, with some services on a modified schedule. Grocery stores, big retailers and restaurants are open, and many restaurant chains offer free meals or discounts to veterans and active duty service members on the day. Private delivery through USPS partners can take one extra day, because Ground Saver and Mail Innovations hand off to the postal service.

Remembrance Day in Canada

In Canada, the national ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa starts at 10:30 a.m. Eastern, with two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. and a 21 gun salute. Prime Minister Mark Carney, Governor General Louise Arbour and other dignitaries lay wreaths, and three Second World War veterans were expected to attend, The Canadian Press reported. CF-18 fighter jets and a Black Hawk helicopter fly over the national ceremony, and Griffon, Chinook and Cormorant helicopters and other air force aircraft fly over local ceremonies across the country.

This year carries an extra weight. It is 25 years since Canadian forces began operations in Afghanistan. About 40,000 members of the Canadian Armed Forces served there and 159 were killed. At Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta, a separate ceremony follows last month's training fire that killed four soldiers. The Royal Canadian Legion runs the national ceremony, and CBC carries it live from 10 a.m. Eastern.

Why the day sits where it does

Both countries mark November 11 because the First World War armistice took effect at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918. The US holiday honours everyone who served in the US armed forces. Canada's Remembrance Day honours those who served and those who died. The 11 a.m. silence is the shared point of the day in both countries.

What happens next

Postal service, banks and federal offices reopen on Thursday, November 12, and the bond market reopens the same day. Anyone waiting on a government payment or a bank transfer posted on the holiday should expect it to land on the next business day. Schools that closed return on Thursday as well.