UAE public holidays 2027 give residents six official occasions off work: New Year’s Day, Eid Al Fitr, Arafah Day with Eid Al Adha, Hijri New Year, the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday and National Day. Two of them have fixed dates, 1 January and 2 to 3 December. The four Islamic holidays follow the moon, so their 2027 dates below are expected dates until the UAE moon sighting committee confirms them.
This guide gives the full UAE holiday calendar for 2027 with weekdays, the long weekends you can plan around, and the leave days that turn a short break into a week off. It also explains the official rule on holidays that land on a weekend, your pay rights if you work on a holiday, and which well known days are not paid holidays at all.
UAE Public Holidays 2027 at a Glance
Here is the complete list of UAE public holidays for 2027, based on the official holiday list and the expected Hijri calendar dates.
Holiday
Expected date in 2027
Day
Official length
Date status
New Year’s Day
1 January
Friday
1 day
Fixed
Eid Al Fitr
9 or 10 to 12 March
Tuesday or Wednesday to Friday
3 days, plus 30 Ramadan if Ramadan lasts 30 days
Moon sighting
Arafah Day
15 May
Saturday
1 day
Moon sighting
Eid Al Adha
16 to 18 May
Sunday to Tuesday
3 days
Moon sighting
Hijri New Year
6 June
Sunday
1 day
Moon sighting
Prophet Mohammed’s birthday
14 August
Saturday
1 day
Moon sighting
National Day (Eid Al Etihad)
2 and 3 December
Thursday and Friday
2 days
Fixed
A Hijri month lasts 29 or 30 days, so any expected Islamic date can move by one day. Treat the dates above as your planning base and check the official announcement a few days before each holiday.
Are the UAE Public Holidays 2027 Dates Official?
The list of holidays is official, but the exact Gregorian dates of the Islamic holidays are not fixed in advance. The holidays themselves come from Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 Concerning the Public Holidays in the State, which the UAE Government portal publishes as the list for both the public and private sectors.
The official list of public holidays on the UAE Government portal, with the note on Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. Source: u.ae
The official list defines each holiday by its Hijri or Gregorian date:
Gregorian New Year: 1 January
Eid Al Fitr: 1 to 3 Shawwal, and 30 Ramadan also becomes a holiday if Ramadan lasts 30 days
Arafah Day: 9 Dhul Hijjah
Eid Al Adha: 10 to 12 Dhul Hijjah
Hijri New Year: 1 Muharram
Prophet Mohammed’s birthday: 12 Rabi Al Awwal
National Day: 2 and 3 December
Because the Islamic months start with a crescent sighting, the UAE confirms each of these holidays closer to the date. That is why every 2027 calendar you see, including this one, marks the Islamic dates as expected.
UAE Public Holidays 2027, Month by Month
New Year’s Day: Friday, 1 January 2027
New Year’s Day 2027 falls on a Friday, which gives most employees a three day weekend from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January. Work resumes on Monday 4 January for the government and for companies that follow a Saturday and Sunday weekend.
The next New Year’s Day, 1 January 2028, falls on a Saturday. Under the official rule on weekend holidays, that one will not create an extra day off.
Eid Al Fitr: Expected 9 or 10 to 12 March 2027
Eid Al Fitr 2027 is expected to start on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March, depending on whether Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days. Ramadan 1448 is expected to begin around 8 February 2027.
The two possible outcomes give very different breaks:
Scenario
Holiday days
With the weekend
Ramadan lasts 29 days, Eid starts Tuesday 9 March
Tuesday 9 to Thursday 11 March (3 days)
Friday 12 March is a working day, then the weekend follows
Ramadan lasts 30 days, Eid starts Wednesday 10 March
30 Ramadan on Tuesday 9 March, then Wednesday 10 to Friday 12 March (4 days)
Six days off in a row, Tuesday 9 to Sunday 14 March
The 30 day scenario is the one behind the six day Eid break you may have seen mentioned for 2027. It depends entirely on the Shawwal crescent, so keep your travel bookings flexible until the moon sighting announcement.
Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha: Expected 15 to 18 May 2027
Arafah Day 2027 is expected on Saturday 15 May, followed by Eid Al Adha from Sunday 16 to Tuesday 18 May. Because Arafah Day and the first day of Eid fall on the weekend, the working days off are Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 May.
If the Dhul Hijjah moon shifts the dates by one day, Arafah Day would fall on Sunday 16 May and Eid Al Adha would run from Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 May. That would mean three working days off instead of two.
Hijri New Year: Expected Sunday, 6 June 2027
Hijri New Year 1449 is expected on Sunday 6 June 2027. If the date holds, the holiday falls on the weekend and does not add a day off, because the official rule says a public holiday is not moved when it falls on the weekend.
A one day shift to Monday 7 June would change that and create a three day weekend from Saturday 5 to Monday 7 June.
Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday: Expected Saturday, 14 August 2027
The Prophet Mohammed’s birthday is expected on Saturday 14 August 2027, the 12th of Rabi Al Awwal 1449. A shift of one day would place it on Sunday 15 August, so in both cases the holiday is likely to fall on the weekend.
National Day (Eid Al Etihad): Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December 2027
National Day 2027 falls on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December, giving a four day break from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 December. The date is fixed, so you can book travel for this weekend now.
The UAE marks its 56th National Day in 2027, counting from the founding of the federation on 2 December 1971. The official theme of the celebrations, Spirit of the Union, is explained on the same UAE Government portal page.
Long Weekends in 2027 and How to Stretch Them
The best long weekends in the UAE public holidays 2027 calendar are around Eid Al Fitr in March, Eid Al Adha in May and National Day in December. This planner assumes a Monday to Friday working week with Saturday and Sunday off, and uses the expected dates.
Holiday break
Days off without leave
Leave days to take
Total break
New Year, 1 January
Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January (3 days)
None needed
3 days
Eid Al Fitr, 29 day Ramadan
Tuesday 9 to Thursday 11 March, plus the weekend
Monday 8 and Friday 12 March
9 days, Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 March
Eid Al Fitr, 30 day Ramadan
Tuesday 9 to Sunday 14 March (6 days)
Monday 8 March
9 days, Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 March
Eid Al Adha
Saturday 15 to Tuesday 18 May (4 days)
Wednesday 19 to Friday 21 May
9 days, Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 May
National Day
Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 December (4 days)
Monday 29 November to Wednesday 1 December
9 days, Saturday 27 November to Sunday 5 December
Annual leave is counted in calendar days in the UAE, so check how your company counts the weekend inside a leave request. Our guide to UAE annual leave rules explains how leave days, weekends and holidays interact.
Families planning to host relatives over Eid can start the paperwork early. Our guide to the Dubai visit visa for family covers the process and costs.
What Happens When a UAE Holiday Falls on a Weekend?
A UAE public holiday that falls on a weekend is not moved to a working day. The UAE Government portal states that, under Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, a public holiday cannot be transferred to another day if it coincides with another public holiday or falls on the weekend.
That rule matters a lot in 2027, because several holidays are expected on a Saturday or Sunday:
Arafah Day, expected Saturday 15 May
The first day of Eid Al Adha, expected Sunday 16 May
Hijri New Year, expected Sunday 6 June
Prophet Mohammed’s birthday, expected Saturday 14 August
As a result, 2027 has fewer weekday holidays than the number of holidays on the list suggests. The list adds up to 12 holiday days, or 13 if Ramadan lasts 30 days, but only about 8 or 9 of them are expected to fall on working days.
Ramadan 2027: Expected Dates and Working Hours
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around Monday 8 February and end with Eid Al Fitr on 9 or 10 March. Ramadan itself is not a public holiday, but working hours change during the month.
In the private sector, normal working hours drop by two hours a day during Ramadan for all employees, whether or not they fast. Any time worked beyond the reduced hours counts as overtime, as our UAE overtime calculator explains with examples.
Do Private and Government Employees Get the Same Holidays?
Yes. The UAE uses one unified list of public holidays, and the UAE Government portal states that the list applies to both the public and private sectors.
The practical difference is the working week. The federal government and most private companies take Saturday and Sunday off, but some private employers work a six day week or a different pattern. Your own weekend decides how many extra days a holiday really gives you.
Your Rights If You Work on a Public Holiday
A private sector employee who works on a public holiday must receive either a substitute rest day for each day worked or the normal wage for that day plus at least 50 percent of the basic wage. This comes from Article 28 of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021, the UAE Labour Law.
A simple example: an employee with a basic salary of AED 6,000 works a full 8 hour public holiday and gets no substitute day. The hourly basic rate is AED 25, so the holiday supplement is AED 100 on top of the normal day’s pay.
Public holidays that fall inside your annual leave count as part of the leave, unless your contract gives a better arrangement.
The 50 percent supplement is based on the basic wage, not the full salary. Our guide to the basic salary percentage in the UAE shows how basic pay is usually set.
Shift workers and essential service staff often work on holidays. Ask your employer in writing whether you will get a substitute day or the extra pay.
Several important national and religious days are not on the official holiday list, so they are normal working days unless your employer decides otherwise. Common examples include:
Commemoration Day on 30 November, which honours the UAE’s martyrs
Flag Day in early November
The days of Ramadan before Eid Al Fitr
Holidays of other faiths and countries, which some employers give as optional leave
Some older calendars still list Commemoration Day as a separate day off. The current official list on the UAE Government portal includes only National Day on 2 and 3 December.
UAE Holidays Still Left in 2026
The last public holiday of 2026 is National Day on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026. If your company works on Fridays, taking Friday 4 December as leave turns it into a five day break from Wednesday 2 to Sunday 6 December.
Latest Updates (October 2026)
Checked 22 October 2026: the UAE Government portal page on public holidays, last updated 2 July 2026, lists the same seven holidays for both sectors under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024.
No official Gregorian dates have been confirmed yet for the Islamic holidays in the UAE public holidays 2027 calendar. The UAE confirms each one after the moon sighting closer to the date.
Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 still applies: holidays that fall on a weekend are not moved to a working day.
We will update this page when Ramadan 1448 and Eid Al Fitr 2027 are officially announced.
Conclusion
UAE public holidays 2027 include two fixed dates, New Year’s Day on Friday 1 January and National Day on 2 and 3 December, plus four Islamic holidays expected in March, May, June and August. Book the fixed dates now, and keep Eid plans flexible by a day until the moon sighting.
The biggest opportunities are Eid Al Fitr in March, Eid Al Adha in May and National Day in December, each of which can become a nine day break with two or three leave days. Watch for weekend holidays too, since the official rule does not move them to a working day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the UAE public holidays in 2027?
UAE public holidays 2027 include New Year’s Day on 1 January, Eid Al Fitr expected from 9 or 10 to 12 March, Arafah Day on 15 May, Eid Al Adha from 16 to 18 May, Hijri New Year on 6 June, the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday on 14 August and National Day on 2 and 3 December. The Islamic dates are expected dates and depend on moon sighting.
How many public holidays does the UAE have in 2027?
The UAE has seven listed holidays in 2027, adding up to 12 holiday days, or 13 if Ramadan lasts 30 days. Because several of them are expected on a Saturday or Sunday, only about 8 or 9 of those days are likely to fall on working days.
When is Eid Al Fitr 2027 in the UAE?
Eid Al Fitr 2027 is expected to start on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March. If Ramadan lasts 30 days, 30 Ramadan also becomes a holiday, giving six days off from Tuesday 9 to Sunday 14 March.
When is Eid Al Adha 2027 in the UAE?
Eid Al Adha 2027 is expected from Sunday 16 to Tuesday 18 May, with Arafah Day on Saturday 15 May. The final dates depend on the Dhul Hijjah moon sighting.
Are UAE public holidays moved if they fall on a weekend?
No. Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 says a public holiday cannot be transferred to another day if it falls on the weekend or coincides with another holiday.
Do private sector employees get the same public holidays in the UAE?
Yes. The UAE Government portal states that the official list of public holidays applies to both the public and private sectors.
What is the longest holiday break in the UAE in 2027?
The longest break without taking leave is expected around Eid Al Fitr, with six days off in a row if Ramadan lasts 30 days. Eid Al Adha and National Day each give four days off, and each can become a nine day break with a few leave days.
Is Commemoration Day a public holiday in the UAE?
No. Commemoration Day on 30 November is an important national occasion, but it is not on the official list of paid public holidays published on the UAE Government portal.
Anees is a UAE-based content creator, writer, and SEO professional with over 12 years of experience. Since 2014, he has published research-backed guides on UAE visas, labour laws, jobs, traffic fines, and government services, all verified against official sources. He is certified in SEO by HubSpot Academy and Digital Marketing by Google Digital Garage.
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Disclaimer: This information is for general guidance only, based on publicly available UAE laws and regulations. It does not constitute legal advice. Always verify with official UAE government sources or a qualified legal professional.
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