FAHR
Eid al-Fitr observance and holiday period
Confirmed · Scope: federal · Checked 2026-09-12
Federal holiday-period evidence. Public status retained from the existing calendar; private-sector notice review remains separate.
Eid al-Fitr in the UAE
2026 observance date
Recorded confirmed — source review pending
About Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal in the UAE. The first festival day and the surrounding days off are different facts. This guide separates the observance from the closure period so that an additional holiday day is not mistaken for the first day of Eid.
Public holiday / closure dates
- — Start of holiday period · Recorded confirmed — source review pending
- — Continuation of holiday period · Observance date · Recorded confirmed — source review pending
- — Continuation of holiday period · Recorded confirmed — source review pending
- — End of holiday period · Recorded confirmed — source review pending
Bank, office and school arrangements require the applicable authority or institution notice. Missing scope data does not mean open.
Next supported occurrence
Tuesday, 9 March 2027 · Estimated / awaiting confirmation
Next listed holiday day on or after today; this can be a closure day rather than the festival date.
2027 dates
- — Start of holiday period · Observance dateEstimated / awaiting confirmation
- — Continuation of holiday periodEstimated / awaiting confirmation
- — End of holiday periodEstimated / awaiting confirmation
2028 dates
- — Start of holiday period · Observance dateEstimated / awaiting confirmation
- — Continuation of holiday periodEstimated / awaiting confirmation
- — End of holiday periodEstimated / awaiting confirmation
Official sources and date status
Recorded confirmation and independent source review are shown separately. An institution-specific notice does not establish closure for every employer or school.
FAHR
Eid al-Fitr observance and holiday period
Confirmed · Scope: federal · Checked 2026-09-12
Federal holiday-period evidence. Public status retained from the existing calendar; private-sector notice review remains separate.
FAHR
Eid al-Fitr observance and holiday period
Confirmed · Scope: federal · Checked 2026-09-12
Federal holiday-period evidence. Public status retained from the existing calendar; private-sector notice review remains separate.
WAM
Eid al-Fitr observance and holiday period
Confirmed · Scope: observance · Checked 2026-09-12
Eid prayers on 20 March corroborate the first observance.
FAHR
Confirmed · Scope: federal · Checked 2026-09-12
Federal entities: 19-22 March; return on 23 March. This notice alone does not establish private-sector scope.
UAE Cabinet
Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024: recurring holiday framework
Pending Review · Scope: public
Recurring dates and durations; future lunar projections need annual confirmation. Full document retrieval returned 403 in this continuation; indexed official schedule corroborates the saved framework.
Office arrangements
FAHR Circular No. 2 of 2026 set the federal-government break at 19-22 March, with work resuming on 23 March. This is a dated notice, not a permanent Gregorian formula. Later years need their own lunar determination and sector announcement. Essential services should follow their published rosters.
Bank arrangements
Use the bank's own Eid notice for branch visits and transfer cut-offs. A federal circular does not independently establish every bank's schedule. Complete tasks requiring staffed approval before the relevant deadline, and distinguish digital access from counter services or settlement processing.
School arrangements
A school's Eid arrangements may overlap a spring break, but those are separate calendar decisions. Verify attendance and reopening with the institution. Do not infer an entire vacation from the public dates, particularly when comparing schools using different curricula.
History
The festival follows a month of fasting, worship and charitable giving. Its calendar identity is 1 Shawwal rather than a fixed Gregorian date. As the lunar calendar advances through the solar year, the season changes. An estimated date label describes uncertainty about an occurrence; it does not identify another festival.
Why it matters
Worship, charitable giving and family reunion give the occasion significance beyond time away from work. Households may coordinate visits across emirates or overseas. For planning, distinguish the religious date from the length of a workplace break: an announcement for one sector may not establish arrangements for every institution.
Observance
Eid prayers, family visits, festive meals and gifts are part of many households' traditions. WAM documented Eid prayers in Sharjah on 20 March 2026. That contemporary report supports the observance, while separate holiday notices establish workplace closure periods. The two kinds of evidence answer different questions.
Travel and planning
Select the intended year and check each date's status. The additional day associated with Ramadan reaching 30 days is conditional and is not inserted automatically into future calendars. Keep plans flexible while dates are estimated, and distinguish employer-approved leave from the official holiday.
Frequently asked questions
When does Eid al-Fitr begin?
It begins on 1 Shawwal after the official lunar determination.
Why can there be a day off before Eid?
The framework includes Ramadan day 30 when that day occurs. Eid itself still begins on 1 Shawwal.
Are estimated and continuation-day pages different festivals?
No. They are aliases of this guide; individual dates retain their roles.
Can 2026 closure dates be copied forward?
No. Each future year needs its own review and applicable announcement.
View all United Arab Emirates public holidays 2026