If you’re planning leave, travel, or a business launch for next year, the UAE public holidays 2027 calendar is worth sorting out now. Seven occasions make up the official list, which adds up to 12 paid days off, or 13 if Ramadan runs a full 30 days. Two dates are locked in by law. The rest depend on moon sighting, so they’re expected dates for now, not final ones.

How the UAE Holiday System Works

The calendar comes from Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, and the UAE Government’s official public holidays page confirms it applies equally to public and private sector employees. If you want the exact legal wording, you can read the full text of the Cabinet Resolution.

Two rules shape how the year plays out:

• Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar, so they’re confirmed by moon sighting, usually shortly before the day arrives.
• The Cabinet can shift most holidays to the start or end of the week. The exception is Eid, which can’t be moved.

UAE Public Holidays 2027: Full List

Ramadan itself is expected to begin around Monday, 8 February. If it lasts 30 days, the extra day is added to the Eid Al Fitr break. Some calendars place that extra day at the start of the holiday and others at the end, so don’t book anything non-refundable around Eid until the dates are confirmed.

Long Weekends in 2027

Here’s where the calendar gets useful. These breaks assume the standard Saturday and Sunday weekend, so adjust if your company works a different pattern.

• New Year (1 to 3 January): Friday is the holiday, so you get three days off in a row without using any leave.
• Eid Al Fitr (March): If the break runs Tuesday to Thursday, taking just Friday 12 March off gives you six days, from Tuesday to Sunday. Add Monday 8 March as well and you’re off for nine days, from Saturday 6 March to Sunday 14 March, using only two days of leave.
• Eid Al Adha (May): Arafah Day falls on a Saturday, so the holiday runs from Saturday 15 May to Tuesday 18 May. For most employees, the real gain is Monday and Tuesday. Take Wednesday to Friday as leave and you get nine days off, from 15 May to 23 May, for three leave days.
• National Day (2 to 3 December): Thursday and Friday plus the weekend gives you four days off with no leave needed.

Holidays That Land on a Weekend

Three 2027 holidays fall on weekends: Hijri New Year (Sunday), the Prophet’s Birthday (Saturday), and Arafah Day (Saturday). A holiday that lands on a weekend doesn’t automatically move to a weekday. The Cabinet can decide to shift a non-Eid holiday to the following Monday, as it has done in past years, so keep an eye out for an announcement closer to the date.

What’s Left of 2026

If you’re planning ahead, National Day comes first. In 2026, 2 and 3 December fall on Wednesday and Thursday. Because Friday 4 December is a normal working day for most people, taking that single day as leave gives you five days off from Wednesday to Sunday.

If You’re Working on a Public Holiday

Employees who work on an official holiday are generally entitled to a replacement day off or extra pay under UAE labour rules. Business owners should plan rosters early, especially in retail, hospitality, and logistics, where holidays tend to be the busiest days of the year.

Planning Your Business Around the Calendar

Holidays affect more than leave. Government offices close, license and visa approvals slow down, and bank processing pauses. If you’re launching a company, build the Eid and National Day breaks into your timeline, and our guide to Dubai free zone company registration walks through the steps so you know where delays can creep in.

Retailers also tend to run their biggest campaigns around Eid and National Day. Before you plan a sale, read up on the UAE retail promotion rules for 2026 so your discounts and ads stay compliant.

We’ll update this page as the Cabinet and the moon-sighting committee confirm the final dates, so bookmark it before you book your 2027 trips.

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