Working Days vs Calendar Days in Hong Kong: How to Choose the Right Method
Most deadline disagreements in Hong Kong are method disagreements. Two people count from the same date, get different results, and both think the other made an error — when the real problem is they used different counting rules.
Before you count anything, confirm whether the relevant rule expects calendar days or working days.
The quick reference
Here is how the most common Hong Kong deadline types count time:
| Deadline type | Counting method | Weekends | General Holidays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment notice (Cap. 57) | Calendar days | Included | Included |
| Stamp duty — 30-day deadline (Cap. 117) | Calendar days | Included | Included |
| MPF enrollment — 60-day rule (Cap. 485) | Calendar days | Included | Included |
| Conveyancing milestones | Working days | Excluded | Excluded |
| Court filing deadlines | Working days | Excluded | Excluded |
| Land Registry registration | Working days | Excluded | Excluded |
The pattern: statutory deadlines with financial penalties tend to run in calendar days, while procedural deadlines in professional practice tend to run in working days.
How "one month" works under the Employment Ordinance
The Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) defines a "month" for notice periods in a specific way that catches people out:
- The month starts on the day notice is given (that day counts)
- It ends at the end of the day before the corresponding date in the following month
- Example: notice given on 13 February expires at the end of 12 March
Special cases:
- If no corresponding date exists: the month ends on the last day of the following month (e.g., 30 January → last day of February)
- If notice is given on the last day of a month: the month ends on the last day of the following month (e.g., last day of February → 31 March)
This is calendar-day counting. Weekends, General Holidays, and typhoon days are all included — the clock does not pause.
When "working day" means different things
In Hong Kong conveyancing, a working day typically excludes:
- Saturdays
- Sundays
- General Holidays under Cap. 149
- Days when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is hoisted
- Days when a Black Rainstorm Warning is in effect (before office hours)
But not every contract uses the same definition. The Law Society Conditions of Sale 2012 may define it differently from a bespoke commercial agreement. Always check the source document.
Three questions to ask before calculating
- Does the source rule explicitly state calendar days or working days? If it says "days" without qualification, check whether there is a statutory default.
- Does the rule define which days are non-working? Some exclude only Sundays; others exclude Saturdays, General Holidays, and adverse weather days.
- Does it specify rollover behaviour? If the final day falls on a non-working day, does the deadline move to the next working day, or does it stay?
If any answer is unclear, document your assumption in writing before sharing the result.
Why teams get this wrong
Common causes:
- Copying templates from another jurisdiction (UK and Singapore rules differ from Hong Kong)
- Mixing internal policy deadlines (which may use working days) with contractual deadlines (which may use calendar days)
- Switching methods mid-stream when a project crosses between employment, property, and compliance workflows
- Assuming all government deadlines exclude holidays — stamp duty and MPF deadlines do not
A worked example
Scenario: You need to calculate a deadline that is "30 days" from 1 October 2026.
| Method | Result | What happens on 1 Oct? |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar days | 31 October (Sat) | National Day is included in the count |
| Working days | Mid-November | National Day (1 Oct), Chung Yeung (19 Oct), weekends all excluded |
The difference can easily exceed a week. Getting the method wrong is not a rounding error — it is a material mistake.
Recommended workflow
- Confirm the method first. Check the governing statute, contract clause, or rule set.
- Set holiday and shutdown assumptions second. Which year's holiday list? Any extended shutdowns?
- Calculate once. Use a consistent tool or process.
- Run a sensitivity check only if the result date is near holidays, weekends, or a CNY cluster.
- Document the method in any output you share:
Method: working days | Holidays: HK 2026 | Shutdown: none.
Where the calculator helps
The HK calculator lets you switch between counting methods and see the impact immediately. You can compare a working-day count against a calendar-day count from the same start date to check sensitivity.
For calculator configuration details, see the Info Guide.