Reference Guide
Hong Kong Working Day Rules, General Holidays & Court Deadlines Guide
How court deadlines are counted
- Set start/end inclusion to match the governing rule wording (for example: after/from, before, or clear days).
- 7 days or less: count working days (exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and General Holidays) under RHC/RDC Order 3.
- More than 7 days: count calendar days.
- If the resulting date falls on a non-court day, check whether roll-forward applies to your specific step and filing method.
- For High Court pleading deadlines, Summer Vacation in August can be excluded when RHC Order 3 rule 3 applies.
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Public Holidays & Employment
Start here for General Holiday treatment and employment notice planning.
Legal & Property
Open these sections for court filing logic and conveyancing-specific deadline guidance.
Public Holidays
Hong Kong Public Holidays Overview
At-a-Glance
- •17 General Holidays each year under the General Holidays Ordinance (Cap. 149)
- •Fixed-date holidays: New Year's Day, Labour Day, HKSAR Establishment Day, National Day, Christmas Day, Day after Christmas
- •Variable holidays: Chinese New Year (3 days), Ching Ming, Easter (3 days), Buddha's Birthday, Tuen Ng, Mid-Autumn, Chung Yeung
- •Sunday substitution: if a General Holiday falls on a Sunday, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare gazettes the next weekday as a replacement
Hong Kong observes 17 General Holidays each year under the General Holidays Ordinance (Cap. 149). Banks, schools, and government offices close on these days. The confirmed dates are gazetted annually by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare. For 2026, the Government-published list includes all substitution dates.
Fixed-Date Holidays
- New Year's Day - 1 January
- Labour Day - 1 May
- HKSAR Establishment Day - 1 July
- National Day - 1 October
- Christmas Day - 25 December
- Day after Christmas - 26 December
Variable-Date Holidays
- Chinese New Year (three days)
- Ching Ming Festival
- Good Friday
- Day after Good Friday
- Easter Monday
- The Birthday of the Buddha
- Tuen Ng Festival
- Day after Mid-Autumn Festival
- Chung Yeung Festival
Sunday Substitution Rule
When a General Holiday falls on a Sunday, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare gazettes the next weekday as a replacement holiday. If that day is itself a General Holiday, the substitute cascades to the following available weekday (e.g. in 2026, Ching Ming falls on Easter Sunday so the substitute shifts to the Tuesday after Easter).
General Holidays vs Statutory Holidays
All 17 General Holidays apply to banks, schools, and government offices. For employment purposes, the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) separately defines Statutory Holidays. Under the Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, the number of Statutory Holidays is being phased up from 13 to 17 between 2022 and 2030, progressively aligning with General Holidays.
For a deeper dive, see Hong Kong holiday planning guides or the Court Filing scenario.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hong Kong has 17 General Holidays each year under the General Holidays Ordinance (Cap. 149). These are the days on which banks, schools, and government offices close.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare gazettes the next weekday as a replacement holiday. If that weekday is itself a General Holiday, the substitute cascades to the following available weekday. For example, in 2026 Ching Ming falls on Easter Sunday, so the substitute shifts to the Tuesday after Easter.
General Holidays are all 17 holidays under Cap. 149 — banks, schools, and government offices close on these days. Statutory Holidays are defined separately under the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) for employment entitlement purposes. Under the Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, the number of Statutory Holidays is being phased up from 13 to 17 between 2022 and 2030.
No. Saturdays are not General Holidays in Hong Kong, although many offices and banks follow a five-day working week. Whether Saturday counts as a non-working day depends on the specific contract or rule set being applied.
Employment
Employment Notice & Working Day Rules
At-a-Glance
- •Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) is Hong Kong's baseline employment statute covering most employees
- •Notice periods are counted in calendar days — weekends and General Holidays are included
- •Default notice is one month if the contract is silent; contractual minimum is 7 days
- •First month of probation: either party may terminate without notice
The Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) is Hong Kong's baseline employment statute and covers most employees. Notice is counted in calendar days unless the contract defines the unit differently — weekends and General Holidays do not pause the clock.
Notice Period Rules
- If the employment contract specifies a notice period, that period applies (minimum 7 days).
- If the contract is silent, the default is one month's notice.
- During the first month of probation, either party may terminate without notice and without payment in lieu.
- After the first month of probation (where the contract provides for probation), the contractual notice period applies, with a minimum of 7 days.
How "Month" Is Defined
- A "month" means anniversary-based — e.g. notice given on the 10th expires on the 9th of the following month (see GovHK 1823 guidance).
- Payment in lieu of notice (PILON) is permitted under Section 7 and equals the wages the employee would have earned during the notice period. PILON is generally taxable as employment income.
Continuous Employment
An employee is under a "continuous contract" if they have worked for the same employer for 4 consecutive weeks with at least 18 hours per week. Many statutory entitlements (severance, long-service payment, sick leave) require continuous employment.
Notice Does Not Pause
Notice periods continue to run through General Holidays, weekends, typhoon signals, and the Chinese New Year period. Calendar days means every day counts.
For a worked example, see the Employment Notice scenario or browse Hong Kong employment guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57), notice periods are generally counted in calendar days. Weekends and General Holidays are included — the clock does not pause. If the contract defines the unit differently (e.g. working days), the contractual term applies subject to statutory minimums.
If the employment contract does not specify a notice period, the default is one month's notice. Where the contract does specify a period, the minimum is 7 days.
During the first month of a probationary period, either party may terminate the contract without notice and without payment in lieu of notice.
Yes. Payment in lieu of notice (PILON) is permitted under Section 7 of the Employment Ordinance. The amount equals the wages the employee would have earned during the notice period. PILON is generally taxable as employment income.
Topic
Court Filing Deadlines & Non-Court Days
Court-filing logic, non-court days, and vacation-sensitive timing when Hong Kong procedural rules control the calculation.
Topic
Property & Conveyancing Deadlines
Property and conveyancing dates where public holidays and filing practice affect what counts as a working day.
