What Are The Public Holidays in Brazil in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Brazil (2026)

Brazil has a mix of nationwide public holidays and additional state and municipal holidays. Below are the main national public holidays for 2026 that most employers across the country need to plan for.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Brazilian labor law generally requires employers to provide paid leave on national public holidays. Under the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT), these days are treated as paid rest days, and employees who do not work keep their normal pay. This applies to full‑time and part‑time employees alike, as long as they are regularly scheduled to work on the day the holiday falls.

If your operations need employees to work on a public holiday, they are usually entitled to either premium pay or compensatory time off, depending on the applicable collective bargaining agreement and local practice. A common approach is paying at least 100% extra for hours worked on a public holiday or granting a full paid day off at another time. You should always check the relevant union agreement for your sector, as it may set higher standards.

National holidays apply across Brazil, but states and municipalities can create additional local holidays, such as São Paulo City Anniversary or Carnival Tuesday in many locations. Whether these local holidays are treated as paid days off will depend on local law and the applicable collective agreement. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, there is typically no additional weekday off, unless a collective agreement or company policy provides otherwise.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

If your company fails to respect paid public holidays, you risk administrative fines and labor claims. The Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) can inspect your workplace and impose fines per affected employee when it finds violations related to working hours and rest days, including holidays.

Employees can also file claims in the Labor Courts seeking back pay for holiday work, premium pay differentials, and related social security and severance contributions. Courts may order payment of unpaid holiday wages with monetary correction, interest, and associated benefits such as FGTS deposits. Repeated or willful non‑compliance can increase your exposure and may influence future inspections.

Common mistakes include treating all holidays as optional, ignoring local state or municipal holidays that are binding in a specific city, failing to pay the correct premium rate for holiday work, and not documenting compensatory time off properly. To reduce risk, keep clear time and attendance records, follow the applicable collective agreement, and obtain written records when employees work on holidays or take substitute days off.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

On public holidays, any work performed is generally treated as exceptional and should be compensated at a higher rate than regular hours. In many sectors, collective agreements require at least 100% premium on the normal hourly wage for hours worked on Sundays and public holidays, on top of standard overtime rules for hours beyond the daily or weekly limits.

Overtime thresholds in Brazil are usually based on a standard 8‑hour day and 44‑hour week, unless a different regime is agreed in a valid working‑time arrangement. Hours worked on a holiday count toward these limits. If an employee works on a holiday and exceeds the normal daily or weekly cap, you may owe both the holiday premium and the overtime premium, as defined in the applicable collective agreement. Some agreements allow a compensatory time‑off system, where holiday work is offset by paid rest on another day, but this must be clearly documented and compliant with local rules.

Because practice can vary by sector and region, the safest approach is to review the specific collective bargaining agreement for your employees and align your internal policies with the highest standard that applies.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing Brazil's public holidays and leave rules doesn’t have to be complex. Playroll keeps you 100% compliant by automatically tracking local holidays, observed days, and pay requirements –  so your team is paid correctly and on time, every time.

Whether you’re hiring your first employee or scaling a growing team, Playroll lets you employ talent without setting up a local entity. We handle compliant contracts, benefits, and payroll in one platform, so you can reduce compliance risk and focus on growing your business while we take care of the heavy-lifting in the background. Book a chat with our team to get started.