Military pay dates 2026 (DFAS schedule)
This is the official 2026 active duty payday schedule. The “end-of-month” payday pays the second half of the month and usually arrives on the 1st of the next month[paydays]. Dates marked * were moved earlier because of a weekend or holiday.
| Pay period | Mid-month payday | End-of-month payday |
|---|---|---|
| January | Thu, Jan 15, 2026 | Fri, Jan 30, 2026 * |
| February | Fri, Feb 13, 2026 * | Fri, Feb 27, 2026 * |
| March | Fri, Mar 13, 2026 * | Wed, Apr 1, 2026 |
| April | Wed, Apr 15, 2026 | Fri, May 1, 2026 |
| May | Fri, May 15, 2026 | Mon, Jun 1, 2026 |
| June | Mon, Jun 15, 2026 | Wed, Jul 1, 2026 |
| July | Wed, Jul 15, 2026 | Fri, Jul 31, 2026 * |
| August | Fri, Aug 14, 2026 * | Tue, Sep 1, 2026 |
| September | Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | Thu, Oct 1, 2026 |
| October | Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | Fri, Oct 30, 2026 * |
| November | Fri, Nov 13, 2026 * | Tue, Dec 1, 2026 |
| December | Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | Thu, Dec 31, 2026 * |
Reserve and Guard members on the regular payroll use the same dates in 2026[rcpaydays]. Drill pay is paid on the same cycle after your unit certifies the drills.
Military pay calendar 2027
DFAS has not posted the 2027 schedule yet. Applying the same rule (the 15th and the 1st, moved to the business day before a weekend or federal holiday) to the 2027 federal holiday calendar gives these dates[opm]:
| Pay period | Mid-month payday | End-of-month payday |
|---|---|---|
| January | Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | Mon, Feb 1, 2027 |
| February | Fri, Feb 12, 2027 * | Mon, Mar 1, 2027 |
| March | Mon, Mar 15, 2027 | Thu, Apr 1, 2027 |
| April | Thu, Apr 15, 2027 | Fri, Apr 30, 2027 * |
| May | Fri, May 14, 2027 * | Tue, Jun 1, 2027 |
| June | Tue, Jun 15, 2027 | Thu, Jul 1, 2027 |
| July | Thu, Jul 15, 2027 | Fri, Jul 30, 2027 * |
| August | Fri, Aug 13, 2027 * | Wed, Sep 1, 2027 |
| September | Wed, Sep 15, 2027 | Fri, Oct 1, 2027 |
| October | Fri, Oct 15, 2027 | Mon, Nov 1, 2027 |
| November | Mon, Nov 15, 2027 | Wed, Dec 1, 2027 |
| December | Wed, Dec 15, 2027 | Thu, Dec 30, 2027 * |
The January 15, 2027 payday is the first one with the January 1 raise; see the 2027 military pay raise. Federal holidays that affect 2027 paydays include New Year’s Day (Fri, Jan 1, 2027), Washington’s Birthday (Mon, Feb 15, 2027), Veterans Day (Thu, Nov 11, 2027), Thanksgiving Day (Thu, Nov 25, 2027), Christmas Day (Fri, Dec 24, 2027), New Year’s Day (observed) (Fri, Dec 31, 2027).
How military pay days work
- Two paydays a month. Active duty members are paid twice a month by default. Your monthly pay is split roughly in half; allotments and some deductions come out of one check.
- Weekend and holiday rule. If the 1st or 15th is a Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday, the money arrives on the business day before. That is why the November 1 payday was paid on Friday, October 30, 2026.
- Your LES. The Leave and Earnings Statement for the month appears in myPay about a week before the end-of-month payday; a mid-month notice of pay advisory comes out about a week before the 15th[paydays].
- Early deposit. Some banks and credit unions release military direct deposits a day or two early. That is the bank’s choice, not a DFAS payday.
Military pay November 1 and other shifted paydays
When a payday falls on a weekend, people often search for “military pay November 1”. In 2026, November 1 was a Sunday, so the pay for October 16–31 arrived on Friday, October 30. Other 2026 shifts: Feb 15 (Sunday, and Feb 16 was Washington’s Birthday) paid Feb 13; Mar 15 paid Mar 13; Aug 1 paid Jul 31; Aug 15 paid Aug 14; Nov 15 paid Nov 13; Jan 1, 2027 (New Year’s Day) paid Dec 31, 2026.
What each paycheck holds
Each payday carries about half of your monthly basic pay, BAH, BAS and special pays, minus taxes and deductions. Estimate both checks with the military pay estimator. If appropriations lapse, paydays can be delayed; see military pay during a shutdown. Veterans paid by VA follow a different calendar: see the VA disability pay dates.
Frequently asked questions
What are the military pay dates in 2026?
The 1st and 15th of each month, moved to the business day before when they fall on a weekend or federal holiday. The remaining 2026 paydays are December 1 and December 15, and December 31 for the January 1, 2027 payday.
Why did I get paid early?
Because the 1st or 15th fell on a weekend or federal holiday, so DFAS paid the business day before. Some banks also release direct deposits one or two days early on their own.
Do military pay days change in 2027?
No. The rule is the same. In 2027 the projected early paydays are Fri, Feb 12, 2027 (for February 15); Fri, May 14, 2027 (for May 15); Fri, Aug 13, 2027 (for August 15); Fri, Apr 30, 2027 (for May 1); Fri, Jul 30, 2027 (for August 1); Thu, Dec 30, 2027 (for January 1, 2028).
Is there a military pay calendar for reservists?
Yes. DFAS publishes a reserve payroll schedule with the same 2026 dates; drill pay is paid on the next cycle after your drills are processed.