Biweekly pay schedule 2026
This illustrative cycle starts on the first Friday of 2026 and contains 26 dates. January and July contain three dates in this example. An employer's calendar and treatment may differ.
Paydays in 2026
26
Biweekly means every fourteen days, not twice a month. This illustrative first-Friday schedule produces 26 dates; an employer's starting date, holiday policy and payroll calendar may produce a different schedule.
Illustrative payday dates
January
Jan 2 · Jan 16 · Jan 30
Three paychecks
February
Feb 13 · Feb 27
March
Mar 13 · Mar 27
April
Apr 10 · Apr 24
May
May 8 · May 22
June
Jun 5 · Jun 19
July
Jul 3 · Jul 17 · Jul 31
Three paychecks
August
Aug 14 · Aug 28
September
Sep 11 · Sep 25
October
Oct 9 · Oct 23
November
Nov 6 · Nov 20
December
Dec 4 · Dec 18
Employers set their own payday and may shift dates for weekends or holidays. Use this as an example and confirm the actual schedule with payroll.
Questions people ask
How many biweekly pay periods are in 2026?+
26, on a cycle starting the first Friday of the year. Because a fortnight is 14 days and a year is 365, the pattern drifts and a given employer's calendar can hold 26 or 27 paydays depending on when their cycle started.
Why do some months have three paychecks?+
A fourteen-day sequence can place three scheduled dates inside one calendar month when the first date falls early enough. Whether that changes annual gross or deductions depends on the employer's payroll treatment.
Is biweekly the same as semi-monthly?+
No. A standard biweekly schedule usually has 26 paydays spaced fourteen days apart, while semi-monthly usually has 24 nominal dates. Actual check sizes and observed dates can vary with payroll policy, hours, weekends and holidays.