The UAE has announced its official list of public holidays for 2025, giving residents a head start on planning vacations and long weekends. The country will have at least 12 public holidays, with the possibility of a 13th should Ramadan last 30 days.
What the New Cabinet Resolution Says
The holiday schedule was published in the UAE Official Gazette No. 775 on 15 May 2024 as part of a re-examination of federal laws. The rules are contained in Part Two of UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, which governs how public holidays are observed from 1 January 2025 onwards, replacing the previous Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2019.
A key feature of the resolution is the weekend-transfer rule: when a public holiday falls on a Friday or Saturday, the Cabinet may shift it to the beginning or end of the week. If a holiday lands on a Saturday, the public may receive Thursday off; if it falls on a Sunday, the substitute day could be moved to Tuesday or Friday. This rule does not apply to Eid Al Fitr or Eid Al Adha, which remain fixed on their Islamic calendar dates.
How the Ramadan Rule Works
If Ramadan is a 30-day month — as it was in 2024 — residents will receive an extra day off on Ramadan 30, giving a four-day Eid Al Fitr break (Ramadan 30 through Shawwal 3). If Ramadan runs 29 days, the Eid holiday is the standard three days (Shawwal 1–3).
UAE Public Holidays 2025 — Confirmed Dates
UAE public holidays apply to both the public and private sectors. While Islamic holidays depend on moon sightings for their exact Gregorian dates, the occasions themselves are fixed by resolution.
- 1 January 2025 — New Year's Day - Ramadan 30 — Bonus holiday (only if Ramadan is 30 days) - Shawwal 1 — Eid Al Fitr - Shawwal 2 — Eid Al Fitr - Shawwal 3 — Eid Al Fitr - Dhu Al Hijjah 9 — Arafat Day (Eid Al Adha eve) - Dhu Al Hijjah 10 — Eid Al Adha - Dhu Al Hijjah 11 — Eid Al Adha - Dhu Al Hijjah 12 — Eid Al Adha - Muharram 1 — Islamic New Year - Rabi Al Awwal 12 — Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (PBUH) - 2 December 2025 — UAE National Day - 3 December 2025 — UAE National Day
Predicted Gregorian Dates for 2025
Based on astronomical calculations, the estimated Gregorian equivalents for the Islamic holidays are:
- New Year's Day — 1 January 2025 - Eid Al Fitr — 31 March – 2 April 2025 - Arafat Day — 30 May 2025 - Eid Al Adha — 31 May – 2 June 2025 - Islamic New Year — 27 June 2025 - Prophet Mohammed's Birthday (PBUH) — 1 September 2025 - Commemoration Day — 1 December 2025 - National Day — 2–3 December 2025
Planning Around UAE Long Weekends
Knowing the UAE public holiday calendar well in advance allows residents to plan international travel or staycations around long weekends. The resolution also permits local governments to request and potentially add further official holidays beyond those approved at the federal level.
