Public holidays in Montenegro 2026 and 2027: state and religious holidays, Sunday shop closing and extra pay for holiday work

In Montenegro state and other public holidays are celebrated for two days, on the day of the holiday and the day after, and those days are non-working. The non-working days are 1 and 2 January, 1 and 2 May, 21 and 22 May, 13 and 14 July and 13 and 14 November, while 20 September, Ecological State Day, is celebrated as a working day. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, the two following days are non-working, and if the second holiday day falls on a Sunday, the Monday is non-working too. Since 19 February 2026 shops may not open on Sundays and public holidays, except pharmacies, bakeries, petrol stations, markets and a few other exceptions.

The rules come from the Law on State and Other Holidays, the Law on the Celebration of Religious Holidays, the Labour Law and the Law on Internal Trade. This guide lists the non-working days for 2026 and 2027 and explains paid leave for religious holidays, shop opening and what employees and employers need to know about working on a holiday.

Which days are non-working in 2026?

The state holidays are 21 May, 13 July, 20 September and 13 November, and New Year and Labour Day are also public holidays in Montenegro. Njegoš Day has been a state holiday since 2023 and is celebrated for two days, like the others.

Which days are non-working in 2027?

The law moves non-working days only when a holiday or the second holiday day falls on a Sunday. When a holiday day falls on a Saturday, as 2 May and 14 November do in 2026, there is no extra day off. In 2027 the second day of Labour Day and the second day of Njegoš Day fall on a Sunday, so Monday 3 May and Monday 15 November are non-working too.

Who is entitled to paid leave for religious holidays?

Religious holidays are not non-working days for everyone. An employee who wishes to celebrate their religious holiday is entitled to paid leave for working days that fall on that holiday, but must notify the employer at least three days before the holiday.

The dates of the Bayrams are announced by the Islamic Community in Montenegro and those of the Jewish holidays by the Jewish Community, so check their calendars. The shop closing rule in the Law on Internal Trade does not apply to religious holidays, and state bodies and public companies must keep working on those days.

Which shops open on Sundays and public holidays?

Wholesale and retail trade may not take place on Sundays or on state and other public holidays. Ahead of Labour Day 2026 the Ministry of Economic Development reminded traders of this ban for the non-working days, Friday 1 and Saturday 2 May. The exceptions are:

• pharmacies;
• specialised shops or kiosks for bread, bakery products and cakes, flowers, souvenirs, newspapers, plant protection products or funeral supplies, meaning those that sell mainly one kind of goods;
• petrol stations with their facilities;
• markets;
• stands, stalls, display cases and vending machines outside markets, and mobile shops;
• shops, kiosks and vending machines inside the enclosed areas of bus and railway stations, airports and ports;
• stands and kiosks during shows, festivals, events, fairs and film screenings;
• wholesale warehouses.

If a trader breaks the ban, the market inspector closes the shop for the period in which trading is not allowed. The fine is 1,000 to 10,000 euros for a legal entity, 300 to 3,000 euros for a sole trader and 200 to 500 euros for the responsible person. The Constitutional Court struck down the 2019 ban by a decision published on 10 February 2026, and on 16 February 2026 Parliament adopted a new one, in force since 19 February 2026. If you are opening a shop, the terms of renting premises are explained in our article on commercial leases, and a buyer's rights when making a complaint in our guide to consumer rights.

Do you work on a public holiday, and how is it paid?

• An employee is entitled not to work on state and religious holidays and receives wage compensation for non-working holiday days.
• If they work on a holiday because the work process requires it, they are entitled to an increased wage under the collective agreement and the employment contract.
• An employer who organises work on a holiday must issue a written decision and notify the employees, the trade union and the labour inspectorate at least three days before the work starts.
• A company that works on holiday days because the nature of its business or its technology requires continuous work must keep a permit from the ministry responsible for the economy on its premises. The fine for working without it is 1,000 to 20,000 euros for a legal entity and 200 to 2,000 euros for a sole trader.

The Labour Law does not set a percentage for the increase. The 2022 General Collective Agreement provided for an increase of at least 150% for work on a state or religious holiday and 80% for work on a Sunday, but it was extended only until 30 April 2026, and a new general collective agreement had not been signed by 25 September 2026. So check the rate in your sector collective agreement, your employer's collective agreement or your employment contract. How the proposed Euromodel would change the minimum wage and contributions from 2027 is explained by RoNa Legal, and hiring foreigners by our article on the work permit for foreigners.

If you rent out a flat to guests over long holiday weekends, guest registration and the tourist tax are explained in our article on renting to tourists.

Frequently asked questions

How many days are public holidays celebrated in Montenegro? Two days, on the day of the holiday and the day after. The exception is 20 September, Ecological State Day, which is celebrated as a working day.

Is 13 November a day off? Yes. Njegoš Day is a state holiday, and 13 and 14 November are non-working.

What happens if a holiday falls on a Sunday? The two following days are non-working. If the second holiday day falls on a Sunday, the next day is non-working.

Are shops open on Sundays in Montenegro? No, except pharmacies, specialised shops for bread, flowers, souvenirs or newspapers, petrol stations, markets and shops at stations, airports and ports.

Is Orthodox Christmas a day off? It is not a general non-working day. An Orthodox employee is entitled to paid leave for Christmas Eve and the two days of Christmas if they notify the employer at least three days in advance.

How is work on a public holiday paid? The Labour Law refers to the collective agreement and the employment contract. The 2022 General Collective Agreement provided for an increase of at least 150%, but it applied until 30 April 2026, so check the collective agreement that applies to you.

Sources

Holidays are governed by the Law on State and Other Holidays (Official Gazette of the Republic of Montenegro 27/2007 and Official Gazette of Montenegro 36/2013, 145/2021, 3/2023 and correction 30/2023, Articles 1 to 5b), and paid leave by the Law on the Celebration of Religious Holidays (Official Gazette of the Republic of Montenegro 56/1993, Articles 2 to 4). Work on a holiday is governed by the Labour Law (Official Gazette of Montenegro 74/2019 as amended, Articles 89, 98 and 102), and shop opening by the Law on Internal Trade (Official Gazette of Montenegro 49/2008, 40/2011, 38/2019, 84/2024, 15/2026 and 21/2026, Articles 35b, 42 and 43). The increases come from the General Collective Agreement (Official Gazette of Montenegro 150/2022, Article 15), extended until 30 April 2026. The legislation was checked on 25 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform and does not give legal advice; for a specific case contact the labour inspectorate, a trade union or a lawyer.