Military pay dates 2026 and 2027
Active-duty members are paid twice a month: mid-month around the 15th and end-of-month on the 1st of the next month. When a payday falls on a weekend or federal holiday, pay comes on the workday before. Below is DFAS's official 2026 active-duty schedule, the rule DFAS uses for 2027, and DFAS's official 2027 retiree and annuitant pay dates.
Next paydays in 2026 (DFAS): Oct. 30 (October end-of-month), Nov. 13, Dec. 1, Dec. 15 and Dec. 31.
2026 active-duty paydays (official DFAS schedule)
| Pay period | Mid-month payday | Mid-month NPA available | End-of-month payday | LES available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Jan. 15 | Jan. 8 | Jan. 30 | Jan. 23 |
| February | Feb. 13 | Feb. 6 | Feb. 27 | Feb. 20 |
| March | Mar. 13 | Mar. 6 | Apr. 1 | Mar. 25 |
| April | Apr. 15 | Apr. 8 | May 1 | Apr. 25 |
| May | May 15 | May 8 | June 1 | May 22 |
| June | June 15 | June 5 | July 1 | June 24 |
| July | July 15 | July 8 | July 31 | July 24 |
| August | Aug. 14 | Aug. 7 | Sep. 1 | Aug. 25 |
| September | Sep. 15 | Sep. 10 | Oct. 1 | Sep. 24 |
| October | Oct. 15 | Oct. 9 | Oct. 30 | Oct. 23 |
| November | Nov. 13 | Nov. 7 | Dec. 1 | Nov. 24 |
| December | Dec. 15 | Dec. 10 | Dec. 31 | Dec. 24 |
Copied from DFAS's "2026 Active Duty Paydays" page (updated Aug. 25, 2026). The mid-month notice of pay advisory (NPA) and the end-of-month Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) show up in myPay on the "available" dates.
2027 active-duty pay dates
DFAS hadn't posted its 2027 active-duty payday table when we last checked (Oct 16, 2026), so we don't list dates here. We'll add DFAS's table once it's published. Until then, here's the rule DFAS follows:
- End-of-month pay is due on the first calendar day of the month after the month you earned it (DoD FMR Vol. 7A, Ch. 32, para. 2.11.1).
- Mid-month pay is on the 15th, as DFAS's schedule shows.
- Weekend or federal holiday: pay is authorized on the preceding workday, but not more than 3 days before the scheduled payday (para. 2.11.2). That's why the 2026 schedule shows Feb. 13 (the 15th was a Sunday) and Jan. 30 for January's end-of-month pay (Feb. 1 was a Sunday).
- October 1 is the exception: for a payroll due on October 1, the DoD Comptroller decides whether it can be dated in September (para. 2.11.3).
Check DFAS's active-duty paydays page for the official 2027 table.
Retired and annuitant pay dates, late 2026 through 2027 (official DFAS schedule)
Retired and annuitant pay is due on the 1st of the month for the month before. If the 1st falls on a weekend or holiday, retirees are paid on the last business day of the month and annuitants on the first business day of the month (DFAS).
| Entitlement month | Retired pay date | Annuitant pay date |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | October 30, 2026 | November 2, 2026 |
| November 2026 | December 1, 2026 | December 1, 2026 |
| December 2026 | December 31, 2026 | January 4, 2027 |
| January 2027 | February 1, 2027 | February 1, 2027 |
| February 2027 | March 1, 2027 | March 1, 2027 |
| March 2027 | April 1, 2027 | April 1, 2027 |
| April 2027 | April 30, 2027 | May 3, 2027 |
| May 2027 | June 1, 2027 | June 1, 2027 |
| June 2027 | July 1, 2027 | July 1, 2027 |
| July 2027 | July 30, 2027 | August 2, 2027 |
| August 2027 | September 1, 2027 | September 1, 2027 |
| September 2027 | October 1, 2027 | October 1, 2027 |
| October 2027 | November 1, 2027 | November 1, 2027 |
| November 2027 | December 1, 2027 | December 1, 2027 |
| December 2027 | December 31, 2027 | January 3, 2028 |
From DFAS's retiree "Pay Schedule" page (updated Sept. 16, 2026).
Why did my bank pay me early?
Some banks and credit unions release military direct deposits a day or two before the DFAS payday. That's the bank's own policy, not DFAS's schedule, so check with your bank about when funds are available.
Pay missing or wrong?
- Check your LES in myPay first. Can't get in? Try the myPay not working fixes.
- Talk to your unit finance office. DFAS's customer service number is listed on its paydays page.
- See what you should be getting with the 2026 pay chart and calculator, BAH calculator and BAS 2026 rates.
Related: Military pay dates 2026/2027 · Military leave accrual and the 60-day cap · Terminal leave calculator · Sell-back leave calculator · Per diem rates FY 2027 · 2026 military pay chart · How to read your LES · Leaving-the-service timeline
- DFAS: 2026 Active Duty Paydays
- DFAS: Retired and annuitant pay schedule (2026–2027)
- DoD FMR Volume 7A, Chapter 32, para. 2.11: Military paydays
- DFAS myPay
Last checked Oct 16, 2026. Rates and rules change; the official source wins. Estimates only, not financial, legal or tax advice. Pay questions: your unit finance office or DFAS. In crisis? Dial 988, then press 1.