Free for the military community · Veteran-owned · Not affiliated with the VA or any government agency
STANDWATCHSTANDING WATCH FOR THOSE WHO SERVED BACK TO← StandWatch
MILITARY PAY · 2026 SCHEDULE

2026 Military Pay Dates

The official DFAS paydays for 2026, mid-month and end-of-month, with the dates your LES posts to myPay. Active duty and Reserve paydays match this year; a few LES dates differ, shown below.

SOURCE: DFAS.MIL PAYDAY SCHEDULES (UPDATED MAY 28, 2026) · TRANSCRIBED JULY 15, 2026

Active duty paydays and LES dates

Pay PeriodMid-Month PaydayLES AvailableEnd-of-Month PaydayLES Available
JanuaryJan. 15Jan. 8Jan. 30Jan. 23
FebruaryFeb. 13Feb. 6Feb. 27Feb. 20
MarchMar. 13Mar. 6Apr. 1Mar. 25
AprilApr. 15Apr. 8May 1Apr. 25
MayMay 15May 8June 1May 22
JuneJune 15June 5July 1June 24
JulyJuly 15July 8July 31July 24
AugustAug. 14Aug. 7Sep. 1Aug. 25
SeptemberSep. 15Sep. 4Oct. 1Sep. 24
OctoberOct. 15Oct. 8Oct. 30Oct. 23
NovemberNov. 13Nov. 6Dec. 1Nov. 24
DecemberDec. 15Dec. 8Dec. 31Dec. 24

Mid-month pay covers the 1st through the 15th; end-of-month pay covers the 16th through the last day. When a payday falls on a weekend or holiday, DFAS pays on the preceding business day, which is why some "end-of-month" paydays land on the 1st of the next month.

Guard and Reserve paydays and LES dates

Pay PeriodMid-Month PaydayLES AvailableEnd-of-Month PaydayLES Available
JanuaryJan. 15Jan. 8Jan. 30Jan. 23
FebruaryFeb. 13Feb. 6Feb. 27Feb. 20
MarchMar. 13Mar. 6Apr. 1Mar. 25
AprilApr. 15Apr. 8May 1Apr. 24
MayMay 15May 8June 1May 22
JuneJune 15June 5July 1June 23
JulyJuly 15July 8July 31July 24
AugustAug. 14Aug. 7Sep. 1Aug. 25
SeptemberSep. 15Sep. 9Oct. 1Sep. 23
OctoberOct. 15Oct. 7Oct. 30Oct. 23
NovemberNov. 13Nov. 6Dec. 1Nov. 24
DecemberDec. 15Dec. 9Dec. 31Dec. 22

Reserve component paydays match the active schedule in 2026. Drill pay timing depends on when your unit processes the drill; these dates apply to regular payroll processing.

Why your bank may pay you early

Many banks and credit unions that serve the military community post your pay as soon as DFAS transmits it, which is often 1 to 2 business days before the official payday. That early posting is each institution's own policy, not a DFAS rule: the amount and official pay date do not change, only when your bank chooses to release the deposit.

Two things worth knowing. First, early-deposit policies can change or pause, so check your own bank's published policy rather than planning bills around the early date. Second, autopay drafts pull on their own schedule regardless of when the deposit posts, so the official DFAS date above is the safe date to plan around.

Sources

Transcribed July 15, 2026 from DFAS: 2026 Active Duty Paydays and DFAS: 2026 Reserve Paydays. LES documents are at myPay. StandWatch is not affiliated with DFAS or DoD.

KEEP GOING · FREE STANDWATCH TOOLS