Rule 6.Computing and Extending Time; Time for Motion Papers

Last amended December 1, 2023 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 6 sets the rules for counting deadlines in federal civil cases — how to compute periods stated in days or hours, how weekends and legal holidays affect the last day, when courts may extend time, and the extra days added after certain kinds of service.

Full Text of Rule 6

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d)

(a) Computing Time. The following rules apply in computing any time period specified in these rules, in any local rule or court order, or in any statute that does not specify a method of computing time.

(1) Period Stated in Days or a Longer Unit. When the period is stated in days or a longer unit of time:

(A) exclude the day of the event that triggers the period;

(B) count every day, including intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays; and

(C) include the last day of the period, but if the last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the period continues to run until the end of the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(2) Period Stated in Hours. When the period is stated in hours:

(A) begin counting immediately on the occurrence of the event that triggers the period;

(B) count every hour, including hours during intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays; and

(C) if the period would end on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the period continues to run until the same time on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(3) Inaccessibility of the Clerk's Office. Unless the court orders otherwise, if the clerk's office is inaccessible:

(A) on the last day for filing under Rule 6(a)(1), then the time for filing is extended to the first accessible day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday; or

(B) during the last hour for filing under Rule 6(a)(2), then the time for filing is extended to the same time on the first accessible day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(4) “Last Day” Defined. Unless a different time is set by a statute, local rule, or court order, the last day ends:

(A) for electronic filing, at midnight in the court's time zone; and

(B) for filing by other means, when the clerk's office is scheduled to close.

(5) “Next Day” Defined. The “next day” is determined by continuing to count forward when the period is measured after an event and backward when measured before an event.

(6) “Legal Holiday” Defined. “Legal holiday” means:

(A) the day set aside by statute for observing New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas Day;

(B) any day declared a holiday by the President or Congress; and

(C) for periods that are measured after an event, any other day declared a holiday by the state where the district court is located.

(b) Extending Time.

(1) In General. When an act may or must be done within a specified time, the court may, for good cause, extend the time:

(A) with or without motion or notice if the court acts, or if a request is made, before the original time or its extension expires; or

(B) on motion made after the time has expired if the party failed to act because of excusable neglect.

(2) Exceptions. A court must not extend the time to act under Rules 50(b) and (d), 52(b), 59(b), (d), and (e), and 60(b).

(1) In General. A written motion and notice of the hearing must be served at least 14 days before the time specified for the hearing, with the following exceptions:

(A) when the motion may be heard ex parte;

(B) when these rules set a different time; or

(2) Supporting Affidavit. Any affidavit supporting a motion must be served with the motion. Except as Rule 59(c) provides otherwise, any opposing affidavit must be served at least 7 days before the hearing, unless the court permits service at another time.

(d) Additional Time After Certain Kinds of Service. When a party may or must act within a specified time after being served and service is made under Rule 5(b)(2)(C) (mail), (D) (leaving with the clerk), or (F) (other means consented to), 3 days are added after the period would otherwise expire under Rule 6(a).

End

Amendment History

(Amended December 27, 1946, effective March 19, 1948; January 21, 1963, effective July 1, 1963; February 28, 1966, effective July 1, 1966; December 4, 1967, effective July 1, 1968; March 1, 1971, effective July 1, 1971; April 28, 1983, effective August 1, 1983; April 29, 1985, effective August 1, 1985; March 2, 1987, effective August 1, 1987; April 26, 1999, effective December 1, 1999; April 23, 2001, effective December 1, 2001; April 25, 2005, effective December 1, 2005; April 30, 2007, effective December 1, 2007; March 26, 2009, effective December 1, 2009; April 28, 2016, effective December 1, 2016; April 24, 2023, effective December 1, 2023.)

Plain-English Summary

Rule 6 is the calculator behind every federal deadline. For a period stated in days, you exclude the day that triggers it, count every intervening day including weekends and holidays, and include the last day. If that last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the period continues to the next day that is none of those. The rule also explains how to count periods stated in hours and how to handle days when the clerk’s office is inaccessible.

On the back end, the court may extend a deadline for good cause — before it expires, or after it expires on a motion showing excusable neglect. That good-cause power has a hard limit: a court must not extend the time to act under Rules 50(b)/(d), 52(b), 59(b)/(d)/(e), or 60(b) — the post-trial motion deadlines. Finally, when a party may or must act within a set time after being served, and service was made by mail or certain other means under Rule 5, 3 days are added to the period. Rule 6 also fixes the default timing for serving motions and supporting papers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you count a deadline in federal court?

Exclude the triggering day, count every day after that (including weekends and holidays), and include the last day — but if the last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the deadline rolls to the next business day (Rule 6(a)).

What happens if a federal deadline falls on a weekend or holiday?

The period runs to the end of the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

When can a court extend a deadline under Rule 6?

For good cause: before the time expires, the court may extend it; after it expires, the court may extend it on motion if the party failed to act because of excusable neglect (Rule 6(b)).

Are there deadlines a court can never extend under Rule 6?

Yes. Rule 6(b)(2) bars extending the time to act under Rules 50(b)/(d) (judgment as a matter of law), 52(b) (amended findings), 59(b)/(d)/(e) (new trial and to alter or amend a judgment), and 60(b) (relief from judgment) — these post-trial motion deadlines are fixed no matter how good the cause.

Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the official Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Fed. R. Civ. P. 6), a public-domain work of the U.S. Government. Prescribed by the United States Supreme Court under the Rules Enabling Act. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: FRCP 6Fed. R. Civ. P. 6computing timeextending timedeadline on a weekend or holiday3-day rule for service