The number of federal pay periods in a year is determined by the length of the fiscal year, which runs from October 1st to September 30th. In 2025, the fiscal year will have 26 pay periods.
Federal employees are paid every other week, so there are typically 26 pay periods in a year. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, in years when there is a 53rd week, there are 27 pay periods. Additionally, some federal employees may have their paychecks issued on a different schedule, such as monthly or semi-monthly.