Contract deadlinesReal estate contract deadlines by state: how to count them
Every state's standard contract counts deadlines its own way: when day 1 starts, whether days are calendar or business days, the time the last day ends (often 5:00 p.m. or 11:59 p.m.) and whether a weekend or holiday moves the date. In Texas only the earnest money and option fee move off a weekend; in Florida every deadline does; in North Carolina and Georgia the due diligence period does not move; in California the RPA moves a last day off weekends and holidays.
Four questions for every deadline
1. When is day 0?
Usually the effective date (the last signature or acceptance) – some forms name it the Binding Agreement Date or Acceptance.
2. Calendar or business days?
Most contract periods are calendar days; some deliveries (for example the California deposit) count business days.
3. What time does the last day end?
The form may say 5:00 p.m., 11:59 p.m. or the end of the day – and often local time where the property is.
4. Does a weekend or holiday move it?
Some forms move a last day off a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday; others never do.
State by state
Texas – TREC 20-19
Earnest money and option fee within 3 days after the effective date, moved off a weekend or legal holiday; option period notices by 5:00 p.m. local time – the option period never moves; title commitment within 20 days after title receives the contract.
California – C.A.R. RPA (rev. 12/22)
Deposit within 3 business days; investigation, appraisal and loan contingencies 17 days after acceptance by default, removed in writing; a last day for performance never falls on a weekend or legal holiday – it moves to the next day.
Florida – FR/BAR AS IS
Calendar days ending at 11:59 p.m. where the property is; a last day on a Saturday, Sunday or national legal holiday moves to the next business day and ends at 5:00 p.m.; inspection period 15 days if left blank; initial deposit within 3 days.
North Carolina – Form 2-T
Due diligence: consecutive calendar days starting the day after the effective date, ending at 5:00 p.m.; weekends and holidays do not move it. The due diligence fee goes to the seller; earnest money is held in escrow.
Georgia – GAR purchase agreement
Calendar days from the Binding Agreement Date (day 0); a day ends at 11:59 p.m.; a period ending on a Sunday ends that Sunday.
The most common counting mistakes
- Starting the count on the effective date instead of the next day.
- Assuming every deadline moves off a weekend – in Texas the option period does not.
- Using 11:59 p.m. when the form says 5:00 p.m. (or the other way round).
- Counting business days where the form says calendar days.
- Forgetting that amendments change dates – recount after every signed amendment.
Questions about counting contract deadlines
Are real estate contract days calendar days or business days?
Usually calendar days unless the contract says business days – for example the California RPA deposit counts business days.
Does a deadline that falls on a weekend move to Monday?
Only if the contract says so. Florida's AS IS contract and California's RPA move a last day off weekends and holidays; the Texas option period and the North Carolina due diligence period do not.
What time does a real estate deadline end?
It depends on the form: 5:00 p.m. for the Texas option period and North Carolina due diligence, 11:59 p.m. in Florida and Georgia.
When does day 1 start?
Usually the day after the effective date; Georgia counts the Binding Agreement Date as day 0.
Do amendments change the deadlines?
Yes – a signed amendment can move any date; recount from the amendment's terms.
Calculators by state
ClosingCode counts each deadline with the rules of the state's form – day 0, business or calendar days, the end time and the weekend rule – and recounts after every amendment.
Start free trialSources: TREC No. 20-19 (effective July 1, 2026); C.A.R. RPA (revised 12/22); Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS contract; NC REALTORS® Form 2-T and its Q&A on computing the due diligence period; Georgia REALTORS® guidance on counting from the Binding Agreement Date. Always follow the dates and terms written in your contract.
General information, not legal advice. Forms change – check the current version used in your deal. ClosingCode is software; it is not a law firm or brokerage.