About ShutdownsTracker

What we do

ShutdownsTracker answers one question fast: is the U.S. government shut down right now? Our homepage gives the answer in one line, with the next funding deadline, a countdown and which services are affected.

Our guides then explain what a shutdown means for real people in plain English: whether Social Security checks still arrive, what happens to SNAP benefits, military pay, airports and national parks, and how long shutdowns have lasted in the past.

Why we built it

When a funding deadline gets close, millions of Americans search for the same answers: will I get paid, will my benefits come, is my flight affected? The official information exists, but it is spread across dozens of agency pages and written in government language. We bring it together in one place and say it simply.

How we check the status

• Automatic checks. A monitor reads the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's official operating status every five minutes. When OPM reports a lapse in funding, the site switches to a shutdown answer.
• Human review. We are alerted to every automatic change and review it, and we can confirm or correct the answer by hand. OPM does not always report a partial shutdown, so we also follow Congress.gov and agency announcements.
• Dates you can see. The homepage shows when the status was last confirmed.

Our editorial standards

• Official sources first. Facts come from laws on Congress.gov, agency shutdown plans, the Congressional Research Service and the Government Accountability Office. News reports are used only where official sources are not available.
• Neutral. We do not take sides in funding fights or blame either party.
• No predictions or betting odds. We report deadlines and facts, not guesses.
• Corrections. If we get something wrong, we fix it. Tell us at contact@shutdownstracker.com.

Independent, not a government website

ShutdownsTracker is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by the U.S. government or any federal agency. For decisions about your own pay or benefits, always confirm with the agency involved. See our disclaimer for details.

How the site is paid for

The site is free to use. It is supported by advertising from Google AdSense. Advertisers have no say in what we write, and ads are always shown separately from our content. Our privacy policy explains how ads use cookies.

Get in touch

Questions, corrections or feedback are welcome on our contact page.