Basics

Expiration Date

By Ryan Silk & Lawrence Polatchek · Reviewed April 2026 · Options Trading Glossary

Date option expires

What is Expiration Date?

Expiration Date The date when an option contract expires. After this date, the option no longer exists. Standard options expire on the third Friday of the month.

Complete Definition

The date when an option contract expires. After this date, the option no longer exists. Standard options expire on the third Friday of the month.

Related Terms

Days To Expiration Weekly Options Monthly Options

Written by

ApexVol Research Team

Quantitative options research

All calculations use live ORATS institutional data — the same source used by professional volatility desks.

Technical reviewer

Ryan Silk, ApexVol Founder

Reviewed for technical accuracy

10+ years trading options. Built ApexVol's pricing engine, Greeks model, and IV-rank methodology.

This guide is updated as market conditions and ORATS data change. Last revised 2026-05-12. How we research →

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