When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is January 19 in 2026 and January 18 in 2027. The calendar below marks it and shows the day it is observed for any year.
Is today a federal holiday?
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Federal holidays 2026
| Holiday | Date | Observed |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s DayJanuary 1 | Thu, Jan 1 | Thu, Jan 1Same day |
| Martin Luther King Jr. DayThird Monday in January | Mon, Jan 19 | Mon, Jan 19Same day |
| Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day)Third Monday in February | Mon, Feb 16 | Mon, Feb 16Same day |
| Memorial DayLast Monday in May | Mon, May 25 | Mon, May 25Same day |
| JuneteenthJune 19 | Fri, Jun 19 | Fri, Jun 19Same day |
| Independence DayJuly 4 | Sat, Jul 4 | Fri, Jul 3Moved from Saturday |
| Labor DayFirst Monday in September | Mon, Sep 7 | Mon, Sep 7Same day |
| Columbus DaySecond Monday in October | Mon, Oct 12 | Mon, Oct 12Same day |
| Veterans DayNovember 11 | Wed, Nov 11 | Wed, Nov 11Same day |
| Thanksgiving DayFourth Thursday in November | Thu, Nov 26 | Thu, Nov 26Same day |
| Christmas DayDecember 25 | Fri, Dec 25 | Fri, Dec 25Same day |
“Date” is the day the law sets. “Observed” is the day federal employees on a Monday–Friday schedule get off: a Saturday holiday moves to the Friday before and a Sunday holiday to the Monday after.
2026 and 2027 at a glance
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Fri, Jan 1 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Mon, Jan 19 | Mon, Jan 18 |
| Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day) | Mon, Feb 16 | Mon, Feb 15 |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | Mon, May 31 |
| Juneteenth | Fri, Jun 19 | Fri, Jun 18Moved from Sat, Jun 19 |
| Independence Day | Fri, Jul 3Moved from Sat, Jul 4 | Mon, Jul 5Moved from Sun, Jul 4 |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 | Mon, Sep 6 |
| Columbus Day | Mon, Oct 12 | Mon, Oct 11 |
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11 | Thu, Nov 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 | Thu, Nov 25 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | Fri, Dec 24Moved from Sat, Dec 25 |
How the dates are set
- New Year’s Day
- January 1
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Third Monday in January
- Washington’s Birthday
- Third Monday in February
- Memorial Day
- Last Monday in May
- Juneteenth National Independence Day
- June 19 (since 2021)
- Independence Day
- July 4
- Labor Day
- First Monday in September
- Columbus Day
- Second Monday in October
- Veterans Day
- November 11
- Thanksgiving Day
- Fourth Thursday in November
- Christmas Day
- December 25
Observed day = the date the law sets, unless it falls on a Saturday (then the Friday before) or a Sunday (then the Monday after). The six holidays set by weekday never land on a weekend.
What counts as a federal holiday
These are the legal public holidays for federal employees under 5 U.S.C. 6103. Banks, the post office, the stock market, states, schools, and private employers each set their own days off and can differ. Check with them directly.Where other schedules differ
- Federal Reserve Banks. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the Federal Reserve Banks are open the Friday before (the Board of Governors is closed); when it falls on a Sunday, all Federal Reserve offices are closed the Monday after. So the Banks are open on Friday, July 3, 2026, although it is a federal holiday. Source: Federal Reserve Banks holiday schedule. Your own bank sets its own hours.
- New York Stock Exchange. It closes on Good Friday, which is not a federal holiday, and it stays open on Columbus Day and Veterans Day, which are. It observes Independence Day on Friday, July 3, 2026, and Juneteenth on Friday, June 18, 2027. When January 1 falls on a Saturday (2028), it observes no New Year’s Day holiday. Source: NYSE holidays and trading hours.
Verified on October 8, 2026. Schedules are published by each institution and can change.
Source and verification
Verified on October 8, 2026. Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Federal Holidays. The dates are computed by rule and checked against its table for 2026, 2027, and 2028. Rules: 5 U.S.C. 6103, Holidays (U.S. Code) and Executive Order 11582. Inauguration Day (January 20 every fourth year) is a holiday only for some federal employees in the Washington, D.C., area, so it is not in the list.
How to use it
- Read the answer at the top: whether today is a federal holiday and which one comes next.
- Pick a year from 2021 to 2035 to see its 11 federal holidays.
- Compare the date the law sets with the observed date, which moves when a holiday lands on a weekend.
- Copy the list, copy a link to the year, or download an .ics file for your calendar app.
Frequently asked questions
What date is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2026?
Monday, January 19, 2026.
What date is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2027?
Monday, January 18, 2027.
Is Martin Luther King Jr. Day always on the same date?
No. It follows a weekday rule (third monday in january), so the date moves between January 15 and January 21.
When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 19, 2026, and Monday, January 18, 2027. The rule: third Monday in January.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day dates, 2025 to 2032
| Year | Date set by law | Day | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mon, Jan 20, 2025 | Monday | Same day |
| 2026 | Mon, Jan 19, 2026 | Monday | Same day |
| 2027 | Mon, Jan 18, 2027 | Monday | Same day |
| 2028 | Mon, Jan 17, 2028 | Monday | Same day |
| 2029 | Mon, Jan 15, 2029 | Monday | Same day |
| 2030 | Mon, Jan 21, 2030 | Monday | Same day |
| 2031 | Mon, Jan 20, 2031 | Monday | Same day |
| 2032 | Mon, Jan 19, 2032 | Monday | Same day |
How the date is set
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. is set by weekday: the third Monday in January. So it falls between January 15 and January 21, always on a Monday, and it is never moved: the observed day is the same day.
Other schedules
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) is one of the 11 federal holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103. Federal Reserve Banks list it on their holiday schedule. The New York Stock Exchange is closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Your bank, school, and employer decide their own days off. See every holiday in the federal holidays calendar.
Updated on October 8, 2026