When Is Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027 is on Monday, January 18, 2027.

Next: Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2028 is on Monday, January 17, 2028.

The rule: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January.

How many days until Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027? See the countdown →

How the date of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is set

5 U.S.C. 6103, Holidays sets it: “Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January.”

Working for 2027: January 1, 2027 is a Friday, so the first Monday is January 4 and the third Monday is January 18 (4 + 2 × 7 = 18).

Under this rule Martin Luther King Jr. Day can fall as early as January 15 and as late as January 21.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day dates, 2026 to 2035

Martin Luther King Jr. Day date for each year from 2026 to 2035
Year Date Day of the week Federal observed day Countdown
2026 January 19 Monday Same day Days until
2027 January 18 Monday Same day Days until
2028 January 17 Monday Same day Days until
2029 January 15 Monday Same day —
2030 January 21 Monday Same day —
2031 January 20 Monday Same day —
2032 January 19 Monday Same day —
2033 January 17 Monday Same day —
2034 January 16 Monday Same day —
2035 January 15 Monday Same day —

Is Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday?

Yes. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially “Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.”) is one of the 11 legal public holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a). Federal offices are closed and most federal employees have the day off.

It always falls on a Monday, so there is never a separate observed day.

State and local government offices, schools, banks and private employers set their own closures, so check with yours.

Federal status from the OPM federal holidays list, checked November 6, 2026.

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