When Is MLK Day 2027: Date, Countdown, What's Closed & History
Table of Contents (9 sections)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the first federal holiday of the year after New Year's Day, and the first long weekend for many people. It is also the only federal holiday that is officially a national day of service. Here is the date, a countdown, what is open and closed, and how the holiday came to be after a 15-year campaign.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027 is on Monday, January 18.
It is always the third Monday in January, which gives federal workers a three-day weekend from Saturday, January 16 to Monday, January 18. That is 75 days from today.
Next year, MLK Day 2028 is on Monday, January 17, 2028.
Quick summary
- Date: the third Monday in January, so always between January 15 and January 21.
- Federal holiday: yes. Its official name is the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Closed: federal offices, post offices, most banks and the stock market.
- First observed: January 20, 1986. Every state has recognized it since 2000.
- Day of service: since 1994 the holiday is also a national day of volunteer service.
How Many Days Until MLK Day?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027 is on Monday, January 18, 2027. That is 75 days from today.
The countdown uses the clock on your own device and moves to next year's date by itself once the day has passed.
MLK Day Dates from 2026 to 2036
| Year | MLK Day | Long weekend |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday, January 19 (past) | Jan 17 to Jan 19 |
| 2027 | Monday, January 18 (next) | Jan 16 to Jan 18 |
| 2028 | Monday, January 17 | Jan 15 to Jan 17 |
| 2029 | Monday, January 15 | Jan 13 to Jan 15 |
| 2030 | Monday, January 21 | Jan 19 to Jan 21 |
| 2031 | Monday, January 20 | Jan 18 to Jan 20 |
| 2032 | Monday, January 19 | Jan 17 to Jan 19 |
| 2033 | Monday, January 17 | Jan 15 to Jan 17 |
| 2034 | Monday, January 16 | Jan 14 to Jan 16 |
| 2035 | Monday, January 15 | Jan 13 to Jan 15 |
| 2036 | Monday, January 21 | Jan 19 to Jan 21 |
Because it is tied to the third Monday, the date can only fall between January 15 and January 21. It is held close to his birthday, January 15. The next time it lands on January 15 itself is 2029. The latest possible date, January 21, comes up in 2030.
Why Is MLK Day in January?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. The holiday honors his birthday and his work as a leader of the civil rights movement, from the Montgomery bus boycott to the March on Washington, where he gave his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. He was killed in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. Had he lived, he would have turned 98 in 2027.
The law places the holiday on the third Monday in January rather than on January 15 itself, so it always makes a three-day weekend, like the other Monday holidays.
The 15-Year Campaign for the Holiday
The holiday did not come quickly. It took 15 years of bills, petitions and public pressure:
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1968 | Four days after King's death, Congressman John Conyers of Michigan introduces the first bill for a federal holiday, on April 8. |
| 1979 | A bill backed by a petition of 300,000 signatures fails in the House by five votes. |
| 1980 | Stevie Wonder releases the song "Happy Birthday" on his album Hotter Than July to support the holiday. |
| Early 1980s | Wonder, Coretta Scott King and the Congressional Black Caucus gather a petition of about 6 million signatures. |
| 1983 | The House passes the bill 338 to 90, the Senate passes it, and President Ronald Reagan signs it on November 2. |
| 1986 | The first federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on January 20. |
| 1994 | President Bill Clinton signs the King Holiday and Service Act on August 23, making the holiday a national day of service. |
| 2000 | By this year, all 50 states recognize the holiday. |
"A Day On, Not a Day Off"
MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service. The idea, written into law in 1994, is to spend the day helping your community: volunteering at a food bank, cleaning up a park, or helping a neighbor. Many schools, churches and companies organize service projects for the day. The 1994 law gave the federal agency for national service, now called AmeriCorps, the job of leading the day of service.
Is MLK Day a Federal Holiday?
Yes. It is one of the 11 federal holidays set by law (5 U.S.C. 6103). Federal employees get a paid day off. Private employers decide for themselves, so many people still work. States and school districts set their own calendars, though every state now recognizes the day in some way.
What's Open and Closed on MLK Day
| Place or service | On MLK Day |
|---|---|
| Federal offices | Closed |
| Post offices (USPS) | Closed, with no regular mail delivery |
| Banks | Most are closed, because the Federal Reserve is closed. ATMs and online banking still work. |
| Stock market (NYSE and Nasdaq) | Closed |
| Bond market | Closed, following SIFMA's recommendation |
| Public schools | Most are closed, but check your district calendar |
| Stores and restaurants | Mostly open |
How People Mark the Day
- Service projects: volunteering, food drives and community clean-ups.
- Marches and parades: many cities hold marches, and some, like Atlanta, hold large parades.
- Church services and talks: readings from King's speeches and letters, such as the "Letter from Birmingham Jail."
- Learning: many schools teach about the civil rights movement in the days before the holiday.
See MLK Day on Your Calendar
Print the January 2027 calendar with MLK Day already marked, or see every holiday of the year on the USA holidays 2027 page. Any other month is on our printable monthly calendar. The next federal holiday after MLK Day is Presidents' Day in February.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is MLK Day 2027?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027 is on Monday, January 18, 2027. It is always the third Monday in January.
When is MLK Day 2028?
Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2028 is on Monday, January 17, 2028.
Is MLK Day a federal holiday?
Yes. It is one of the 11 federal holidays, so federal offices, post offices and most banks close. Private employers decide for themselves.
Is the stock market open on MLK Day?
No. The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and the bond market is closed too.
Is mail delivered on MLK Day?
No. Post offices are closed and there is no regular mail delivery.
When was MLK Day first celebrated?
The first federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day was observed on January 20, 1986. President Ronald Reagan signed the law creating it on November 2, 1983.
Why is MLK Day not always on January 15?
The law places it on the third Monday in January so it always makes a three-day weekend. That Monday falls between January 15 and January 21.
Why is MLK Day called a day of service?
The King Holiday and Service Act of 1994 made it a national day of service. It is the only federal holiday with that role, and people are encouraged to volunteer in their communities.
