Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027 falls on Monday, January 18, 2027. It is a federal holiday, producing a three-day weekend from Saturday, January 16 through Monday, January 18.
The date is not King’s birthday. He was born on January 15, 1929, which in 2027 falls on the Friday before the holiday.
The statute fixes the observance to the third Monday in January, so the two align only when January 15 happens to be a Monday — most recently in 2024, and next in 2029.
Table of Contents
When is MLK Day 2027?
Monday, January 18, 2027.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | Monday, January 18, 2027 |
| Rule | Third Monday in January |
| Possible range | January 15 to January 21 |
| King’s birth date | January 15, 1929 — Friday in 2027 |
| Federal holiday | Yes, under 5 U.S.C. 6103 |
| Statutory name | Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. |
| Weekend shift | Never required |
The statutory name is not MLK Day
OPM refers to the holiday by the name Congress designated: the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. MLK Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are the common usages, adopted by states, school districts and employers, and they carry no different legal effect — but the statutory name is what appears on official schedules.
Because the rule names a weekday rather than a date, the holiday always produces a three-day weekend and never requires the observance shift that applies to Juneteenth, Independence Day and Christmas in 2027.
MLK Day 2027 closures by institution
| Institution | Monday, January 18, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Federal offices | Closed |
| Banks and Federal Reserve | Closed |
| U.S. Postal Service | No delivery, offices closed |
| NYSE and Nasdaq | Closed |
| Bond markets, SIFMA | Closed |
| UPS and FedEx | No pickup or delivery, critical services only |
| State government | Closed in all 50 states |
| Public schools | Closed in most districts |
| Universities | Closed at most; a regular class day at some |
| Retail and grocery | Open |
Every state now observes the holiday, though the path there was long: New Hampshire was the last to adopt it under the King name, in 1999, and South Carolina was the last to make it a paid state holiday, in 2000.
A handful of states historically paired it with a Confederate observance on the same day. Alabama and Mississippi continue to observe Robert E. Lee’s birthday alongside it.
The 15-year path to a federal holiday
Representative John Conyers of Michigan introduced legislation for a King holiday in 1968, four days after the assassination. It took fifteen years and repeated reintroductions.
| Year | Step |
|---|---|
| 1968 | Conyers introduces the first bill |
| 1979 | House vote falls five short of passage |
| 1983 | Congress passes; President Reagan signs on November 2 |
| 1986 | First official observance, January 20 |
| 1994 | Congress designates it a national day of service |
| 2000 | Observed in all 50 states for the first time |
The 1994 King Holiday and Service Act is why the day is framed as “a day on, not a day off” — it is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service.
MLK Day dates 2025 to 2032
| Year | MLK Day | January 15 falls on | Aligned |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | January 20 | Wednesday | No |
| 2026 | January 19 | Thursday | No |
| 2027 | January 18 | Friday | No |
| 2028 | January 17 | Saturday | No |
| 2029 | January 15 | Monday | Yes |
| 2030 | January 21 | Tuesday | No |
| 2031 | January 20 | Wednesday | No |
| 2032 | January 19 | Thursday | No |
The holiday and the birth date coincide only when January 15 is a Monday, roughly one year in seven. 2029 is the next.
What MLK Day 2027 is not
The holiday is not on King’s birthday in 2027. He was born January 15, 1929; the observance is Monday, January 18. The statute fixes the third Monday, not the date.
It is not a state-optional holiday. All fifty states observe it, though the name and any paired observance vary.
It is not merely a day off. The King Holiday and Service Act of 1994 designates it a national day of service, and it is the only federal holiday carrying that designation.
Frequently asked questions
What day is MLK Day 2027?
Monday, January 18, 2027. The holiday is fixed to the third Monday in January under 5 U.S.C. 6103, giving a possible range of January 15 to January 21. It always produces a three-day weekend.
Is the post office open on MLK Day 2027?
No. The U.S. Postal Service is closed on Monday, January 18, 2027, with no regular delivery. Federal offices, banks and the stock exchanges are also closed. Priority Mail Express is the only postal service that continues.
Why isn’t MLK Day on January 15?
Because the statute fixes it to the third Monday in January rather than to the birth date. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, which falls on a Friday in 2027. The Monday rule guarantees a three-day weekend; the two dates coincide only when January 15 is itself a Monday, next in 2029.
