MLK Day 2027: Date, Observed Day and What's Open
MLK Day 2027 is Monday, January 18, 2027. It is a federal holiday, so federal offices are closed for most federal employees, along with Federal Reserve Banks, NYSE and the bond market (per SIFMA).
The number of days to Monday, January 18, 2027 appears here once the page loads in your browser.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Dates and sources checked November 1, 2026 · Methodology & sources
All dates for the year: federal holidays 2027. To check any other day, use the federal holiday checker.
MLK Day 2027 date and observed day
The holiday is named “Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.” in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a), which sets the date as follows.
MLK Day 2027 falls on a Monday, so there is no weekend shift: OPM lists Monday, January 18, 2027. OPM's rule for holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday is quoted below.
- Date: Monday, January 18, 2027
- Observed for federal pay and leave (most federal employees): Monday, January 18, 2027
- Official name: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (5 U.S.C. 6103(a))
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, for most Federal employees, the preceding Friday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See 5 U.S.C. 6103(b).) If a holiday falls on a Sunday, for most Federal employees, the following Monday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See Section 3(a) of Executive Order 11582, February 11, 1971.)
Source: 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays (GovInfo), OPM: 2026 federal holidays
What is open and closed on MLK Day 2027
Each row names its source. Market times are Eastern Time. NYSE and SIFMA dates are from their published 2027 lists; Federal Reserve Bank dates are from the Federal Reserve's holiday schedules; USPS dates are from the USPS 2027 holidays page.
| Who | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Federal offices and agencies | Closed | OPM lists Monday, January 18, 2027 as the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, and 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) makes it a legal public holiday. Federal offices are closed for most federal employees; employees whose work is required that day are covered by the holiday pay rules below.Source: OPM: 2026 federal holidays, 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays (GovInfo) |
| Federal Reserve Banks | Closed | Federal Reserve Banks are closed on Monday, January 18, 2027, which is on both the Federal Reserve Financial Services holiday schedule and the Board's K.8 table. Whether a bank or credit union branch is open is up to each bank: each bank sets its own hours, so check with yours.Source: Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules, Federal Reserve Board: Holidays Observed (K.8) |
| Direct deposit and ACH (FedACH) | Varies | When we checked on November 1, 2026, the Federal Reserve Financial Services FedACH holiday schedule listed 2026 processing times only, with no 2027 processing times for MLK Day. Check that schedule before you plan a deposit or transfer around this date.Source: Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules |
| USPS Post Offices and delivery | Closed | USPS lists Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 18, 2027 on its 2027 holidays page. USPS says: "Regular mail delivery occurs Monday through Saturday, with the exception of postal holidays." Confirm local Post Office hours with USPS.Source: USPS: holidays and events, USPS FAQ: No mail delivery? |
| Stock market (NYSE) | Closed | NYSE's 2027 holiday list shows all NYSE markets closed on Monday, January 18, 2027. This page covers NYSE; check your exchange or broker for its own calendar.Source: NYSE: holidays and trading hours |
| Bond market (SIFMA recommendation) | Closed | SIFMA recommends a full close for the U.S. bond market on Monday, January 18, 2027.Source: SIFMA: U.S. holiday schedule |
| Public schools | Varies | The federal holiday law covers federal employees; it does not set school calendars. Closures differ by district and state, so check your district calendar.Source: 5 U.S.C. 6103 (legal public holidays) |
| State and local offices, courts, libraries | Varies | The federal holiday law covers federal employees. States, cities, courts and libraries set their own holiday schedules and observed days, so confirm with the office you need.Source: 5 U.S.C. 6103 (legal public holidays) |
| Private employers | Varies | Federal holidays bind federal employees, not private employers. The Department of Labor says the FLSA does not require payment for holidays, which are generally a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee. On government contracts covered by the Service Contract Act or the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, holiday pay can be required through the contract wage determinations. Check your employer and state law.Source: U.S. Department of Labor: Holiday Pay |
Closures marked "varies" are set locally. To check another day, use the bank holiday checker, Post Office holiday checker or the stock market holidays list.
Source: OPM: 2026 federal holidays, Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules, Federal Reserve Board: Holidays Observed (K.8), USPS: holidays and events, NYSE: holidays and trading hours, SIFMA: U.S. holiday schedule
Federal employees: holiday pay and the observed day
Federal employees on a Monday-through-Friday schedule are off on the observed day above (Monday, January 18, 2027). An employee who has to work on a holiday is covered by 5 U.S.C. 5546(b), quoted below. Which day counts as the holiday for an employee on another schedule, and how premium pay applies, depends on the agency and pay system, so ask your HR office.
(b) An employee who performs work on a holiday designated by Federal statute, Executive order, or with respect to an employee of the government of the District of Columbia, by order of the District of Columbia Council, is entitled to pay at the rate of his basic pay, plus premium pay at a rate equal to the rate of his basic pay, for that holiday work which is not— (1) in excess of 8 hours; or (2) overtime work as defined by section 5542(a) of this title.
See the 2027 federal pay period calendar for pay periods and pay dates.
Source: 5 U.S.C. 5546: Pay for Sunday and holiday work (GovInfo), OPM: 2026 federal holidays
Military and VA pay dates around MLK Day 2027
MLK Day 2027 does not move an active-duty payday on this site's military pay dates calculator, because Monday, January 18, 2027 is not the 1st or 15th.
Active-duty paydays from two weeks before to two weeks after the holiday: Friday, January 15, 2027 and Monday, February 1, 2027.
VA pays a month's benefits on the first day of the next month, moved earlier when that day falls on a weekend or legal holiday (38 U.S.C. 5120(e)). In the same window: January 2027 benefits on Monday, February 1, 2027.
These are computed dates. Check myPay and DFAS for your own deposit date, and VA for your benefit payment.
Full schedules: military pay dates and VA disability pay dates.
About MLK Day
Public Law 98-144, approved November 2, 1983, added the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. to 5 U.S.C. 6103(a). Section 2 of the act sets when it took effect:
SEC. 2. The amendment made by the first section of this Act shall take effect on the first January 1 that occurs after the two-year period following the date of the enactment of this Act.
Source: Public Law 98-144: Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (97 Stat. 917, GovInfo)
More 2027 holiday guides
Questions
Is MLK Day 2027 a federal holiday?
Yes. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. is a legal public holiday under 5 U.S.C. 6103(a), and OPM lists it on its 2027 federal holidays schedule on Monday, January 18, 2027.
Are banks open on MLK Day 2027?
Federal Reserve Banks are closed on Monday, January 18, 2027, which is on both the Federal Reserve Financial Services holiday schedule and the Board's K.8 table. Whether a bank or credit union branch is open is up to each bank: each bank sets its own hours, so check with yours.
Is mail delivered on MLK Day 2027?
USPS lists Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 18, 2027 on its 2027 holidays page. USPS says: "Regular mail delivery occurs Monday through Saturday, with the exception of postal holidays." Confirm local Post Office hours with USPS.
Is the stock market open on MLK Day 2027?
NYSE's 2027 holiday list shows all NYSE markets closed on Monday, January 18, 2027. This page covers NYSE; check your exchange or broker for its own calendar. SIFMA also recommends a full close for the U.S. bond market on Monday, January 18, 2027.
Do federal employees get extra pay for working on MLK Day 2027?
A covered employee who performs work on a holiday designated by Federal statute or Executive order is entitled to basic pay plus premium pay equal to basic pay, for holiday work that is not in excess of 8 hours and is not overtime work (5 U.S.C. 5546(b)). Your agency and pay system decide how it applies, so ask your HR office.
Does MLK Day 2027 change my military or VA pay date?
Not for the dates this site computes. Active-duty pay is scheduled for the 1st and the 15th, and Monday, January 18, 2027 is not one of them. VA's first-of-the-month deposit dates are not affected either. Check myPay, DFAS and VA for your own dates.
When is MLK Day 2028?
MLK Day 2028 is Monday, January 17, 2028. OPM's 2028 federal holidays table lists Monday, January 17, 2028.
Sources: 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays (GovInfo) · 5 U.S.C. 5546: Pay for Sunday and holiday work (GovInfo) · OPM: 2026 federal holidays · Federal Reserve Financial Services: Holiday Schedules · Federal Reserve Board: Holidays Observed (K.8) · USPS: holidays and events · USPS FAQ: No mail delivery? · NYSE: holidays and trading hours · SIFMA: U.S. holiday schedule · 38 U.S.C. 5120 (VA payment dates) · Public Law 98-144: Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (97 Stat. 917, GovInfo)