When Is MLK Day 2027? Free MLK Day Countdown & Days Left

When is MLK Day 2027?

The third Monday of January. Martin Luther King Jr. Day honours the civil rights leader and falls on the third Monday of January, close to his birthday on January 15. It became a federal holiday in 1983 and was first observed in 1986.

In 2027, Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on a Monday. In 2026 it was on a Monday, January 19. In 2028 it will be on a Monday, January 17.

How the Martin Luther King Jr. Day date is worked out

It follows a weekday rule rather than a fixed date, so it always falls on the same day of the week and the date shifts within the month. From 2026 to 2100 it falls between January 15 and January 21. How we calculate every date.

How many days until Martin Luther King Jr. Day in weeks, weekdays and sleeps

The countdown counts calendar days from today to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so on the day before it shows 1. The weeks box splits that into whole weeks and days, the weekdays box counts Monday to Friday (useful for work and school planning, though public holidays are not taken out), and sleeps are the nights left. The timer counts down to midnight at the start of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in your own time zone.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day dates for the next 7 years

Year	Date	Day of the week
2026	January 19, 2026	Monday
2027	January 18, 2027	Monday
2028	January 17, 2028	Monday
2029	January 15, 2029	Monday
2030	January 21, 2030	Monday
2031	January 20, 2031	Monday
2032	January 19, 2032	Monday

Is Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday?

Yes. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one of the 11 annual US federal holidays set in law (5 U.S.C. § 6103). Federal offices and the post office close, banks that follow the Federal Reserve calendar close, and most schools and many employers give the day off. Private employers decide for themselves. It always falls on a Monday, giving a three-day weekend.

Planning tip

Because it is a Monday, it creates a three-day weekend. Book travel early if you want to use it for a short trip.

Frequently asked questions

When is MLK Day 2027?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027 is on Monday, January 18, 2027. The rule: The third Monday of January.

How many days until Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

The countdown at the top of this page shows the exact number of days, hours, minutes and seconds until Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027 (Monday, January 18, 2027), worked out live in your own time zone.

How many weeks until Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

Divide the days in the countdown by seven: the "Weeks" box above shows the whole weeks and the days left over, so you can plan week by week.

Is Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday?

Why is the date different every year?

It is defined as the third Monday of January, so it can fall anywhere from January 15 to January 21.

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