MLK Day Countdown
As of October 17, 2026 there are 93 days until MLK Day: Monday, January 18, 2027.
Monday, January 18, 2027
How many days until MLK Day?
As of October 17, 2026, MLK Day is 93 days away. That is 13 weeks and 2 days, or 25% of a year; the timer above has the exact figure for today in your time zone.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day dates, 2027 to 2032
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Monday | |
| 2028 | Monday | |
| 2029 | Monday | |
| 2030 | Monday | |
| 2031 | Monday | |
| 2032 | Monday |
When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027? Dates through 2036
How the date of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is set
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the third Monday of January, so it falls between January 15 and January 21.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one of the eleven legal public holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103. It is always a Monday, so the Office of Personnel Management lists the day itself as the federal day off.
Also coming up: Presidents' Day on Monday, February 15, 2027, New Year's Day on Friday, January 1, 2027, and Juneteenth on Saturday, June 19, 2027.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day facts and traditions
The holiday honors the civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., who was born on January 15, 1929.
The campaign for Martin Luther King Jr. Day began after King's assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed on January 20, 1986.
- Its official federal name is Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- King's birthday, January 15, is the earliest date the holiday can fall on.
- By 2000 every state observed it by law.
- Since the King Holiday and Service Act of 1994 it has also been a national day of service.
How the MLK Day countdown counts
The timer runs to midnight at the start of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in your own time zone: the hours, minutes and seconds left today, plus the full days after that. "Days until" counts calendar days, so tomorrow is always 1 day away and the count at the top is one more than the timer's full days. After the day has passed, the countdown moves on to next year by itself.
For a span between any two dates, with weeks and working days, use the days between dates calculator. To count down to a date of your own, create a countdown with its own link.
Put the MLK Day countdown on your site
Copy this code into any web page. It shows a small live countdown that links back here.
Questions about the MLK Day countdown
How many weeks until MLK Day?
13 weeks and 2 days as of October 17, 2026, or 93 days in all. The countdown at the top of this page updates to today's number in your own time zone.
When does the MLK Day countdown reach zero?
At midnight at the start of Monday, January 18, 2027, in your own time zone, so it reaches zero earlier in London than in New York.
Can I add Martin Luther King Jr. Day to my calendar?
Yes. "Add to calendar" downloads an .ics file for January 18, 2027 that calendar apps such as Apple Calendar, Google Calendar and Outlook can import.
When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2028?
Monday, January 17, 2028. The Martin Luther King Jr. Day dates page lists every year through 2036.
Is Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday?
Yes. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is one of the eleven US federal holidays listed in 5 U.S.C. 6103. It is always a Monday, so federal offices close on the day itself.
Sources
- 5 U.S.C. 6103: Holidays — the eleven legal public holidays and the weekend rule (checked October 16, 2026)
- US Office of Personnel Management: Federal Holidays — the days federal offices close each year (checked October 16, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Martin Luther King Jr. Day — history and traditions (checked October 16, 2026)