When Is MLK Day 2027?

MLK Day 2027 is on Monday, January 18, 2027. In 2028 it falls on Monday, January 17.

Sources: US Code, OPM, Wikipedia Updated October 16, 2026

Martin Luther King Jr. Day dates, 2027 to 2036

Martin Luther King Jr. Day dates for ten years
Year	Date	Day
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
2033	January 17, 2033	Monday
2034	January 16, 2034	Monday
2035	January 15, 2035	Monday
2036	January 21, 2036	Monday

Monday, January 18 is the third Monday of January 2027.

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.

The holiday honors the civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., who was born on January 15, 1929.

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.

Earliest and latest date of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is always a Monday, so its date moves within the seven days from January 15 to January 21. From 2027 to 2036 it is earliest on January 15, 2029 and latest on January 21, 2030.

Chart of Martin Luther King Jr. Day dates from 2027 to 2036 within the January 15 to January 21 range: January 18 in 2027, January 17 in 2028, January 15 in 2029, January 21 in 2030, January 20 in 2031, January 19 in 2032, January 17 in 2033, January 16 in 2034, January 15 in 2035, January 21 in 2036. — Each dot is one year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day; the range runs from the earliest possible date, January 15, to the latest, January 21.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day facts and traditions

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.

Questions about MLK Day

What day of the week is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2027?

Monday. Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027 falls on January 18, 2027.

How many days until Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

93 days, counted from October 17, 2026. The MLK Day countdown shows the number for today in your time zone. To count to any other date, use the days between dates calculator.

Is Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the same date every year?

No. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the third Monday of January, so it falls between January 15 and January 21.

When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2028?

Monday, January 17, 2028.

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)