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How Many Days Until Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the third Monday of January, placed near King's January 15 birthday and observed as a US federal holiday. DaysUntil computes that Monday, counts to it in your browser timezone, and rolls to next January after the local day ends. In 2026 the Monday is January 19; in 2027 it is January 18. A page that aims at January 15 itself will disagree most years. This countdown uses the observed Monday, which is the day federal offices actually close.

FAQ

When is MLK Day?
The third Monday of January. In 2026 that is January 19; in 2027 it is January 18. After that Monday ends locally, we count to the next third Monday of January.
Is it King's actual birthday?
King was born January 15, 1929. The holiday is the nearest uniform Monday under the same family of rules that moved Washington's Birthday. Most years the Monday is not the 15th.
Is it a federal holiday?
Yes. Some states historically combined it with other observances; the federal date is still the third Monday. Schools and banks typically close. This page follows that Monday, not a local “king day” substitute on another week.
Why might another site disagree?
A birthday clock aimed at January 15 differs most years. A UTC flip near midnight can also shift the count. We use the observed Monday in this browser.
When did the holiday become federal?
President Reagan signed the holiday in 1983; the first national observance was January 20, 1986. Unique to this page: it is the only federal holiday officially framed as a National Day of Service — a volunteer Monday, not only a closing — which is why city project lists matter as much as the bank calendar.
Should I count to a march start time?
Use a custom date with a time for a specific city's event. This page stays on the federal Monday.
How should a Day of Service project use this Monday?
City volunteer lists usually run that Monday, sometimes with a Saturday overflow. Count to the federal Monday here; count to a specific project start with a custom time. A birthday breakfast on January 15 is a separate observance and deserves its own link so it does not steal the Monday's meaning.
Which January Mondays are easy to mix up?
New Year's Day can observe Monday, January 2. Inauguration Day is January 20 in presidential years and is not this holiday. MLK Day is specifically the third Monday. In 2026 that Monday is January 19, the day before a midterm-adjacent January 20 that is not an inauguration. Keep the third-Monday rule and ignore nearby civic Mondays.

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