Is today a holiday?: What to know about MLK Day and Inauguration Day

Monday brings both the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the quadrennial Inauguration Day. So is today a holiday?

The answer is yes, because of the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, which is a federal holiday each year.

Is Inauguration Day a holiday?

Inauguration day by itself is not a federal holiday. However, federal employees in the Washington, D.C. area do receive a holiday on a presidential inauguration day.

According to the Office of Personnel Management, the "Inauguration Day Area" is defined as:

1. the District of Columbia;
2. Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties in Maryland;
3. Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia; and
4. the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax in Virginia.

OPM said the Inauguration Day holiday for D.C. area workers is to ease traffic and allow area employees to attend the event.

When is MLK Day?

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday of January every year in the United States and this year it is on Jan. 20, 2025.

Is MLK Day a holiday?

Every year, the nation marks the time of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday as a federal holiday.

What are the federal holidays?

According to OPM, the holidays for federal employees are:

• New Year's Day (January 1).
• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Third Monday in January).
• Washington's Birthday (Third Monday in February).
• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May).
• Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19).
• Independence Day (July 4).
• Labor Day (First Monday in September).
• Columbus Day (Second Monday in October).
• Veterans Day (November 11).
• Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November).
• Christmas Day (December 25).

Is the stock market open on MLK Day?

The New York Stock Exchange closed for a long weekend after normal trading hours on Friday, Jan. 17 and will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

The stock market in the United States is closed on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 for MLK Day.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day marks the third closure of the year after closures for New Year's Day on Jan. 1 and for the National Day of Mourning after Jimmy Carter's death, which was marked on Jan. 9.

Is the post office open or closed on MLK Day?

The USPS is closed on MLK Day 2025 and mail will not be delivered or picked up.

According to the USPS website, MLK Day is one of 11 holidays to be marked in 2025.