When is Presidents Day?

Presidents Day is a federal holiday in the United States, observed on the third Monday of February every year. In 2027, Presidents Day falls on Monday, February 15. Use the tool below to confirm the date for any year, see how many days are left, check what’s open and closed, and learn more about the holiday’s history and the different ways its name is spelled.

When is Presidents Day in Other Years?

Because Presidents Day is set by federal law as the third Monday of February (under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, effective 1971), the exact date moves each year. It always falls between February 15 and February 21 — never on February 22, which is George Washington’s actual birthday. Use the year switcher in the tool above to see any year between 2024 and 2030, or check the table below at a glance.

What is Presidents Day?

Presidents Day is a federal holiday honoring the presidents of the United States. Although it is popularly known as Presidents Day (or Presidents’ Day, or President’s Day), the holiday is officially still named Washington’s Birthday at the federal level — a name it has carried since it became a federal holiday in 1885.

The “Presidents Day” name became common after the 1971 federal holiday shift, when retailers began using the broader term to market sales. Today, many states officially honor both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln on this day, while others honor all U.S. presidents.

Why Does Presidents Day Always Fall on a Monday?

In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to move several federal holidays — including Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day — to Mondays. The goal was to create predictable three-day weekends for federal employees and reduce workplace disruption from mid-week holidays. The law took effect in 1971.

Before 1971, Washington’s Birthday was observed on February 22 (Washington’s actual birthday). After the change, the holiday moved to the third Monday of February, which falls between February 15 and February 21. Because of this rule, Presidents Day can never fall on February 22, the day it was originally meant to celebrate.

Is Presidents Day a Federal Holiday?

Yes. Presidents Day (officially Washington’s Birthday) is one of the ten official federal holidays observed by the U.S. government. Federal employees, banks, and the post office are closed. Many state and local government offices also close, though specific observances vary by state.

What’s Open and Closed on Presidents Day

The tool above includes the full live observance list — here’s the summary:

• Closed: Federal offices, U.S. Post Office (no mail delivery), most banks, the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, most public schools, most state and local government offices.
• Open with some limits: UPS and FedEx (some service restrictions), some libraries.
• Open: Most retail stores (often with Presidents Day sales), restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, pharmacies.

Trash and recycling collection schedules vary by city — check your local municipality.

Is Presidents Day Weekend a Long Weekend?

Yes — that’s exactly why the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved the holiday to Monday. Presidents Day weekend runs Saturday through Monday, giving most federal employees and many private-sector workers a three-day weekend. It’s a popular weekend for travel, ski trips, and major retail sales events.

How Is Presidents Day Spelled?

You’ll see the name written four different ways online. All are commonly used, but only one is the official federal name:

• Presidents Day — the most common modern spelling. Treats “presidents” as an attributive noun (like “teachers lounge” or “drivers license”). No apostrophe.
• Presidents’ Day — the plural-possessive spelling. Treats the day as belonging to multiple presidents. Used by many newspapers and style guides.
• President’s Day — the singular-possessive spelling. Historically used when the holiday was understood to honor just George Washington.
• Washington’s Birthday — the official federal name, still used in U.S. Code (5 U.S.C. § 6103) today.

There’s no universally “correct” spelling — even major dictionaries and style guides disagree. Some states have legally adopted specific spellings (Washington state uses “Washington’s Birthday”; California uses “Presidents’ Day”), while federal documents continue to use “Washington’s Birthday.”

What Do People Do on Presidents Day?

Because Presidents Day creates a three-day weekend in mid-February, traditions are more practical than ceremonial. Common observances include:

• Retail sales. Presidents Day is one of the largest retail sale weekends of the year, with major discounts on cars, mattresses, appliances, and home goods.
• Winter travel. The long weekend is one of the busiest ski and snowboarding weekends in U.S. resort towns.
• School and educational events. Many K-12 schools mark the holiday with lessons about U.S. presidents, especially Washington and Lincoln. Some classes do “Presidents Day” themed projects in the week leading up to the holiday.
• Ceremonies at presidential sites. Mount Vernon (Washington’s home), the Lincoln Memorial, Lincoln’s birthplace in Kentucky, and several presidential libraries hold public events and ceremonies.
• Reading of Washington’s Farewell Address. Since 1862, the U.S. Senate has read aloud Washington’s 1796 Farewell Address every year around Presidents Day — a tradition that continues today.

A Brief History of Presidents Day

The holiday’s evolution is a small window into how the United States has thought about its presidents over time.

1832 — Congress holds the first formal commemoration of Washington’s Birthday, 100 years after his birth.

1879 — Congress makes Washington’s Birthday a federal holiday for the District of Columbia, observed on February 22.

1885 — The holiday is extended to all federal offices nationwide. It is the first federal holiday to honor an individual American.

1968 — The Uniform Monday Holiday Act is passed, moving Washington’s Birthday (along with several other holidays) to a Monday.

1971 — The act takes effect. Washington’s Birthday moves to the third Monday of February.

1980s onward — The name “Presidents Day” becomes widely used in retail marketing, then in general speech. The federal name remains “Washington’s Birthday,” but state and popular usage drifts toward the broader name.

Today, the holiday means different things in different places. Some states officially honor only Washington; others honor Washington and Lincoln; others honor all U.S. presidents; and some have no state-level observance at all.

Counting Down to Presidents Day

If you’d like to keep a running countdown to Presidents Day on your phone or computer, the tool above does this automatically — bookmark this page, or use the “Share & Embed” button to add it to your phone’s home screen or embed it on a personal blog or community website.

For schools, libraries, and historical organizations, the embed code is a nice addition to a classroom resource page or a “this week in history” sidebar. The embedded version shows the year-aware date, day of the week, and live countdown, with a credit link back to this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Presidents Day 2027?

Presidents Day 2027 falls on Monday, February 15, 2027. The exact date for any other year is shown in the tool at the top of this page — use the year switcher to see 2024 through 2030.

When is Presidents Day 2028?

Presidents Day 2028 is Monday, February 21, 2028. It’s the latest possible date Presidents Day can fall on, because February 21 is exactly three weeks after February 1.

Is Presidents Day always a Monday?

Yes. Since the Uniform Monday Holiday Act took effect in 1971, Presidents Day has always fallen on the third Monday of February. Before 1971, the holiday was observed on February 22, George Washington’s actual birthday.

Why isn’t Presidents Day on February 22?

Because Congress moved the holiday to the third Monday of February in 1971 to create a three-day weekend. The third Monday can fall anywhere from February 15 to February 21 — never on February 22, the day that originally marked Washington’s birthday.

Is Presidents Day a federal holiday?

Yes. Presidents Day (officially called “Washington’s Birthday”) is one of the ten federal holidays designated by U.S. law (5 U.S.C. § 6103). Federal employees, the post office, most banks, and the stock market are closed.

Is Presidents Day the same as Washington’s Birthday?

Yes — they are the same federal holiday. The official federal name is still “Washington’s Birthday,” while “Presidents Day” is the popular and commercial name that became widespread after the 1971 federal holiday shift.

What’s the correct spelling — Presidents Day, Presidents’ Day, or President’s Day?

All three are in common use. “Presidents Day” (no apostrophe) is the most common modern spelling. “Presidents’ Day” (plural possessive) is favored by many style guides. “President’s Day” (singular possessive) is historically tied to honoring just Washington. The federal name remains “Washington’s Birthday.”

Is the post office closed on Presidents Day?

Yes. The U.S. Postal Service observes Presidents Day as a federal holiday. There is no regular mail delivery and post office retail locations are closed. Priority Mail Express service operates with limitations.

Are banks open on Presidents Day?

Most major banks are closed on Presidents Day, as it’s a Federal Reserve holiday. ATMs and online banking remain available. Some smaller community banks and credit unions may have limited hours — check with your bank for specifics.

Is the stock market open on Presidents Day?

No. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Nasdaq, and bond markets are closed on Presidents Day. Cryptocurrency markets, which trade 24/7, remain open.

Are schools closed on Presidents Day?

Most public K-12 schools in the United States are closed on Presidents Day. Many school districts extend the closure into a “Presidents Day week” or “winter break” combining it with surrounding days. Private schools and colleges vary — check your district’s calendar.

When did Presidents Day become a federal holiday?

Washington’s Birthday became a federal holiday in 1879 for the District of Columbia, and was extended to all federal offices in 1885. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 (effective 1971) moved it to the third Monday of February and began the gradual shift toward the popular name “Presidents Day.”

Can I embed this Presidents Day tool on my website?

Yes. Click “Share & Embed” on the tool above to get an iframe embed code you can paste into any website, blog, classroom resource page, library page, or HTML editor. The embedded tool displays the date and live countdown in real time and credits this page.