Kentucky Holidays 2026
Kentucky has 11 federal holidays and 5 state holidays in 2026. Private employers don't have to give any of them.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026
11 federal holidays and 5 state holidays in 2026.
11 federal holidays and 5 state holidays in 2026.
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All 2026 holidays in Kentucky
17 days listed| Month | Date | Holiday | Type | Paid by law? | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1Thu | New Year's Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| 2Fri | Day after New Year's DayState employee holiday | State | Not required for private employers | ||
| 19Mon | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| February | 16Mon | Washington's BirthdayNot a Kentucky state holiday | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| April | 3Fri | Good FridayHalf-day holiday for state employees | State | Not required for private employers | |
| 5Sun | Easter Sunday | Observance | Not a day off | ||
| May | 25Mon | Memorial Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| June | 19Fri | Juneteenth | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| July | 4Sat | Independence DayFalls on a Saturday. Observed Fri Jul 3 | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| September | 7Mon | Labor Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| October | 12Mon | Columbus DayLegal holiday under KRS 2.110, but not a paid holiday for Kentucky state employees | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| November | 11Wed | Veterans Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | |
| 26Thu | Thanksgiving Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 27Fri | Day after Thanksgiving | State | Not required for private employers | ||
| December | 24Thu | Christmas Eve | State | Not required for private employers | |
| 25Fri | Christmas Day | Federal | Not required for private employers | ||
| 31Thu | New Year's Eve | State | Not required for private employers |
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What employers need to know
Holiday pay
Holiday pay isn't required by Kentucky law. Private employers decide whether to offer paid holidays.
Working on a holiday
Under Kentucky's overtime regulation, employers don't have to pay overtime just because work falls on a holiday, a weekend or a regular day of rest.
Holidays and overtime
Kentucky's overtime regulation says overtime need not be paid unless more than 40 hours are actually worked in the workweek. Separately, KRS 337.050 requires time and a half for work on the seventh day when an employer lets an employee work seven days in one workweek.
Holidays that fall on a weekend
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday.
Unused vacation when someone leaves
Kentucky law does not require vacation payout at termination, but employers that offer vested vacation pay must pay it to departing employees. Whether and when vacation vests depends on company policy or a written agreement.
From our Kentucky leave laws guideSick leave
Kentucky has no state sick leave law and doesn't require private employers to provide paid or unpaid sick leave. Eligible employers must comply with federal FMLA.
From our Kentucky leave laws guideMaximize your PTO in 2026
These are our suggestions for the best days to take off in Kentucky. They use the 11 federal holidays plus the days Kentucky state offices close for: Day after New Year's Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Take all 13 suggested PTO days and you get 53 days off across 12 breaks, including 7 long weekends. Pick a break to see it on the calendar.
- Federal
- State
- Suggested PTO day
- Weekend
- Today
January 2026
February 2026
March 2026
April 2026
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
October 2026
November 2026
December 2026
When US teams take time off
The national pattern from Vacation Tracker data. We don't have enough Kentucky data for a state view yet.
How Kentucky holidays differ
State holidays
Kentucky has 5 holidays of its own in 2026 on top of the federal ones. The median across the 50 states and DC is 2; 3 have more and 46 have fewer.
Shared with a few states
Day after New Year's Day is also a state holiday in Louisiana and Tennessee. New Year's Eve is also a state holiday in Louisiana, Michigan, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Federal holidays
Not a paid day off for Kentucky state employees: Washington's Birthday and Columbus Day.
Neighboring states in 2026
- Illinois3 holidays of its own
- Indiana4 holidays of its own
- Missouri2 holidays of its own
- Ohiono holidays of its own
- Tennessee4 holidays of its own
- Virginia4 holidays of its own
- West Virginia6 holidays of its own
Sources
- Personnel Memo 25-18: 2026 Holidays for State Personnel (Kentucky Personnel Cabinet)
- KRS 2.110 Public holidays
- Holidays & Leave - Kentucky Personnel Cabinet
- KRS 18A.190 Holidays for state personnel
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Federal holidays
- Wages and Hours | Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet
- 803 KAR 1:061, Overtime pay requirements (Kentucky Legislative Research Commission)
Holiday calendar data includes date-holidays (CC BY-SA 3.0), checked against the official sources above.
Last updated on Nov 1, 2026. Holiday dates come from public sources. Check your employment contract and the official sources above before you rely on them.
Frequently asked questions
No. Holiday pay is not required by Kentucky law.
In 2026, Kentucky has the 11 federal holidays and 5 state holidays: Day after New Year's Day (January 2), Good Friday (April 3), Day after Thanksgiving (November 27), Christmas Eve (December 24) and New Year's Eve (December 31). Washington's Birthday is a federal holiday, but not a Kentucky state holiday.
Yes. Juneteenth is a federal holiday and a Kentucky state holiday. In 2026 it falls on Friday, June 19.
Partly. Columbus Day is a federal holiday. Legal holiday under KRS 2.110, but not a paid holiday for Kentucky state employees. In 2026 it falls on Monday, October 12.
Yes. The day after Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27) is a Kentucky state holiday. Private employers don't have to give it.
Not under Kentucky's overtime rules. The state's overtime regulation says employers aren't required to pay overtime for work on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays or regular days of rest.
No. Kentucky's overtime regulation says overtime need not be paid unless more than 40 hours are actually worked in the workweek, and paid holiday time off isn't time actually worked.
Federal offices observe Saturday holidays on Friday and Sunday holidays on Monday. In 2026, Independence Day falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, July 3.