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Kentucky state holidays 2027

Kentucky expects to give state employees 12 paid holidays in 2027, 3 of them still to be confirmed. Here are the observed dates, how weekend holidays move and what they mean for a private employer.

The 12 paid state holidays of 2027, plus December 31

8 long weekends

  1. January 1: New Year’s Day Friday Long weekend
  2. January 18: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday Long weekend
  3. May 31: Memorial Day Monday Long weekend
  4. June 18: Juneteenth Friday · observed, June 19 is a Saturday Long weekend
  5. July 5: Independence Day Monday · observed, July 4 is a Sunday Long weekend
  6. September 6: Labor Day Monday Long weekend
  7. November 11: Veterans Day Thursday
  8. November 25: Thanksgiving Thursday 4-day weekend
  9. November 26: Day after Thanksgiving Friday · to be confirmed 4-day weekend
  10. December 23: Christmas (extra day) Thursday · to be confirmed 4-day weekend
  11. December 24: Christmas Friday · observed, December 25 is a Saturday 4-day weekend
  12. December 30: New Year’s (extra day) Thursday · to be confirmed 4-day weekend
  13. December 31: New Year’s Day 2028 Friday · observed, January 1, 2028 is a Saturday 4-day weekend

Kentucky’s Personnel Cabinet usually publishes the next year’s holidays in November, so these dates follow KRS 18A.190 for now. December 31 is the observed New Year’s Day 2028, so it counts toward 2028, not the 12 holidays of 2027.

To be confirmed

  • Day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 26: The law gives Thanksgiving plus one extra day the governor designates, which in recent years has been the Friday.
  • Christmas (extra day), Thursday, December 23: The governor designates the extra Christmas day; with Christmas on a Saturday it could also be Monday, December 27.
  • New Year’s (extra day), Thursday, December 30: The law gives New Year’s Day plus one extra day the governor designates; with January 1, 2028 on a Saturday, the Personnel Cabinet has put that day at the end of the year before, as on Friday, December 30, 2022.

These days aren’t in the calendar download until they’re confirmed.

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Who Kentucky state holidays apply to

State holidays in Kentucky are the days the state gives its own employees off with pay. They don’t bind private employers: whether your team gets these days off, and whether they’re paid, depends on your policy, your employment contracts or a union agreement.

Kentucky’s holiday law covers state offices and employees only. We found no Kentucky law that requires private employers to give state holidays off or to pay extra for working them. Source: KRS 18A.190, Holidays for state personnel.

Holidays that fall on a weekend

Kentucky law observes a Saturday holiday on the Friday before and a Sunday holiday on the Monday after. The governor picks the extra day that comes with New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In 2027:

  • Juneteenth falls on Saturday, June 19 and is observed on Friday, June 18.
  • Independence Day falls on Sunday, July 4 and is observed on Monday, July 5.
  • Christmas falls on Saturday, December 25 and is observed on Friday, December 24.
  • New Year’s Day 2028 falls on Saturday, January 1, 2028 and is observed on Friday, December 31.

How Kentucky compares with the federal holidays

Of the 11 federal holidays, Kentucky doesn’t give state employees a paid day off for Presidents’ Day and Columbus Day. On top of the federal list, it adds Day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 26; Christmas (extra day) on Thursday, December 23; and New Year’s (extra day) on Thursday, December 30.

Half days

These days are on the state’s list but aren’t full paid days off, so they’re not in the count or the calendar download.

  • Good Friday, Friday, March 26: half day, paid by statute.

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Frequently asked questions

How many paid state holidays does Kentucky have in 2027?

Kentucky gives state employees 12 paid holidays, 3 of them still to be confirmed: New Year’s Day on Friday, January 1; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 18; Memorial Day on Monday, May 31; Juneteenth on Friday, June 18; Independence Day on Monday, July 5; Labor Day on Monday, September 6; Veterans Day on Thursday, November 11; Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 25; Day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 26 (to be confirmed); Christmas (extra day) on Thursday, December 23 (to be confirmed); Christmas on Friday, December 24; and New Year’s (extra day) on Thursday, December 30 (to be confirmed). State employees also get Friday, December 31 off, because that’s when New Year’s Day 2028 is observed.

Is Juneteenth a state holiday in Kentucky?

Yes. Juneteenth is a paid state holiday in Kentucky, observed on Friday, June 18, because June 19 is a Saturday.

Is the day after Thanksgiving a holiday in Kentucky?

It may be, but it’s still to be confirmed. The law gives Thanksgiving plus one extra day the governor designates, which in recent years has been the Friday.

Do private employers have to give state holidays off in Kentucky?

Kentucky’s holiday law covers state offices and employees only. We found no Kentucky law that requires private employers to give state holidays off or to pay extra for working them. Beyond that, whether your team gets these days off, and whether they’re paid, depends on your policy, your employment contracts or a union agreement. Federal law doesn’t require holiday pay, but nonexempt employees still earn time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek, holiday or not.

What state holidays fall on a weekend in 2027?

Juneteenth falls on Saturday, June 19 and is observed on Friday, June 18. Independence Day falls on Sunday, July 4 and is observed on Monday, July 5. Christmas falls on Saturday, December 25 and is observed on Friday, December 24. New Year’s Day 2028 falls on Saturday, January 1, 2028 and is observed on Friday, December 31.

Official sources

Data reviewed on October 12, 2026.