Massachusetts Legal Holidays
Holiday |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Years Day – January first | Jan. 1, Thurs. | Jan. 1, Fri. | Jan. 1, Sun. (3) |
| Martin Luther King, Jr. Day– Third Monday in January | Jan. 19, Mon. | Jan. 18, Mon. | Jan. 16, Mon. |
| Washington’s Birthday – Third Monday in February | Feb. 16, Mon. | Feb. 15, Mon. | Feb. 20, Mon. |
| Evacuation Day – March 17th (Suffolk County only, state and municipal offices are open) | Mar. 17, Tues. | Mar. 17, Thurs. | Mar. 17, Fri. |
| Patriots' Day – Third Monday in April | Apr. 20, Mon. | Apr. 18, Mon. | Apr. 17, Mon. |
| Memorial Day – Last Monday in May** (1) | May 25, Mon. (1) | May 30, Mon. (1) | May 29, Mon. (1) |
| Bunker Hill Day – June 17th (Suffolk County only, state and municipal offices are open) | June 17, Wed. | June 17, Fri. | June 17, Sat. |
| Independence Day – July 4th** | July 4, Sat. (3) | July 4, Mon. | July 4, Tues. |
| Labor Day – First Monday in September** | Sept. 7, Mon. | Sept. 5, Mon. | Sept. 4, Mon. |
| Columbus Day – Second Monday in October* (Restrictions until 12 noon) (2) | Oct. 12, Mon. (2) | Oct. 10, Mon. (2) | Oct. 9, Mon. (2) |
| Veterans Day – November 11th* (Restrictions until 1pm) (2) | Nov. 11, Wed. (2) | Nov. 11, Fri. (2) | Nov. 11, Sat. (2) |
| Thanksgiving Day – Customarily the fourth Thursday in November* (1) | Nov. 26, Thurs. (1) | Nov. 24, Thurs. (1) | Nov. 23, Thurs. (1) |
| Christmas Day – December 25th* (1) | Dec. 25, Fri. (1) | Dec. 25, Sun. (1)(3) | Dec. 25, Mon. (1) |
* - Full restrictions apply for ALL commerce
** - Restrictions apply except to retail
(1) Liquor Stores must be closed for Memorial, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Days.
(2) Many companies operate all day on these holidays, pending obtaining a local permit.
(3) All holidays falling on Sunday must be observed on Monday, under state law. Saturday holidays are observed on Saturday.
For a PDF version please click here. Massachusetts Legal Holidays (PDF)
Above is a list of all legal holidays observed in Massachusetts. State, county, and municipal offices are closed on the days listed above with the exception of March 17th and June 17th (See Chapter 4 below). Federal offices are only closed on holidays which the federal government recognizes (i.e. New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). The term "federal holiday" is not applicable to individual states and the private sector since each state has jurisdiction over its holidays.
In Massachusetts certain holidays are subject to laws which restrict the type of work that may be performed as well as the kind of business and commercial activities that may remain open. Only those holidays followed by asterisks (*) have certain restrictions. On holidays not followed by asterisks, business and commercial activities may operate as usual.
Please note: Only retail establishments may open during the summer holidays of Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Retail establishments which operate on New Years Day, Columbus Day after 12 noon, or on November 11th after 1:00 p.m. are required to pay their employees time and one-half regardless of the number of employees on their payroll. Retail establishments which operate on the summer holidays of Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day must pay time and one-half if at least eight employees are on the payroll in the week the holiday falls (Sunday to Saturday).
Chapter 4, section 7 clause 18 has amended the law regarding Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day: "Legal holiday'' shall include January first, July fourth, November eleventh, and Christmas Day, or the day following when any of said days occurs on Sunday, and the third Monday in January, the third Monday in February, the third Monday in April, the last Monday in May, the first Monday in September, the second Monday in October, and Thanksgiving Day. "Legal holiday'' shall also include, with respect to Suffolk county only, Evacuation Day, on March seventeenth, and Bunker Hill Day, on June seventeenth, or the day following when said days occur on Sunday; provided, however, that all state and municipal agencies, authorities, quasi-public entities or other offices located in Suffolk county shall be open for business and appropriately staffed on Evacuation Day, on March seventeenth, and Bunker Hill Day, on June seventeenth, and that section forty-five of chapter one hundred and forty-nine shall not apply to Evacuation Day, on March seventeenth, and Bunker Hill Day, on June seventeenth, or the day following when said days occur on Sunday.
For further information on holiday laws, contact Citizen Information Service.
The 44 Cities and Towns
of Middlesex South
ACTON, ARLINGTON, ASHBY, ASHLAND, AYER, BEDFORD, BELMONT, BOXBOROUGH, BURLINGTON, CAMBRIDGE, CONCORD, EVERETT, FRAMINGHAM, GROTON, HOLLISTON, HOPKINTON, HUDSON, LEXINGTON, LINCOLN, LITTLETON, MALDEN, MARLBOROUGH, MAYNARD, MEDFORD, MELROSE, NATICK, NEWTON, NORTH READING, PEPPERELL, READING, SHERBORN, SHIRLEY, SOMERVILLE, STONEHAM, STOW, SUDBURY, TOWNSEND, WAKEFIELD, WALTHAM, WATERTOWN, WAYLAND, WESTON, WINCHESTER, WOBURN