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Public holidays in Puerto Rico

18 days in 2026 · 18 in 2027

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Next public holiday

Columbus Day

Día de la Raza / Descubrimiento de América

After it: Veterans Day, Wednesday 11 November

Monday, 12 October 2026

Eighteen days a year are off for Puerto Rico's government employees in both 2026 and 2027, on the list the executive branch keeps under Law 26-2017. It joins every United States federal holiday, from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to Thanksgiving, with seven days of the island's own: Three Kings Day, American Citizenship Day, the Abolition of Slavery, Good Friday, Constitution Day, the birthday of José Celso Barbosa and the Día de la Puertorriqueñidad.

The third Monday in February carries the longest name on the calendar. It joins Presidents' Day to a day for the island's illustrious men and women, whose separate birthday holidays were folded into it from 2014, and the government's list for 2026 honours 22 people on it, from Eugenio María de Hostos and José de Diego to Julia de Burgos and Roberto Clemente.

Days off in 2026
18Nationwide public holidays
On a weekday
16Monday to Friday
On a weekend
2Saturday or Sunday
Long weekends
11and 4 with one day of leave

2026

Public holidays in Puerto Rico in 2026

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayDía de Año Nuevo1 January, a Commonwealth and federal holiday, greeted with gatherings and fireworks. Celebratory gunfire is illegal and has at times caused injuries and deaths.Thursday
  2. 6 January: Three Kings Day / EpiphanyDía de Reyes6 January, Three Kings Day, a Commonwealth holiday. The night before, children fill boxes with grass for the camels of the Three Wise Men and find presents in their place in the morning.Tuesday
  3. 19 January: Martin Luther King, Jr. DayNatalicio de Martin Luther King, Jr.The third Monday in January, a federal and Commonwealth holiday.MondayDate moves
  4. 16 February: Presidents' DayDía de Jorge Washington, Día de los Presidentes y el Día de las Mujeres y Hombres Próceres de Puerto RicoThe third Monday in February: Washington's Birthday, known as Presidents' Day, joined by a day for the island's illustrious men and women that absorbed their separate birthday holidays. Laws of 2018 to 2022 named the day and added to its list, Roberto Clemente Walker among them in 2022.MondayDate moves
  5. 2 March: American Citizenship DayDía de la Ciudadanía Americana2 March, a Commonwealth holiday. Puerto Ricans have been citizens of the United States since 2 March 1917.Monday
  6. 23 March: Emancipation DayDía de la Abolición de la Esclavitud22 March, for the abolition of slavery in 1873, while Puerto Rico was still a colony of Spain. The Sunday date of 2026 moves the day off to Monday 23 March.MondayDate moves
  7. 3 April: Good FridayViernes SantoThe Friday before Easter, a public and religious holiday and the most solemn day of the year on the island. Under Law 4-2017, shops that were already bound to close on Good Friday and Easter Sunday must still do so.FridayDate moves
  8. 25 May: Memorial DayRecordación de los Muertos de la GuerraThe last Monday in May, Memorial Day, a federal and Commonwealth holiday for those who died in war.MondayDate moves
  9. 19 June: Juneteenth National Independence Day19 June, a federal holiday since Public Law 117-17 was approved on 17 June 2021. The government's list keeps the Saturday date of 2027 without moving it.Friday
  10. 4 July: Independence DayDía de la Independencia de los Estados Unidos4 July, the Independence Day of the United States. The 2026 date is a Saturday and stays there; the 2027 date is a Sunday, so the day off is Monday 5 July.SaturdayDate moves
  11. 25 July: Puerto Rico Constitution DayDía de la Constitución de Puerto Rico25 July, the day in 1952 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico was established. It was once called Occupation Day, for the landing of American troops at Guánica in 1898. The Sunday date of 2027 moves the day off to Monday 26 July.SaturdayDate moves
  12. 27 July: Birthday of José Celso BarbosaDía de José Celso Barbosa27 July, the birthday of José Celso Barbosa (1857 to 1921), a doctor, an early advocate of statehood and founder of the Republican Party on the island. A 2014 law folded it into the February day, and it is again a day off of its own.Monday
  13. 7 September: Labor DayDía del TrabajoThe first Monday in September, Labor Day, named in the Political Code of 1902 as the day of the festival of labour.MondayDate moves
  14. 12 October: Columbus DayDía de la Raza / Descubrimiento de AméricaThe second Monday in October, kept as Día de la Raza and the discovery of America: Columbus Day in the federal calendar.MondayDate moves
  15. 11 November: Veterans DayDía del Veterano / Día del Armisticio11 November, Veterans Day, also called Armistice Day, usually marked at the Puerto Rico National Cemetery.Wednesday
  16. 19 November: Discovery of Puerto RicoDía de la Puertorriqueñidad19 November, renamed by Law 117-2022. It was long the Discovery of Puerto Rico, for Columbus reaching the island on his second voyage in 1493.Thursday
  17. 26 November: Thanksgiving DayDía de Acción de GraciasThe fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving, a federal and Commonwealth holiday that opens the Christmas season on the island.ThursdayDate moves
  18. 25 December: Christmas DayNavidad25 December. The Christmas season in Puerto Rico runs from Thanksgiving to the third week of January, when the San Sebastián Street Festival in Old San Juan closes it. The 2027 date is a Saturday.Friday

Long weekends

Long weekends in Puerto Rico in 2026

Runs of three days or more off, with weekends counted, and the working days that join a holiday to a weekend when taken as leave.

  • 4daysThu 1 Jan to Sun 4 JanWith Fri 2 Jan taken as leave · New Year's Day
  • 4daysSat 3 Jan to Tue 6 JanWith Mon 5 Jan taken as leave · Three Kings Day / Epiphany
  • 3daysSat 17 Jan to Mon 19 JanMartin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • 3daysSat 14 Feb to Mon 16 FebPresidents' Day
  • 3daysSat 28 Feb to Mon 2 MarAmerican Citizenship Day
  • 3daysSat 21 Mar to Mon 23 MarEmancipation Day
  • 3daysFri 3 Apr to Sun 5 AprGood Friday
  • 3daysSat 23 May to Mon 25 MayMemorial Day
  • 3daysFri 19 Jun to Sun 21 JunJuneteenth National Independence Day
  • 3daysSat 25 Jul to Mon 27 JulPuerto Rico Constitution Day, Birthday of José Celso Barbosa
  • 3daysSat 5 Sept to Mon 7 SeptLabor Day
  • 3daysSat 10 Oct to Mon 12 OctColumbus Day
  • 4daysThu 19 Nov to Sun 22 NovWith Fri 20 Nov taken as leave · Discovery of Puerto Rico
  • 4daysThu 26 Nov to Sun 29 NovWith Fri 27 Nov taken as leave · Thanksgiving Day
  • 3daysFri 25 Dec to Sun 27 DecChristmas Day

2027

Public holidays in Puerto Rico in 2027

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayDía de Año NuevoFriday
  2. 6 January: Three Kings Day / EpiphanyDía de ReyesWednesday
  3. 18 January: Martin Luther King, Jr. DayNatalicio de Martin Luther King, Jr.MondayDate moves
  4. 15 February: Presidents' DayDía de Jorge Washington, Día de los Presidentes y el Día de las Mujeres y Hombres Próceres de Puerto RicoMondayDate moves
  5. 2 March: American Citizenship DayDía de la Ciudadanía AmericanaTuesday
  6. 22 March: Emancipation DayDía de la Abolición de la EsclavitudMondayDate moves
  7. 26 March: Good FridayViernes SantoFridayDate moves
  8. 31 May: Memorial DayRecordación de los Muertos de la GuerraMondayDate moves
  9. 19 June: Juneteenth National Independence DaySaturday
  10. 5 July: Independence DayDía de la Independencia de los Estados UnidosMondayDate moves
  11. 26 July: Puerto Rico Constitution DayDía de la Constitución de Puerto RicoMondayDate moves
  12. 27 July: Birthday of José Celso BarbosaDía de José Celso BarbosaTuesday
  13. 6 September: Labor DayDía del TrabajoMondayDate moves
  14. 11 October: Columbus DayDía de la Raza / Descubrimiento de AméricaMondayDate moves
  15. 11 November: Veterans DayDía del Veterano / Día del ArmisticioThursday
  16. 19 November: Discovery of Puerto RicoDía de la PuertorriqueñidadFriday
  17. 25 November: Thanksgiving DayDía de Acción de GraciasThursdayDate moves
  18. 25 December: Christmas DayNavidadSaturday

A holiday that falls on a Sunday is kept on the Monday after, under Article 387 of the Political Code of 1902. A Saturday holiday is not moved. That is why 2026 has Independence Day and Constitution Day on Saturdays, and 2027 has Juneteenth and Christmas on Saturdays, while Emancipation Day 2026 and both July days in 2027 move to a Monday. The Governor may also proclaim that a holiday be kept on the nearest Monday or Friday.

For the 250th anniversary of the United States in July 2026, the government gave its employees two extra days free, Friday 3 July and Friday 24 July, without charging them to leave. Neither is a public holiday, and neither is counted here.

The list changed most in 2014, when a new law cut the holidays from 19 to 17 and folded the birthdays of Luis Muñoz Rivera, José Celso Barbosa and Luis Muñoz Marín into the February day. The government's lists now honour Hostos and de Diego on that Monday too, while Barbosa's 27 July is a day off again.

Common questions

Questions about public holidays in Puerto Rico

How many days off does the Puerto Rican calendar give?

Eighteen in 2026 and eighteen in 2027, on the list the government's human resources office publishes for executive branch employees under Law 26-2017. Seven are the island's own, including Three Kings Day, Constitution Day and the Día de la Puertorriqueñidad, and the rest follow the United States federal calendar. Two of the eighteen land on a Saturday in each year: Independence Day and Constitution Day in 2026, Juneteenth and Christmas in 2027.

When do Puerto Ricans celebrate Three Kings Day?

On 6 January, a Commonwealth holiday: a Tuesday in 2026 and a Wednesday in 2027. On the eve, children leave boxes of grass under their beds for the camels of the Three Wise Men, and in the morning the grass has become presents.

Are Saturday holidays moved to a weekday in Puerto Rico?

No, only Sunday ones. The Political Code of 1902 moves a holiday that falls on a Sunday to the Monday after, so Emancipation Day 2026 is kept on Monday 23 March and Constitution Day 2027 on Monday 26 July, and Independence Day 2027 on Monday 5 July. Saturday holidays stay where they are: Independence Day and Constitution Day in 2026, Juneteenth and Christmas in 2027, which gives government staff no weekday in exchange. The Governor can still proclaim a shift to the nearest Monday or Friday, under a law of 1969, and for the 250th anniversary of the United States it gave two extra Fridays off in July 2026.

What happened to the holiday for Hostos's birthday?

Because a law of 2014 began folding the island's commemorative birthdays into one day. Luis Muñoz Rivera, José Celso Barbosa and Luis Muñoz Marín went first, and the government's lists now place Eugenio María de Hostos and José de Diego on the same third Monday in February, beside Presidents' Day, among 22 names in all. Barbosa's birthday on 27 July has since become a day off of its own again.

Do shops close on Good Friday in Puerto Rico?

Many must. Good Friday is a public holiday and the most solemn day of the year on the island, and under Law 4-2017, the Labour Transformation and Flexibility Act, commercial establishments that were already required to close on Good Friday and Easter Sunday have to stay closed. Employers must also make reasonable room for an employee who asks in writing for a religious accommodation. Good Friday falls on 3 April 2026 and 26 March 2027.

What does the Día de la Puertorriqueñidad mark?

The day was long called the Discovery of Puerto Rico, for 19 November 1493, when Christopher Columbus reached the island on his second voyage and landed on its northwest coast. Law 117-2022 gave it its present name, Día de la Puertorriqueñidad. It is a Commonwealth holiday, not a federal one, and comes on a Thursday in 2026 and on a Friday in 2027, making a long weekend that year.

Dates from Nager.Date, read 2026-09-30. The page counts from Wednesday, 30 September 2026, the day it was built.