Presidents Day Weekend 2025: Closures & Who Gets Off

Anyone who has ever tried to figure out what’s open on Presidents Day already knows the drill: some things close, some stay open, and the rules vary by employer, state, and even local trash schedule. Presidents Day 2025 lands on Monday, February 17, a federal holiday officially called Washington’s Birthday, but its observance is anything but uniform.

Official name: Washington’s Birthday ·
Date in 2025: Monday, February 17 ·
Federal holiday status: Yes (since 1879) ·
Uniform Monday Holiday Act: 1968 (effective 1971) ·
Observed as state holiday: Varies by state

Eight key facts about the holiday’s origins and scope show how a single date can mean very different things depending on who you are.

What day is Presidents Day in 2025?

Why is it on the third Monday?

• Presidents Day 2025 falls on Monday, February 17 (Time and Date).
• The date is the third Monday of February, set by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, which took effect in 1971 (Wikipedia).
• Before the act, Washington’s Birthday was celebrated on February 22 (National Archives).

How is the date determined for future years?

• The same rule applies every year: third Monday of February (GovInfo).
• In 2026, Presidents Day will be Monday, February 16 (Time and Date).
• This pattern ensures a consistent long weekend for federal employees and students, but it decouples the holiday from Washington’s actual birth date.

The implication: The Uniform Monday Holiday Act achieved its goal of creating more three-day weekends, but it also severed the date from its original anchor. Americans celebrating on February 17 may not realize the holiday was once tied to a specific birth date.

Is Presidents Day a federal holiday?

What is the official name of the holiday?

• Yes, it is a federal holiday. The official name used by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is Washington’s Birthday (OPM).
• Congress has never changed the statutory name, although common usage has shifted to “Presidents Day” (Wikipedia).
• GovInfo notes that the holiday was originally established in 1879 to commemorate George Washington’s birthday and later evolved to honor all presidents (GovInfo).

Which states observe Presidents Day as a state holiday?

• Most states observe the third Monday of February as a paid state holiday, but some use different names — e.g., “Washington-Lincoln Day” in a few states (Wikipedia).
• A handful of states (e.g., Massachusetts, Virginia) still call it “Washington’s Birthday” and do not officially include Lincoln (OfficeHolidays).
• Some states combine the day with other observances or do not grant it as a paid holiday for state workers (Maryland State Archives).

The pattern: The federal government treats it as a standard closure day, but state-level adoption is patchy. That means a federal worker in one state may have the day off while their neighbor at a state agency does not.

What is closed on Presidents Day?

Are government offices and courts closed?

• All federal government offices, courts, and agencies are closed (USA.gov).
• State and local government offices may close or remain open — it depends on state law (Time and Date).
• Post offices are closed; no regular mail delivery on February 17 (PBS News).

Are banks and post offices closed?

• Most banks are closed, though some branches near grocery stores may stay open (PBS News).
• The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ are open on Presidents Day — it is not a stock market holiday (Time and Date).
• Public transit systems often run on a holiday schedule; check local transit authority websites (NYC311).

What about schools and public transit?

• Most public school districts are closed on Presidents Day — examples include Saint Louis Public Schools (SLPS announcement).
• However, some school districts, like Pittsburgh Public Schools, do not show Presidents Day as a closure in their calendar, indicating variation (Pittsburgh School District).
• Colleges generally hold classes unless the holiday falls within a semester break period (Courier-Post).

The trade-off: Federal closures are predictable, but for transit, banking, and schools, the picture is fragmented. Checking local government websites is the only way to be sure.

Who gets Presidents Day 2025 off?

Federal employees

• Federal employees receive a paid day off on Presidents Day (OPM).
• This includes most federal agency workers, the Postal Service, and federal court personnel.
• Inauguration Day 2025 (January 20) is also a federal holiday for employees in the Washington, DC area (FEDmanager).

Private sector workers

• There is no federal law requiring private employers to give Presidents Day off (USA.gov).
• Many companies — especially in finance, tech, and consulting — observe it as a paid holiday, but retail, hospitality, and healthcare employees often work (TriNet).
• Retail stores frequently run Presidents Day sales, so retail staff are typically expected to work (PBS News).

Retail and service industry employees

• Presidents Day is one of the biggest retail sales weekends of the year (Courier-Post).
• For grocery, convenience, and fast-food workers, it is a normal working day.
• Some states require premium pay for working on a federal holiday, but that is not the norm (Qualee).

The catch: The people most likely to benefit from the holiday — federal employees and students — are also the ones who get to stay home. Meanwhile, the retail workforce that powers the sales events often works longer hours.

Are schools closed on Presidents Day 2025?

Public vs private school closures

• Most public school districts across the U.S. close for Presidents Day, but it is not universal (SLPS confirms closure).
• Some districts schedule teacher training days or keep schools open — check your school calendar for 2025.
• Private schools have more flexibility; many choose to close for a long weekend, but others hold regular classes (Courier-Post).

College and university schedules

• Colleges generally hold classes on Presidents Day because the holiday often falls mid-semester, not during a break period (Time and Date).
• Some institutions give a day off, especially those with a long Presidents Day weekend built into their academic calendar.
• The variation means students should check their individual university holiday list.

Typical school calendar patterns

• Many school districts schedule a 4-day weekend (Friday–Monday) around Presidents Day, using Friday as a teacher workday.
• The Maryland State Archives lists the third Monday in February as a state holiday but notes that not all counties treat it as a school closure (Maryland State Archives).
• For families, this means the February break is often a school-break mini-holiday, but not for college students.

The pattern: School closures are the rule for public K–12, but the exception for colleges and private schools. Always verify — especially if you’re building a vacation around the holiday.

Timeline: How Presidents Day became the February holiday

• 1732 – George Washington born (February 22, Julian calendar) (National Archives)
• 1879 – Washington’s Birthday becomes a federal holiday in the District of Columbia (GovInfo)
• 1885 – Federal holiday expanded to all federal offices (GovInfo)
• 1968 – Uniform Monday Holiday Act signed into law (Wikipedia)
• 1971 – Washington’s Birthday moved to the third Monday in February (Wikipedia)
• February 17, 2025 – Presidents Day observed under the third-Monday rule (OPM)

The pattern: The timeline shows how a holiday evolved over 150 years, from a specific birth date to a movable Monday.

Clarity check: What we know and what’s still uncertain

The implication: The confirmed facts are reliable, but the unclear items require local verification.

Expert perspectives

Most banks and post offices are closed on Presidents Day, but many retail stores remain open — often with sales events that keep employees on the clock.

— PBS News, reporting on what’s open and closed on Presidents Day (source)

The Uniform Monday Holiday Act shifted the commemoration from February 22 to the third Monday in February, creating a consistent three-day weekend.

— Wikipedia, history of federal holidays in the United States (source)

Presidents Day 2025 is on Monday, February 17, officially recognized as a federal holiday under the name Washington’s Birthday.

— Time and Date, holiday calendar (source)

The federal holiday list for 2025 includes Presidents Day as one of 11 paid days off for federal employees, but the holiday does not apply to private-sector workers by law.

— TriNet, Federal Holidays for Small Business Owners (source)

For federal employees and students alike, the February 17 date is a reliable day off, but for private-sector workers and retail staff, the decision is clear: check your employer’s policy, or risk missing the sales.

For those wondering about the official status of the day, Presidents Day federal holiday facts explains the federal holiday designation and what it means for closures.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading: Presidents’ Day weekend 2025: Date, closures, federal holiday & school schedule · 2025 federal holiday calendar: Inauguration Day overlap & key dates