The answer to “is FedEx open on MLK Day” is yes, with limits. On Monday, January 19, 2026, the FedEx pickup and delivery network ran Modified Service and FedEx Office stayed open. FedEx does not shut down the way UPS and the Postal Service do on this holiday.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday, so plan around fewer pickups and slower hours. The next one falls on Monday, January 18, 2027, according to the federal holiday list.
Is FedEx Open on MLK Day 2026?
Is FedEx open on MLK Day at your local store? Usually yes at FedEx Office, since FedEx published its 2026 holiday schedule with MLK Day on Monday, January 19. The schedule’s FedEx line, which covers its pickup and delivery network including FedEx Express, is listed as Modified Service, and FedEx Office as Open.
The same schedule shows FedEx Custom Critical open on every listed holiday, and FedEx Logistics operates normally on MLK Day. Custom Critical handles urgent freight, so it does not follow the normal holiday pattern.
| FedEx service | MLK Day, Mon Jan 19, 2026 |
|---|---|
| FedEx pickup and delivery (listed as FedEx) | Modified Service |
| FedEx Office | Open |
| FedEx Custom Critical | Open |
| FedEx Logistics | Open |
FedEx also states that its schedule is subject to change. Check the FedEx holiday schedule and last days to ship page before you rely on it for a deadline.
What Modified Service Means
A footnote on the FedEx schedule explains the label as covering early on call pickups and drop box pickups, including drop box closures, in some areas. So the change is about collection in certain areas, not a network shutdown.
If you rely on a drop box, the box near you may not be emptied on the usual schedule, or may be closed. Early pickups you have booked may also run differently.
The schedule uses one FedEx line for the whole pickup and delivery network rather than separate lines for Express, Ground or Home Delivery. Do not assume your package will move on its normal schedule. Your tracking page is the best sign of what FedEx plans for that shipment.
How to Handle Pickups and Drop Boxes
Because the footnote points at pickups and drop boxes, those are the steps to protect. FedEx also tells shippers to confirm details with the local FedEx location, since operations vary by area.
- Book any pickup you need as early as you can, and expect that an early on call window may shift.
- Do not count on a drop box being emptied that day. Some boxes may be closed in some areas.
- Walk the package into a FedEx Office, which is listed as open, if the handoff has to happen on the holiday.
- Call the local location to confirm hours and pickup times before you plan around them.
A package dropped at the counter gets scanned in right away, which beats trusting a box that may not be collected. Our guide to FedEx drop off options explains each choice.
Is FedEx Closed on MLK Day?
Not fully, which is why “is FedEx closed on MLK Day” has a split answer. The FedEx network is not listed as closed, which is the status it uses for Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving. FedEx Office is open, so you can still use a store counter.
Closed days work differently. On Thanksgiving 2026, for example, FedEx, FedEx Office and FedEx Logistics are all listed as closed. MLK Day is lighter than that, but it is still not a standard Monday.
Is FedEx Working on Martin Luther King Day in 2027?
FedEx has not published its 2027 holiday schedule. The date itself is set: MLK Day 2027 is Monday, January 18.
Past schedules are a guide, not a promise. If FedEx follows its 2026 pattern, expect Modified Service again. Treat that as a likely outcome, not a confirmed one, until the new schedule appears.
Is FedEx Closed on MLK Day 2025?
MLK Day 2025 has already passed, and the current FedEx schedule covers 2026 only. For anything you shipped around that date, use your tracking number. It shows what actually happened to the package.
For the next two years, the useful facts are above. The 2026 listing is confirmed, and the 2027 schedule is still pending.
FedEx Versus UPS and USPS on MLK Day
The carriers handle this holiday differently. FedEx stays partly open. UPS lists Ground and Air as closed, with no pickup or delivery.
UPS Express Critical stays available, and only limited UPS Store locations open. USPS lists January 19, 2026 among its eleven postal holidays with no mail service, so do not plan on regular mail or post office hours.
| Carrier | MLK Day 2026 status |
|---|---|
| FedEx pickup and delivery | Modified Service |
| FedEx Office | Open |
| UPS Ground and Air | Closed, no pickup or delivery |
| UPS Express Critical | Available |
| UPS Store | Limited locations open |
| USPS | Closed, no mail service |
That gap makes FedEx the better pick for a shipment that has to move on the holiday itself. Even so, a Modified Service day carries more risk than a normal one.
What to Do If You Need to Ship Around MLK Day
Businesses with a standing daily pickup should check it first. A Modified Service day can change early on call pickups, so ask your FedEx contact whether yours will run. Home shippers face less risk because FedEx Office is open.
Start with the holiday weekend. MLK Day is always a Monday, so the long weekend can delay pickups and push delivery to Tuesday. Our postal holiday checker shows how the dates line up.
- Ship by the Thursday or Friday before the holiday if the package is time sensitive.
- Use a FedEx Office counter on the holiday, since it is listed as open. Hours can still vary by location.
- Add a spare day to anything with a hard deadline, because Modified Service carries more risk than a normal Monday.
- Run a quick delivery time estimate and add a day for the long weekend.
- Check tracking on Tuesday morning for any update to your delivery date.
Hours differ by store type, and the holiday does not change that. Our page on what time FedEx closes covers each location type.
Checking Whether FedEx Is Open on Any Other Day
For a live look at today’s status, our FedEx open today guide covers the current holiday schedule.
Weekend questions have their own answer in is FedEx open on Sunday. That page covers hours by location type.
The year end picture is different. See whether FedEx delivers on Christmas Day for the December schedule.
Bottom Line on FedEx and MLK Day
FedEx is not closed on MLK Day, but it is not at full strength either. The pickup and delivery network runs Modified Service and FedEx Office is open. If you still ask is FedEx open on MLK Day for your own package, confirm the details on tracking, and watch for the 2027 schedule before you plan around January 18.
