Massachusetts legal holidays number 12 statewide, with two additional days observed only in Suffolk County. The list is set by Chapter 4, Section 7 of the General Laws, and a separate statute — Chapter 136 — controls which businesses may open on those days, whether employees can be forced to work, and how alcohol can be sold. Some holidays are ordinary business days in practice. Others, particularly Thanksgiving and Christmas, shut most retail and non-retail operations down unless a permit is in hand.
The 12 Statewide Holidays
- New Year’s Day — January 1
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day — third Monday in January
- Washington’s Birthday — third Monday in February
- Patriots’ Day — third Monday in April
- Memorial Day — last Monday in May
- Juneteenth Independence Day — June 19
- Independence Day — July 4
- Labor Day — first Monday in September
- Columbus Day — second Monday in October
- Veterans Day — November 11
- Thanksgiving Day — fourth Thursday in November
- Christmas Day — December 25
When a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed the following Monday. When it falls on a Saturday, it is observed on Saturday, with no shift to Friday or Monday.1Mass.gov. Mass. General Laws c.4 Section 72Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Holiday Information
Suffolk County: Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day
Two more holidays apply only in Suffolk County: Evacuation Day on March 17 and Bunker Hill Day on June 17. State and municipal offices in Suffolk County remain open and fully staffed on both.3Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. State Legal Holidays Chapter 149, Section 45, which grants paid holidays to public employees, does not apply to these two days.1Mass.gov. Mass. General Laws c.4 Section 7
Court and Agency Closures
State courts, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and other state and municipal offices close on all 12 statewide holidays. Some online services remain available.2Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Holiday Information
If a filing deadline lands on a legal holiday, Saturday, or Sunday, it extends automatically to the end of the next day that is not one of those. For deadlines shorter than seven days, weekends and holidays are excluded from the count entirely.4Mass.gov. Civil Procedure Rule 6 – Time
Which Holidays Retailers Can Open On
Massachusetts blue laws sort holidays by how restricted they are. Retail businesses can open without any permit on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Patriots’ Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Columbus Day is unrestricted after noon; Veterans Day is unrestricted after 1:00 p.m.5Mass.gov. Working on Sundays and Holidays – Blue Laws
Four situations require a permit:
- Columbus Day before noon
- Veterans Day before 1:00 p.m.
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
To open on any of these, a retailer needs statewide approval from the Department of Labor Standards plus a local permit issued at the discretion of the local police chief. Both are required.5Mass.gov. Working on Sundays and Holidays – Blue Laws Grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations often qualify for standing exemptions under Section 6 of Chapter 136.
Non-Retail Businesses Have Their Own Rules
Blue laws reach beyond stores. Most non-retail businesses can operate freely on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Evacuation Day, Patriots’ Day, Bunker Hill Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Columbus Day after noon, and Veterans Day after 1:00 p.m.5Mass.gov. Working on Sundays and Holidays – Blue Laws
On Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Columbus Day before noon, and Veterans Day before 1:00 p.m., most non-retail businesses cannot operate unless they fit an exemption in Sections 4, 6, or 14 of Chapter 136.5Mass.gov. Working on Sundays and Holidays – Blue Laws A law firm, accounting office, or consulting company is technically prohibited from operating on Thanksgiving or Christmas without an applicable exemption. Enforcement in practice focuses on visible retail violations, but the restriction is on the books.
Section 6 exempts many essential and continuous operations, including hospitals, nursing homes, emergency medical services, public utilities, continuous-process manufacturing, and warehousing and transportation of goods.6General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 136 Section 6 Section 14 separately allows sporting events, fairs, entertainment, licensed alcohol establishments, hotels, restaurants, and transportation services to operate on any legal holiday.7General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 136 Section 14
Holiday Pay and the Right to Refuse
Two separate questions get confused here. One is whether an employer has to pay a premium rate on a holiday. The other is whether an employee has to show up.
No More Premium Pay
The 2018 Grand Bargain law phased out mandatory holiday premium pay for retail workers over five years. The multiplier fell from 1.5 times the regular rate in 2018 to the regular rate on January 1, 2023. State law no longer requires premium pay for holiday work.5Mass.gov. Working on Sundays and Holidays – Blue Laws Some employers still offer it voluntarily or through a collective bargaining agreement, but nothing in Massachusetts law compels it for private-sector workers.8Mass.gov. Minimum Wage and Overtime Information
Employees Can Still Refuse Certain Holidays
Retail employees retain the right to refuse holiday work on New Year’s Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. A retail establishment open on any of those days cannot require employees to work, and refusal cannot be grounds for firing, reduced hours, or any other penalty. The Attorney General’s Office enforces this.9General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 136 Section 13
Voluntariness protections also apply when statewide and local permits are granted allowing retail work before noon on Columbus Day or before 1:00 p.m. on Veterans Day.5Mass.gov. Working on Sundays and Holidays – Blue Laws Manufacturers face a parallel rule: even when lawfully operating on a holiday, they cannot require employees to work unless the work is both absolutely necessary and of a type that could lawfully be performed on a Sunday.
Public employees typically receive paid holidays as part of their benefits. For non-retail private-sector workers, holiday pay and time off depend on company policy, union agreements, or individual contracts.
Alcohol Sales on Holidays
Chapter 138, Section 33 adds another layer of restriction on top of the general blue laws, and it varies by license type.
Bars and Restaurants
On-premises licensees cannot sell alcohol on Christmas Day or Memorial Day between 1:00 a.m. and noon. In Suffolk County, the restricted window is 2:00 a.m. to noon.10General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 138 Section 33 – Sales and Delivery of Alcoholic Beverages on Election Days, Sundays and Legal Holidays
Package Stores and Wholesalers
Retail liquor stores licensed under Section 15 cannot sell or deliver alcohol on Memorial Day before noon, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Wholesalers and other off-premises licensees under Sections 18 and 19 face the same Thanksgiving and Christmas closures, plus the Memorial Day morning restriction.10General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 138 Section 33 – Sales and Delivery of Alcoholic Beverages on Election Days, Sundays and Legal Holidays
Pharmacies
Pharmacists authorized to sell alcohol under Section 29 cannot sell alcoholic beverages or alcohol without a prescription on any Sunday or legal holiday.10General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 138 Section 33 – Sales and Delivery of Alcoholic Beverages on Election Days, Sundays and Legal Holidays
Penalties for Getting It Wrong
The Attorney General’s Office enforces the blue laws and can bring both civil and criminal actions against employers who violate the operating restrictions or the voluntariness protections.5Mass.gov. Working on Sundays and Holidays – Blue Laws
Employers who ignore a citation face an 18% interest charge and a tax lien on their real and personal property through the Department of Revenue. Local ordinances may also affect eligibility for licenses or permits, and businesses involved in public works contracting can be barred from bidding for a year.11Mass.gov. Enforcement Authority
For wage-related violations, including breaches of voluntariness protections, a successful civil action brings triple damages, three times the wages owed to the affected worker, plus court costs and attorney’s fees. Criminal penalties can reach $50,000 and two years of imprisonment per violation, along with court-ordered restitution.11Mass.gov. Enforcement Authority Local police can also order a business open on a restricted holiday without a permit to close. The practical risk is highest on Thanksgiving and Christmas, when enforcement attention peaks.
Employees who believe an employer is violating voluntariness protections or operating without proper authorization can file a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division.