Dominican Republic Holidays Run 25 December to 6 January

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · HOLIDAYS

Dominican Republic holidays from Friday 25 December 2026 to Wednesday 6 January 2027 cover Christmas, New Year and Epiphany. The first two fall on Fridays and are not expected to move, while Epiphany is likely to shift to Monday 4 January.

The shift comes from a 1997 law that moves some holidays to a Monday, and the Ministry of Labour has not announced its 2027 dates. This guide sets out what is confirmed, what the law points to and what to check before you book.

The Dates at a Glance

Among Dominican Republic holidays, Christmas Day is Friday 25 December 2026, and the Ministry of Labour lists it in its 2026 calendar as not moved. Offices that apply the holiday will be shut, and normal hours resume on Monday 28 December.

New Year’s Day is Friday 1 January 2027, the second of the three Dominican Republic holidays in this window. The ministry has not published a 2027 notice, but in 2021 it left a Friday 1 January holiday where it fell.

Epiphany, known locally as the day of the Santos Reyes (the Three Kings), falls on Wednesday 6 January 2027. This is the date most likely to change, and the next section explains why.

How the 1997 Holiday Law Works

Law 139-97 was signed on 19 June 1997 and took effect on 27 June 1997, according to the Ministry of Labour. The ministry describes it as the law that moves holidays falling on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday to a Monday.

In practice the ministry does not move every holiday, and it names some dates as fixed each year. For 2026 it kept Christmas, New Year, Independence Day and Good Friday in place, while Epiphany and Labour Day moved.

The ministry says every business in the country must apply the rule, including banks, shops and government offices. Its notices speak of public and private institutions alike.

Why Epiphany Is Likely Monday 4 January

Epiphany last fell on a Wednesday in 2021, and the Ministry of Labour moved it to Monday 4 January of that year. It told workers to be at their jobs on Wednesday 6 January 2021.

In 2026 Epiphany fell on a Tuesday, and the ministry moved it to Monday 5 January. In 2025 it fell on a Monday and stayed where it was.

Under the law, as the ministry applied it in 2021, the Wednesday 6 January 2027 holiday would move to Monday 4 January 2027. That would make a four-day weekend from Friday 1 January, with a normal working day on Wednesday 6 January.

That reading is an inference from the law and past notices, not an announcement. Treat it as likely until the ministry publishes the 2027 calendar.

What It Means for You

If you are visiting, expect public and private offices to close on Dominican Republic holidays, because the ministry says the rule applies to every establishment. Both the Christmas weekend and the New Year weekend are three days long, so plan errands around them.

If you live in the country, check your employer or landlord’s plan before the date. Rent, paperwork at government offices and bank errands are better done before Thursday 24 December or after Monday 28 December.

Thursday 24 December and Thursday 31 December are not on the ministry’s list of holidays. Whether a given bank or shop closes early on those days is its own decision, and we found no official notice.

Flights, Airports and Resorts

We found no notice from the airports or airlines that flights stop on 25 December, 1 January or 6 January. Check your airline’s page for your own flight, because holiday schedules can differ by route.

Aerodom, which runs the Santo Domingo airport, said on 14 October that airlines scheduled 4.9% more winter seats; see our winter flights guide. Our Breeze nonstop guide covers a new route from Tampa to Santo Domingo.

Hotels set their own hours for restaurants and spas. Confirm them with your hotel for the three dates.

Where This Fits in the Holiday Calendar

The next of the Dominican Republic holidays after Epiphany is Our Lady of Altagracia on Thursday 21 January 2027. The ministry did not move it in its 2021, 2025 or 2026 notices, so it is expected to stay put.

The Altagracia holiday honors the country’s patron saint, and our religion explainer describes the Catholic tradition behind many of these dates. Our guide to Dominican population and ethnic groups gives wider background for newcomers.

If you are planning for November, our guide to Constitution Day closures covers the Monday 9 November holiday. For city information, see the Santo Domingo expat guide.

What Is Not Confirmed Yet

The Ministry of Labour has not published its 2027 calendar of Dominican Republic holidays. Until it does, Monday 4 January for Epiphany and the unmoved New Year date are our reading of the law and past notices.

We also found no official list of bank, post office or government opening hours for 24 to 31 December. Ask your bank, your landlord or the office you need before you travel across town.

The ministry takes questions on 809 535-4404 and at [email protected], and its news page carries each year’s notice. Check it in December for the 2027 dates.

More: Dominican Republic news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 25 December a public holiday in the Dominican Republic?

Yes. Friday 25 December 2026 is Christmas Day, and the Ministry of Labour listed it as a holiday that is not moved to another day.

When is Epiphany in the Dominican Republic in 2027?

Epiphany is Wednesday 6 January 2027. It is likely to move to Monday 4 January under the 1997 law, but the ministry has not confirmed the 2027 calendar.

Do flights run on Dominican public holidays?

We found no notice that flights stop on 25 December, 1 January or 6 January. Check your airline for your own route and your hotel for restaurant hours.

Sources: Dominican Ministry of Labour, notice on 2026 public holidays, applying Law 139-97, 2026; Dominican Ministry of Labour, notice on 2021 public holidays (Epiphany moved to Monday 4 January 2021), 20 November 2020; Dominican Ministry of Labour, notice on 2025 public holidays, 2025; Dominican Ministry of Labour, news page for public holiday notices, 29 October 2026.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief