1. National holidays 2026 and 2027: the complete table
Morocco's civil year has eleven fixed-date national holidays. Two are recent: the Amazigh New Year (Id Yennayer, January 14), a paid holiday since 2024, and Unity Day (October 31), instituted by royal decision of November 4, 2025 and applied for the first time in 2026.
| National holiday | Date | Day in 2026 | Day in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | January 1 | Thursday | Friday |
| Independence Manifesto Day | January 11 | Sunday | Monday |
| Amazigh New Year (Id Yennayer) | January 14 | Wednesday | Thursday |
| Labour Day | May 1 | Friday | Saturday |
| Throne Day | July 30 | Thursday | Friday |
| Oued Eddahab Day | August 14 | Friday | Saturday |
| Revolution of the King and the People | August 20 | Thursday | Friday |
| Youth Day | August 21 | Friday | Saturday |
| Unity Day | October 31 | Saturday | Sunday |
| Green March Anniversary | November 6 | Friday | Saturday |
| Independence Day | November 18 | Wednesday | Thursday |
Source: Wafir.ma — August 19, 2026
All 11 dates are paid days off in both the civil service and the private sector. 2026 is fairly favorable to employees: August 20-21 (Thursday-Friday) and November 6 (Friday) give automatic long weekends. 2027 is far less generous, with five national holidays falling on a Saturday or Sunday (May 1, August 14, August 21, October 31, November 6), and Moroccan regulations provide no substitute day.
New since 2026: Unity Day (October 31)
Instituted by royal decision of November 4, 2025 after the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2797 on the Sahara, it is enshrined as a paid holiday in the public sector (decree No. 2.25.1140) and the private sector (decree No. 2.26.14). First edition: Saturday, October 31, 2026.
2. Religious holidays 2026-2027: official and expected dates
The 4 religious holidays follow the Hijri calendar (1447-1449 AH). Morocco relies on its own moon sighting, which the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs announces the evening before, often one day after Saudi Arabia. The 2026 dates below are official (observed or announced); all 2027 dates are provisional.
| Religious holiday | Hijri date | 2026 (Morocco) | 2027 (expected) | Days off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start of Ramadan | 1 Ramadan | Thursday, February 19 (observed) | ≈ Monday, February 8 | — (not a holiday) |
| Eid al-Fitr | 1-2 Shawwal | Friday, March 20 - Saturday, March 21 (official) | ≈ Wednesday, March 10 - Thursday, March 11 | 2 days |
| Eid al-Adha | 10-11 Dhu al-Hijja | Wednesday, May 27 - Thursday, May 28 (official) | ≈ Monday, May 17 - Tuesday, May 18 | 2 days |
| 1st Moharram (Hijri New Year) | 1 Moharram | Wednesday, June 17 (year 1448) | ≈ Sunday, June 6 (year 1449) | 1 day |
| Eid al-Mawlid an-Nabawi | 12-13 Rabi' al-Awwal | Tuesday, August 25 - Wednesday, August 26 (official) | ≈ Saturday, August 14 or Sunday, August 15 | 2 days |
Source: Wafir.ma — August 19, 2026
Under decrees No. 2.04.426 and 2.00.166, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Mawlid each grant 2 paid days off in Morocco, and 1st Moharram grants 1 day. The first day of Ramadan is not a public holiday; only working hours change (continuous schedule).
Lunar dates are estimates
Any future Hijri date is an astronomical estimate. Only Morocco's official moon sighting is binding, and it is announced the evening before. In 2026, for example, several online calendars placed Mawlid in mid-September, whereas the Ministry of Habous officially set it for Tuesday, August 25 after the sighting of Thursday, August 13 (1 Rabi' al-Awwal = Friday, August 14).
3. Eid al-Mawlid 2026: Tuesday, August 25 and Wednesday, August 26
The Rabi' al-Awwal 1448 crescent was sighted on Thursday, August 13, 2026, so 1 Rabi' al-Awwal falls on Friday, August 14, and Eid al-Mawlid an-Nabawi (12 Rabi' al-Awwal) will be celebrated on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 August are paid days off for public- and private-sector employees.
For Moroccan households, Mawlid is the third-largest spending occasion of the year after Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. New outfits for the children, toys, sweets and a large family meal bring the budget to between 1,800 MAD (modest family, 2 children) and 4,500 MAD (affluent family, 3-4 children), with a median around 3,200 MAD. Our dedicated Mawlid budget and financing guide breaks down the spending categories and fee-free options (3x-4x BNPL, overdraft facility).
After Mawlid, the remaining 2026 days off are Unity Day (Saturday, October 31, first edition), the Green March Anniversary (Friday, November 6) and Independence Day (Wednesday, November 18).
Mawlid bridge: 5 days of rest for a single day of leave
Mawlid falls on a Tuesday-Wednesday: take Monday, August 24, 2026 off and you get 5 consecutive days, from Saturday 22 to Wednesday 26 August. Shop early, too: prices of children's outfits and traditional pastries rise 15 to 25% in the week before the holiday.
4. Bridges 2026-2027: making the most of your leave
With the right timing, 1 to 3 days of leave can turn into a full week of rest. The windows below are computed from the actual weekdays of the 2026-2027 holidays; those tied to 2027 lunar celebrations remain to be confirmed after the official sighting.
Late 2026: two bridges to seize
- Eid al-Mawlid (Tuesday 25 - Wednesday 26 August): 1 day of leave (Monday 24) = 5 consecutive days, from Saturday 22 to Wednesday 26 August
- Green March Anniversary (Friday, November 6): automatic 3-day weekend, no leave needed
- Independence Day (Wednesday, November 18): 2 days of leave (Thursday 19 + Friday 20) = 5 consecutive days, from Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 November
- Unity Day (Saturday, October 31): no gain for employees on a standard week, since its first edition falls on a Saturday
2027: an unfavorable year, with three good windows
Five of the eleven 2027 national holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday, and employees lose those days off. The best opportunities are therefore around the religious holidays and the January and November dates.
- Eid al-Fitr expected Wednesday, March 10 - Thursday, March 11: 1 day of leave (Friday 12) = 5 consecutive days, from Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14 March (subject to sighting)
- Eid al-Adha expected Monday, May 17 - Tuesday, May 18: 4 automatic days of rest (Saturday 15 - Tuesday 18) with no leave; 3 days of leave (Wednesday 19 - Friday 21) = 9 consecutive days (subject to sighting)
- Amazigh New Year (Thursday, January 14): 1 day of leave (Friday 15) = 4 consecutive days
- Independence Manifesto Day (Monday, January 11): automatic 3-day weekend
- Independence Day (Thursday, November 18): 1 day of leave (Friday 19) = 4 consecutive days
Mid-August 2027: up to 9 days of rest
If Mawlid 2027 is confirmed around August 14-15 (provisional), the sequence of Oued Eddahab Day (Saturday, August 14), Mawlid (2 days off), Revolution of the King and the People (Friday 20) and Youth Day (Saturday 21) would give up to 9 consecutive days of rest from August 14 to 22, with only 3 days of leave mid-week (Tuesday 17 - Thursday 19). To be confirmed after Morocco's official moon sighting.
5. Festive budget: planning for it across the year
- Holiday savings: 1,000 MAD/month in an account yielding 2.75% covers all celebrations and back-to-school with no credit at all, which remains the best option
- 3x-4x interest-free BNPL (Alya Pay at Marjane, BIM): up to 5,000 MAD at 0% effective rate to absorb a one-off peak (outfits, toys)
- Consumer credit of 10,000 to 30,000 MAD (APR 7.5 to 9.5% at Wafasalaf, Salafin, Eqdom): only when a holiday and back-to-school together exceed 8,000 MAD
- In every case, keep total monthly installments (existing loans + new financing) below 33% of the household's net income
Every religious holiday is also a spending peak: 1,800 to 4,500 MAD for Mawlid depending on the family, around 5,000 MAD for Eid al-Adha (sheep included), close to 3,000 MAD for Eid al-Fitr, not counting back-to-school, which comes a few days after Mawlid. In total, an average household spends 12,000 to 15,000 MAD a year on these occasions. Three options help spread this spending without straining cash flow.
6. FAQ
Q.What is the next public holiday in Morocco?
Q.How many public holidays are there in Morocco?
Q.When is Eid al-Fitr 2027 in Morocco?
Q.When is Eid al-Adha 2027 in Morocco?
Q.Is January 14 a public holiday in Morocco?
Q.Is October 31 a public holiday in Morocco?
Q.When does Ramadan 2027 start in Morocco?
Q.Does Eid grant 1 or 2 days off in Morocco?
Q.Is Ashura a public holiday in Morocco?
Q.When is Mawlid 2027 in Morocco?
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