Frank Rondel
Presidents Day honors the Founding Fathers of the United States, especially George Washington, the nation’s first president, born on February 22, 1732. In 2026, the holiday falls on Monday, February 16, prompting closures across the Washington, D.C. region, including offices, schools, and public services, reports customreceipt.com via sources from wtop.
Major banks throughout the DC metropolitan area will largely remain closed, although some individual branches may operate on modified schedules. All Department of Motor Vehicles locations in D.C. and Virginia, as well as Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration offices, will be closed. Mail delivery by the U.S. Postal Service will also be paused, with post office locations unavailable for in-person services. FedEx and UPS will continue operations, although FedEx will adjust certain service options for the holiday.
Parking regulations will be relaxed for the day. In Washington, D.C., meters will not require payment on Monday, with enforcement resuming on Tuesday. Montgomery County, Maryland, will offer free parking at garages, lots, and curbside meters, and Arlington, Virginia, will suspend meter enforcement for the day.
All D.C.-area public schools will be closed in observance of the holiday. Metrorail will operate from 5 a.m. to midnight on a weekend schedule, while Metrobus will run on a Saturday schedule with additional supplemental service. Montgomery County’s Ride On buses will follow a holiday schedule, whereas Prince George’s County’s TheBus will run a regular schedule except for Route P78. Call-A-Bus and PGC Link services will not operate on Presidents Day.
Library operations within the District will see at least one branch open in each ward. Originally rescheduled trash and recycling collections due to the holiday will revert to their normal schedule. Emergency and hypothermia shelters will remain operational, while recreation, community, and aquatic centers managed by the Department of Parks and Recreation will be closed. Outdoor parks in D.C. will remain accessible.
In Maryland, county offices in Anne Arundel and Charles Counties will be closed, with trash collection continuing as scheduled in Anne Arundel but some recreational centers open in Charles County. Howard County government offices, animal shelters, and centers will be closed, though trash collection and landfill access will remain available. Montgomery County offices, state offices, and libraries will be closed, and county-provided trash collection will shift by one day. Prince George’s County offices will close, while regular trash collection will proceed Tuesday through Friday.
Virginia counties will observe similar closures. Arlington and Alexandria city offices, including libraries, will close, with Arlington trash collection occurring normally and Alexandria’s sliding by one day. Fairfax County offices will close, maintaining standard trash and recycling schedules. Loudoun County offices will close, while Prince William County does not officially recognize Presidents Day as a county holiday.
Traffic and transit adjustments will also be in effect. HOV rules will be suspended on most lanes across the region, excluding Route 50 and Interstate 270 in Maryland. D.C. will temporarily suspend reversible lanes on Canal Road, Rock Creek Parkway, and portions of 16th Street NW. MARC trains in Maryland will run on an “R” schedule with modifications, and Alexandria’s Dash buses will follow a Saturday-Sunday timetable. Arlington Transit routes 41, 42, 45, 51, 55, 77, and 87 will run Saturday schedules, while STAR service will be unavailable. Fairfax Connector buses will follow holiday weekday schedules. Loudoun County’s Commuter Bus Service and Courthouse Shuttle will not operate, but local and paratransit services will continue. OmniRide will maintain normal service, though OmniRide Express buses will not run.
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