Friday the 13th arrives at least once a year, and never more than three times. A month gets one when it starts on a Sunday. That single rule controls the entire pattern. Learn it and you can predict the next one without a calendar. The next occurrences land in 2026 and 2027. Bookmark the dates below.
The Simple Calendar Rule
Any month that begins on a Sunday will contain a Friday the 13th. Count it out: if the 1st is Sunday, the 2nd is Monday, and the 13th lands on a Friday. No exceptions. Ever.
Scan a monthly calendar and look at the first day. Sunday means the 13th is a Friday. The logic works in reverse, too. Want to know which months hold a Friday the 13th? Find the months that start on a Sunday.
How Many Per Year?
Minimum And Maximum Counts
Every year gets at least one Friday the 13th and at most three. The exact number depends on the weekday of January 1 and whether the year is common or leap. The maximum of three hits when a common year starts on a Thursday, or a leap year starts on a Sunday. The minimum of one arrives when January 1 is a Saturday in a common year, or a Sunday in a common year.
The 400-Year Pattern
The Gregorian calendar repeats every four centuries, so the distribution is fixed. Over that cycle, the 13th falls on a Friday more often than on any other weekday, but only by a small margin.
Friday the 13th in 2026
The Three Dates To Mark
2026 delivers the maximum three Friday the 13ths. Note these:
- February 13, 2026
- March 13, 2026
- November 13, 2026
Why February And March Pair Up
February and March share a Friday the 13th when February 1 is a Sunday in a common year. February holds exactly 28 days, so March 1 lands on the same weekday. Both months then start on a Sunday, and both get a Friday the 13th. This back-to-back pair only happens in common years. A leap year breaks it with a 29-day February.
Friday the 13th in 2027
2027 gives you just one:
- August 13, 2027
August 1, 2027 is a Sunday, so the 13th is a Friday. No other month that year starts on a Sunday. This is the minimum. After this date, the next Friday the 13th waits until a later year.
Why February and March Can Share a Friday the 13th
In a common year February has exactly 28 days. February 1 and March 1 fall on the same weekday. When February starts on a Sunday, March does too, and both months get a Friday the 13th. In a leap year February has 29 days, so March 1 shifts forward by one weekday. The pair breaks.
This mechanism gives 2026 its three: February and March form a pair, and November adds the third. The identical pattern returns in the next common year where February 1 is a Sunday.
The Fear of Friday the 13th
Paraskevidekatriaphobia
The clinical term comes from Greek: Paraskevi (Friday), dekatria (thirteen), and phobia (fear). It is a specific phobia. Some people avoid travel, major decisions, or leaving the house on these dates.
The calendar rule itself is neutral. Knowing the pattern lets you plan around the date if you choose to, or simply settle a curiosity.
How to Find the Next Friday the 13th Yourself
Do It In Four Steps
- Check the weekday of the 1st of the current month.
- If it is a Sunday, the 13th is a Friday this month.
- If not, advance to the next month and check its first day.
- Repeat until you land on a month that starts on a Sunday.
Use A Printable Calendar
Grab a printable monthly calendar from a site like septembercalendar.info to see the layout at a glance. The site offers a page for every month. Print one, circle the Sundays, and you have your Friday the 13th map for the year.