when does open enrollment end

Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace health plans usually ends on January 15 in most states, but a few states use different deadlines and may extend into late January.

Key 2025–2026 open enrollment dates

• For 2026 coverage, open enrollment in most states runs from November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026.

• To get coverage that starts January 1, 2026 , you generally need to enroll by December 15, 2025 in most states.

• If you enroll between December 16 and January 15 in many states, your coverage often starts February 1, 2026.

States with different end dates

Some states that run their own exchanges keep enrollment open past January 15.

• States like California, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia list January 31, 2026 as their open enrollment deadline for 2026 coverage.

• Idaho is an exception on the other side: its open enrollment for 2026 coverage ends earlier, on December 15, 2025.

• A few other state-based exchanges have custom cutoffs within the federal Nov 1–Jan 15 window, so their last day may not match your neighbors’.

How to find your exact deadline

Because the question “when does open enrollment end” depends on where you live and what kind of plan you mean, the safest move is to check a local, up‑to‑date source.

1. Go to the official HealthCare.gov site and use the state selector or “dates and deadlines” page to see your state’s ACA marketplace dates.

2. If your state has its own exchange (for example, Covered California or NY State of Health), check that site’s open enrollment page for its specific final deadline.

3. For job-based or Medicare plans, ignore marketplace dates and look at the notices from your employer, union, or Medicare plan, since they set their own open enrollment windows.

Why open enrollment matters

Missing the end of open enrollment usually means you cannot start or change ACA marketplace coverage until the next annual window unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period , such as after marriage, birth, loss of other coverage, or certain moves. This is why many benefits guides recommend putting reminders on your calendar and reviewing plan options a few weeks before the cutoff instead of waiting until the last night.

In short: in most places, circle January 15 on your calendar, but always double‑check your own state’s marketplace or employer benefits site for the exact “last day to enroll” for your situation.