diff --git a/docs/timeline/index.html b/docs/timeline/index.html
index eaa79b60..81af2829 100644
--- a/docs/timeline/index.html
+++ b/docs/timeline/index.html
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@
     The Timeline uses regular Arrays and Objects as data format.
     Data items can contain the properties <code>start</code>,
     <code>end</code> (optional), <code>content</code>,
-    <code>group</code> (optional), <code>className</code> (optional),
-    and <code>style</code> (optional).
+    <code>group</code> (optional), <code>className</code> (optional), 
+    <code>editable</code> (optional), and <code>style</code> (optional).
   </p>
 
   <p>
@@ -325,6 +325,11 @@ var items = [
         Types 'box' and 'point' need a start date, the types 'range' and 'background' needs both a start and end date.
       </td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+      <td>editable</td>
+      <td>Boolean</td>
+      <td>no</td>
+      <td>Override the editable option of the timeline for a specific item.</td>
   </table>
 
   <h3 id="groups">Groups</h3>
@@ -1323,6 +1328,16 @@ var options = {
   }
 };</pre>
 
+  <p>
+    Editing can be enabled/disabled for specific items. Setting the property <code>editable</code> to <code>true</code> or <code>false</code> on a data item will override the timeline option.
+  </p>
+
+<pre class="prettyprint lang-js">
+var items = new vis.DataSet([
+  {id: 1, content: 'read-only item', start: '2013-04-20', editable: false},
+  {id: 2, content: 'editable item', start: '2013-04-14'}
+]);
+</pre>
 
   <p>
     One can specify callback functions to validate changes made by the user. There are a number of callback functions for this purpose:
diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js b/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
index 43c27871..3bdb5895 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
@@ -508,15 +508,14 @@ ItemSet.prototype.redraw = function() {
       options = this.options,
       orientation = options.orientation.item,
       resized = false,
-      frame = this.dom.frame,
-      editable = options.editable.updateTime || options.editable.updateGroup;
+      frame = this.dom.frame;
 
   // recalculate absolute position (before redrawing groups)
   this.props.top = this.body.domProps.top.height + this.body.domProps.border.top;
   this.props.left = this.body.domProps.left.width + this.body.domProps.border.left;
 
   // update class name
-  frame.className = 'vis-itemset' + (editable ? ' vis-editable' : '');
+  frame.className = 'vis-itemset';
 
   // reorder the groups (if needed)
   resized = this._orderGroups() || resized;
@@ -1116,15 +1115,23 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onTouch = function (event) {
  * @private
  */
 ItemSet.prototype._onDragStart = function (event) {
-  if (!this.options.editable.updateTime && !this.options.editable.updateGroup) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   var item = this.touchParams.item || null;
   var me = this;
   var props;
 
   if (item && item.selected) {
+
+    if (!this.options.editable.updateTime && 
+        !this.options.editable.updateGroup && 
+        !item.editable) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // override options.editable
+    if (item.editable === false) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     var dragLeftItem = this.touchParams.dragLeftItem;
     var dragRightItem = this.touchParams.dragRightItem;
 
@@ -1239,7 +1246,14 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onDrag = function (event) {
 
       var itemData = util.extend({}, props.item.data); // clone the data
 
-      if (me.options.editable.updateTime) {
+      if (props.item.editable === false) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      var updateTimeAllowed = me.options.editable.updateTime || 
+                              props.item.editable === true;
+
+      if (updateTimeAllowed) {
         if (props.dragLeft) {
           // drag left side of a range item
           if (itemData.start != undefined) {
@@ -1276,7 +1290,10 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onDrag = function (event) {
         }
       }
 
-      if (me.options.editable.updateGroup && (!props.dragLeft && !props.dragRight)) {
+      var updateGroupAllowed = me.options.editable.updateGroup || 
+                               props.item.editable === true;
+
+      if (updateGroupAllowed && (!props.dragLeft && !props.dragRight)) {
         if (itemData.group != undefined) {
           // drag from one group to another
           var group = me.groupFromTarget(event);
diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/css/item.css b/lib/timeline/component/css/item.css
index 7d33e68a..e843e1e0 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/css/item.css
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/css/item.css
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   z-index: 2;
 }
 
-.vis-editable .vis-item.vis-selected {
+.vis-editable.vis-selected {
   cursor: move;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/item/BoxItem.js b/lib/timeline/component/item/BoxItem.js
index efc15f85..9af67992 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/item/BoxItem.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/item/BoxItem.js
@@ -110,9 +110,15 @@ BoxItem.prototype.redraw = function() {
     this._updateDataAttributes(this.dom.box);
     this._updateStyle(this.dom.box);
 
+    var editable = (this.options.editable.updateTime || 
+                    this.options.editable.updateGroup ||
+                    this.editable === true) &&
+                   this.editable !== false;
+
     // update class
     var className = (this.data.className? ' ' + this.data.className : '') +
-        (this.selected ? ' vis-selected' : '');
+        (this.selected ? ' vis-selected' : '') + 
+        (editable ? ' vis-editable' : '');
     dom.box.className = 'vis-item vis-box' + className;
     dom.line.className = 'vis-item vis-line' + className;
     dom.dot.className  = 'vis-item vis-dot' + className;
diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/item/Item.js b/lib/timeline/component/item/Item.js
index b940160c..d25fcb43 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/item/Item.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/item/Item.js
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ function Item (data, conversion, options) {
   this.left = null;
   this.width = null;
   this.height = null;
+
+  this.editable = null;
+  if (this.data && 
+      this.data.hasOwnProperty('editable') && 
+      typeof this.data.editable === 'boolean') {
+    this.editable = data.editable;
+  }
 }
 
 Item.prototype.stack = true;
@@ -59,6 +66,10 @@ Item.prototype.setData = function(data) {
     this.parent.itemSet._moveToGroup(this, data.group);
   }
 
+  if (data.hasOwnProperty('editable') && typeof data.editable === 'boolean') {
+    this.editable = data.editable;
+  }
+
   this.data = data;
   this.dirty = true;
   if (this.displayed) this.redraw();
@@ -134,7 +145,11 @@ Item.prototype.repositionY = function() {
  * @protected
  */
 Item.prototype._repaintDeleteButton = function (anchor) {
-  if (this.selected && this.options.editable.remove && !this.dom.deleteButton) {
+  var editable = (this.options.editable.remove || 
+                  this.data.editable === true) &&
+                 this.data.editable !== false;
+
+  if (this.selected && editable && !this.dom.deleteButton) {
     // create and show button
     var me = this;
 
diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/item/PointItem.js b/lib/timeline/component/item/PointItem.js
index 7c6bd6d4..230895c2 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/item/PointItem.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/item/PointItem.js
@@ -99,9 +99,15 @@ PointItem.prototype.redraw = function() {
     this._updateDataAttributes(this.dom.point);
     this._updateStyle(this.dom.point);
 
+    var editable = (this.options.editable.updateTime || 
+                    this.options.editable.updateGroup ||
+                    this.editable === true) &&
+                   this.editable !== false;
+
     // update class
     var className = (this.data.className ? ' ' + this.data.className : '') +
-        (this.selected ? ' vis-selected' : '');
+        (this.selected ? ' vis-selected' : '') +
+        (editable ? ' vis-editable' : '');
     dom.point.className  = 'vis-item vis-point' + className;
     dom.dot.className  = 'vis-item vis-dot' + className;
 
diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/item/RangeItem.js b/lib/timeline/component/item/RangeItem.js
index 64b80a97..d2e7b763 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/item/RangeItem.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/item/RangeItem.js
@@ -99,9 +99,15 @@ RangeItem.prototype.redraw = function() {
     this._updateDataAttributes(this.dom.box);
     this._updateStyle(this.dom.box);
 
+    var editable = (this.options.editable.updateTime || 
+                    this.options.editable.updateGroup ||
+                    this.editable === true) &&
+                   this.editable !== false;
+
     // update class
     var className = (this.data.className ? (' ' + this.data.className) : '') +
-        (this.selected ? ' vis-selected' : '');
+        (this.selected ? ' vis-selected' : '') + 
+        (editable ? ' vis-editable' : '');
     dom.box.className = this.baseClassName + className;
 
     // determine from css whether this box has overflow