Eleanor Finch
The only constitutionally required procedure for US presidential inaugurations is the presidential oath of office, which may be taken anywhere, at any time before the new president's term, and with anyone who can legally witness an oath in attendance. The oath is usually administered by the Chief Justice of the United States, and the president-elect typically adds the words so help me God. The vice president is sworn into office in the same ceremony as the president, repeating the same oath of office. Inauguration Day occurs every four years on 20 January (or 21 January if the 20th falls on a Sunday) at noon Eastern Time, marking the commencement of a new presidential term.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | Every four years on January 20 (or January 21 if January 20 falls on a Sunday) |
| Time | Noon |
| Location | U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC |
| Oath | "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." |
| Oath Giver | Chief Justice |
| Oath Taker | President-elect |
| Vice President | Sworn into office in the same ceremony as the president |
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What You'll Learn
- The presidential oath of office is the only constitutionally required procedure
- The oath can be taken at any time, with anyone in attendance, before the new term
- The Chief Justice usually administers the oath
- The vice president is sworn in at the same ceremony as the president
- The inauguration ceremony takes place at the US Capitol building in Washington, DC
The presidential oath of office is the only constitutionally required procedure
The United States presidential inauguration ceremony takes place every four years on January 20 (or January 21 if the 20th falls on a Sunday) at noon Eastern Time. The ceremony is held at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. The Constitution's 20th Amendment specifies that the term of each elected President of the United States begins at this time.
The only constitutionally required procedure of the inauguration ceremony is the presidential oath of office. This is specified in Article II, Section One (or Article II, Section I) of the Constitution. The oath is as follows:
> "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
The oath of office may be taken anywhere, with anyone in attendance who can legally witness an oath, and at any time prior to the actual beginning of the new president's term. Typically, the oath is administered by the Chief Justice of the United States, and the incoming president raises their right hand and places their left hand on a Bible or another book while taking the oath.
After the oath is administered, the new president delivers the inaugural address to the crowd in attendance and a global virtual audience.
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The oath can be taken at any time, with anyone in attendance, before the new term
The US Constitution's 20th Amendment specifies that the term of each elected President of the United States begins at noon on January 20 of the year following the election. Inauguration Day occurs every four years, marking the commencement of a new presidential term. The 20th Amendment also states that the outgoing President's term ends at noon on January 20, allowing the new President to take office.
The only constitutionally mandated procedure during the inauguration ceremony is the presidential oath of office. This oath can be taken at any time before the new term, with anyone in attendance who can legally witness an oath. There is no requirement to use a sacred text, such as a Bible, during the oath-taking, and this is left to the preference of the incoming President. The oath is typically administered by the Chief Justice of the United States, but this is not a constitutional requirement.
The presidential oath of office is as follows:
> "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
The vice president is sworn into office during the same ceremony as the President and repeats the same oath of office as senators, representatives, and other federal employees:
> "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."
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The Chief Justice usually administers the oath
The 20th Amendment to the US Constitution specifies that the term of each elected President of the United States begins at noon on the 20th of January of the year following the election. Each president must take the oath of office before assuming the duties of the position, and this is the only constitutionally mandated component of the inauguration ceremony. The oath is usually administered by the Chief Justice, with the president-elect reciting:
> "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
The Chief Justice and the president-elect speak the oath together, with the former administering the oath and the latter repeating it. This tradition has been in place since at least 1789, when the oath was administered to George Washington by Robert Livingston, Chancellor of New York State. Four years later, in 1793, the oath was administered by Supreme Court Associate Justice William Cushing.
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The vice president is sworn in at the same ceremony as the president
The US Constitution's 20th Amendment specifies that the terms of the President and Vice President end at noon on January 20, allowing the new President and Vice President to take their oaths of office and assume their roles. Inauguration Day occurs every four years on January 20 (or January 21 if the 20th falls on a Sunday). The ceremony takes place at the US Capitol building in Washington, DC.
> "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."
The President-elect then recites their oath, in accordance with Article II, Section I of the US Constitution:
> "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
The recitation of the presidential oath of office is the only component of the ceremony mandated by the US Constitution. The oath may be taken anywhere, with anyone in attendance who can legally witness an oath, and at any time before the new President's term begins.
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The inauguration ceremony takes place at the US Capitol building in Washington, DC
The US Capitol Building in Washington, DC, is the usual location for the inauguration ceremony of the US President. The ceremony takes place on the west front of the Capitol Building, where an inaugural platform is erected by the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). The AOC also sets up seating and fencing on the grounds, coordinating with the Joint Congressional Committee on the Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) to accommodate the event.
The 20th Amendment to the Constitution specifies that the term of each elected US President begins at noon on January 20 of the year following the election. The Constitution requires that the President takes the oath of office before assuming the duties of the position. The Chief Justice administers the oath, which states:
> I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
The outgoing president and vice president customarily attend the ceremony, and the vice president is sworn in during the same ceremony. The attendees also include members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, high-ranking military officers, former presidents and vice-presidents, living Medal of Honor recipients, and other dignitaries. Tickets are made available to the public through members of Congress, allowing them to watch the ceremony in person on the grounds of the Capitol.
The US Marine Band performs four "ruffles and flourishes", followed by "Hail to the Chief", while a 21-gun salute is fired from Taft Park, north of the Capitol. The new president then delivers their inaugural address to the crowd and a global virtual audience.
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Frequently asked questions
Inauguration Day takes place every four years on the 20th of January (or the 21st if the 20th falls on a Sunday).
The inauguration ceremony occurs at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC.
The only constitutionally required procedure is the presidential oath of office, which may be taken anywhere, at any time before the new president's term, with anyone who can legally witness an oath in attendance. The vice president is sworn in during the same ceremony.
