Isabella Carter
The United States presidential line of succession is a pre-established hierarchy that determines the order in which government officials replace the president of the United States if the incumbent president leaves office before their elected successor is inaugurated. The presidential line of succession is mentioned in four places in the Constitution and is outlined in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, as amended.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the most recent change | 2006 |
| Reason for the most recent change | The USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act added the secretary of homeland security to the presidential line of succession |
| Date of the Presidential Succession Act | 1947 |
| Date of the 25th Amendment | 1967 |
| Number of times the vice president has succeeded to the presidency intra-term | 9 |
| Number of times someone lower in the line of succession has been called upon to act as president | 0 |
| Number of occasions a vice president has temporarily assumed the powers of the presidency while the president is temporarily incapacitated | 3 |
| Number of times the offices of the president and vice president have been simultaneously vacant | 0 |
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What You'll Learn
Who is first in line?
The vice president is designated as first in the presidential line of succession by the Article II succession clause, which also authorises Congress to provide for a line of succession beyond the vice president. The vice president takes over the "powers and duties" of the presidency in the event of a president's removal, death, resignation, or inability to carry out their role.
Since 1789, the vice president has succeeded to the presidency intra-term on nine occasions: eight times due to the incumbent's death, and once due to resignation. The current vice president of the United States is James David (JD) Vance, who was sworn in on 20 January 2025.
The Presidential Succession Act of 1947, as amended, sets out the presidential order of succession. The act was last revised in 2006, when the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorisation Act added the secretary of homeland security to the presidential line of succession. The order consists of congressional officers, followed by the members of the cabinet in the order of the establishment of each department, provided that each officer satisfies the constitutional requirements for serving as president.
The 25th Amendment, adopted in 1967, establishes procedures for filling an intra-term vacancy in the office of the vice president. It also provides for situations where the president is temporarily disabled, allowing the vice president to become acting president.
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What happens if the vice president is unable to serve?
The vice president is designated as first in the presidential line of succession by the Article II succession clause, which also authorizes Congress to provide for a line of succession beyond the vice president. The Presidential Succession Act was adopted in 1947, and last revised in 2006. The 25th Amendment, adopted in 1967, establishes procedures for filling an intra-term vacancy in the office of the vice president.
If the vice president is unable to serve, the Speaker of the House acts as president. The United States Constitution states that the vice president of the United States is the person who will replace the president if the president is not able to continue. The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 outlines the presidential order of succession. The line of succession of cabinet officers is in the order of their agencies' creation. The vice president is first in the line of succession, followed by the Speaker of the House, then the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Secretary of State.
The 25th Amendment clarifies that the VP does, in fact, "become" President in every sense when the President dies, resigns, or is "removed" from office. However, Sections 3 and 4 provide that the VP or another officer becomes "Acting President." In the three times this has been invoked in Presidential history, the individual who invoked it was never seen as "President," but merely as the person in charge for a while.
Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress. When the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that they are unable to discharge the powers and duties of their office, those powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.
If the President later transmits a written declaration that no inability exists, they shall resume their powers and duties unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or another body determined by Congress transmit their own written declaration that the President is unable to discharge their powers and duties. In this case, Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours if not already in session. If Congress determines within twenty-one days that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of their office, the Vice President shall continue to act as President. Otherwise, the President shall resume their powers and duties.
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What if there is no vice president?
The vice president is designated as first in the presidential line of succession by the Article II succession clause, which also authorizes Congress to provide for a line of succession beyond the vice president. The Presidential Succession Act was adopted in 1947, and last revised in 2006. The 25th Amendment, adopted in 1967, establishes procedures for filling an intra-term vacancy in the office of the vice president.
In the event that there is no vice president, the Speaker of the House of Representatives would act as president. If the office of the vice president is vacant, the powers and duties of the presidency pass to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, then to the president pro tempore of the Senate, and then to Cabinet secretaries, depending on eligibility. The Cabinet has 15 members, with the secretary of state being the highest-ranking and fourth in line. The other Cabinet secretaries follow in the order of when their departments were created.
The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 outlines the presidential order of succession. The line of succession of Cabinet officers is in the order of their agencies' creation. The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 restored the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives to the line of succession. Previously, in 1886, after the death of Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks, Congress passed a law that removed the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives from the line of succession.
The 25th Amendment, Section 1, clarifies Article II, Section 1, Clause 6, by stating that the vice president is the direct successor of the president and becomes president if the incumbent dies, resigns, or is removed from office. It also provides for situations where the president is temporarily disabled, such as if the president has a surgical procedure or becomes mentally unfit, establishing procedures for the vice president to become acting president.
While several vice presidents have succeeded to the presidency upon the death or resignation of the president, the offices of president and vice president have never been simultaneously vacant. There was potential for such a double vacancy when John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, as Vice President Andrew Johnson was also targeted. It again became a possibility three years later when Johnson, as president, was impeached by the House of Representatives and faced removal from office if convicted at trial in the Senate.
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What are the requirements to be president?
The United States presidential line of succession is the order in which government officials replace the president of the United States if the president leaves office before their elected successor is inaugurated. The vice president is designated as first in the line of succession by Article II of the Constitution, which also authorises Congress to provide for a line of succession beyond the vice president. The Presidential Succession Act was adopted in 1947 and last revised in 2006.
To be eligible to become president, a candidate must fulfil the following requirements: they must be a natural-born citizen of the United States (or a citizen at the time of the adoption of the Constitution in 1788), be at least 35 years of age, and have been a resident in the United States for at least 14 years.
The US Constitution has also provided an exception to those "naturalized", meaning foreign-born US citizens who were not citizens prior to 1789 and became citizens at the time of the Constitution's adoption in 1789. For example, George Washington, the first US President, was born in 1732 when Virginia was still a British colony.
The President is the Head of the Executive Office and is elected every four years. The President is Commander in Chief of the Army, Navy and Militia of the United States. They have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the US, except in cases of impeachment. They also nominate and appoint ambassadors, public ministers, consuls, and judges of the Supreme Court, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
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Has this ever happened before?
Yes, the US presidential line of succession has occurred several times in history. Since 1789, the vice president has succeeded to the presidency intra-term on nine occasions, eight of which were due to the incumbent's death, and once due to resignation.
In 1868, during the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson, Benjamin Wade, the leader of the Senate, nearly became president as Johnson was found not guilty by a single vote. Johnson had previously served as vice president to Abraham Lincoln and succeeded the presidency following Lincoln's assassination.
In September 1881, Chester A. Arthur succeeded to the presidency following James A. Garfield's death. At the time, there was no vice president, president pro tempore of the Senate, or speaker of the House of Representatives. A similar situation occurred in November 1885, when Grover Cleveland became president after Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks's death. As the Senate and House had not yet convened to elect new officers, there was a gap in the line of succession.
In 1886, after Vice President Hendricks's death, Congress passed a law removing the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives from the line of succession. The Secretary of State became the next person in line after the vice president, followed by other Cabinet members.
The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 restored the speaker of the House and president pro tempore of the Senate to the line of succession, placing them ahead of Cabinet members. The Act has been modified several times, with the most recent change occurring in 2006, when the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act added the secretary of homeland security to the line of succession.
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Frequently asked questions
The presidential line of succession is the order in which government officials replace the president of the United States if the president leaves office before their elected successor is inaugurated.
The vice president is first in the line of succession.
The Speaker of the House is second in the line of succession.
The president pro tempore of the Senate is third in the line of succession.
