Countdown to
Inauguration Day
Noon on January 20, and the presidency changes hands
Today is Inauguration Day.
810 days until Inauguration Day, on Saturday, January 20, 2029.
Inauguration Day is Saturday, January 20, 2029. Happens every four years on January 20.Provisional date — not yet officially confirmed.
Inauguration Day marks the formal start of a US president’s term. At noon Eastern on January 20 following each presidential election, the president-elect takes the oath of office — a single sentence prescribed by the Constitution — and the presidency changes hands. The next Inauguration Day is Saturday, January 20, 2029.
How we get this date. The countdown reads from a hand-verified table of inauguration dates rather than deriving them on the fly. Each is January 20 in the year after a presidential election, stepping through the four-year cycle: 2029-01-20, 2033-01-20, 2037-01-20, and so on. Because the date is fixed by constitutional amendment rather than by a moving astronomical or weekday rule, a checked table is the most reliable source.
The January 20 date is younger than the country it serves. From George Washington through Franklin Roosevelt’s first term, inaugurations were generally held on March 4, leaving a four-month gap between the election and the transfer of power — a “lame duck” stretch that proved dangerous during crises such as the secession winter of 1860-61. The 20th Amendment, ratified in 1933, moved the start of the presidential term to January 20; it first took effect at Roosevelt’s second inauguration in 1937.
When January 20 is a Sunday. The Constitution starts the term at noon on January 20 no matter the day of the week, but the public ceremony bends around the calendar. In 1957, 1985, and 2013 the 20th fell on a Sunday, so the president took the oath privately that day and repeated it at a public ceremony on Monday the 21st. The next inauguration, in 2029, lands on a Saturday, so no such split is needed.
🇺🇸 Fun facts about Inauguration Day
- The January 20 date was set by the 20th Amendment, ratified in 1933, and first took effect at Franklin Roosevelt's second inauguration in 1937.
- Earlier inaugurations were generally held on March 4, leaving a four-month lame-duck gap between the election and the transfer of power.
- The 20th Amendment starts the new term at noon on January 20 (noon in Washington) regardless of any ceremony, and the Constitution requires the president to take a specific 35-word oath.
- When January 20 falls on a Sunday, as in 1957, 1985, and 2013, the oath is taken privately that day and repeated at a public ceremony on Monday the 21st.
Upcoming Inauguration Day dates
| Date | Days away |
|---|---|
| 810 days | |
| 2,271 days | |
| 3,732 days | |
| 5,193 days | |
| 6,654 days |
How people mark Inauguration Day
- The presidential oath of office at the US Capitol
- The inaugural address
- The pass in review and inaugural parade
- Evening inaugural balls
Frequently asked
When is the next Inauguration Day?
The next US Inauguration Day is Saturday, January 20, 2029, following the 2028 presidential election.
How is the date calculated?
The countdown reads from a hand-verified table. Each inauguration is January 20 in the year after a presidential election, as fixed by the 20th Amendment.
Why is Inauguration Day on January 20?
The 20th Amendment moved the start of the presidential term from March 4 to January 20 to shorten the lame-duck period. The change first took effect in 1937.
What happens if January 20 is a Sunday?
The president is sworn in privately on the 20th, because the term legally begins that day, and the public ceremony is held the next day, Monday the 21st.