Inauguration Day in 2024

When is Inauguration Day?

Inauguration Day is a Federal holiday in Washington D.C. in January every four years.

Inauguration Day marks the swearing-in of the President-Elect of the United States of America. The official transfer of power takes place at noon on  January 20th. If January 20th falls on a weekend, the public ceremony may take place on a weekday.

The day is a holiday within the 'Inauguration Day area'. This includes federal employees working in the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties in Maryland, as well as Arlington and Fairfax counties in Virginia along with the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia. It is only a holiday for those workers who were scheduled to work on that day.

The holiday is intended to permit government employees to attend the various inauguration ceremonies on the day and to alleviate traffic congestion in Washington D.C.

This holiday is designated as "Inauguration Day" in section 6103(c) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Federal employees in the Washington, DC area are entitled to a holiday on the day a President is inaugurated, January 20th for each fourth year after 1965. 

Did you know?

George Washington started the practice of swearing-in with the incoming president’s left hand on a Bible.