When does Donald Trump officially take office as president? Here’s a timeline

After a tight race, the highly contested race for the office of President of the United States was called in favor of Donald Trump, who won the electoral votes required and is currently leading the popular vote.

At 78, he will become the oldest person to take the Office, returning after a four year break during Joe Biden’s term, a race that Trump lost in 2020.

As of writing, Trump has been named the President-elect, although not all of the states have declared their victor. Trump still leads in the battleground states of Nevada and Arizona, and is expected to win handily in Alaska.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee and his main opponent, currently holds 224 electoral votes, but is expected to win Maine, granting her two additional votes. This would still give Trump the victory, with his 312 votes to Harris’ 226.

But when does the former President officially return to the White House? And what other key dates do we need to keep in mind beforehand? Here’s a full timeline…

November 7 onwards — election certification

From November 7 onwards, just two days after election day, states will begin certifying their election results, starting with Delaware. This process continues up until early December, concluding with battleground states like Arizona and Wisconsin.

November 11 — transition briefings

November 11 is when the official transition of power begins, with various state agencies briefing incoming officials from the Trump administration on key parts of the office they will be ascending to.

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December 17 — electoral college vote

On December 17, the electors from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia will meet to cast their ballots, one each for President and Vice President.

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These votes are then sent to the National Archivist and the President of the Senate in Washington D.C., and are scheduled to arrive by the fourth Wednesday in December, which this year happens to be Christmas Day.

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January 6 — counting of the electoral votes

The electoral votes are officially counted by Congress, which reconvenes a few days earlier on January 3, 2025 to certify Trump as the new President of the United States, and JD Vance as his Vice President.

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It is this same date that now lives in infamy due to the events of January 6, 2021, the insurrection of the Capitol during this very procedure. The transition of power is expected to be more peaceful this year.

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January 20 — the inauguration

The inauguration ceremony each term takes place on January 20, with first the Vice President taking the oath of office and being sworn in, followed by the President around noon. 

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This will be Trump’s second inauguration, after being sworn into the office on January 20, 2017 with then-Vice President Mike Pence, and his family members are expected to be by his side once again. While Trump did not attend Biden’s inauguration on January 20, 2021, the incumbent President is expected to make an appearance two and a half months from now.