The mayor of New York City serves a four-year term, and can serve two consecutive terms (a total of eight years) before having to step aside for at least one full term.

Basic term length

  • The NYC mayoral term is set at four years under the New York City Charter.
  • Elections are held every four years in odd-numbered years (for example, 2017, 2021, 2025), with the winner taking office the following January.

Term limits

  • Current law caps the mayor at two consecutive four-year terms , for a maximum of eight continuous years in office.
  • After sitting out at least one full four-year term, a former mayor is allowed to run for mayor again and potentially serve additional nonconsecutive terms.

Brief history note

  • NYC voters first adopted a two-term (eight-year) limit for mayor and other citywide offices by referendum in 1993.
  • The limit was temporarily extended to three terms in 2008, allowing Michael Bloomberg to serve 12 years, but a 2010 referendum restored the standard two-term limit for future mayors.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.