A U.S. presidential term is four years long, and a president can be elected to serve a maximum of two elected terms, for a total of eight years in office in most cases.

Basic term length

  • The Constitution sets the president’s term at four years per election.
  • Elections happen every four years in November, with the president inaugurated the following January.

Maximum time in office

  • The Twenty-second Amendment limits any one person to being elected president twice , so up to eight years through normal elections.
  • A vice president who takes over mid-term can sometimes serve a bit under 10 years total, depending on how long they finish their predecessor’s term.

Why there are term limits

  • Term limits were added after Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times, to prevent any one person from holding presidential power too long.
  • The aim is to balance continuity in leadership with regular opportunities for voters to choose someone new.

TL;DR: One U.S. presidential term = four years; usually no more than two elected terms (eight years total) for any one person.