A bill passes the U.S. House of Representatives by a simple majority of members voting, which in a full 435‑member House is typically 218 “yes” votes, though the exact number can be lower if some members are absent or vote “present.”

Basic vote requirement

  • The House uses a simple majority rule for passing ordinary legislation: more than half of the members who cast a vote must vote “yea.”
  • With all 435 seats filled and everyone voting yes or no, that majority is 218 votes, but if there are vacancies or absences, the majority is calculated from the number actually voting.

Special higher‑vote situations

  • To override a presidential veto, the House needs a two‑thirds majority of members present and voting, not just a simple majority.
  • Some fast‑track procedures (like “suspension of the rules”) also require a two‑thirds vote, which is used mainly for non‑controversial bills.

Why the number can shift

  • The Constitution and House rules focus on majority rather than a fixed headcount, so vacancies, resignations, or members being absent can change the exact number of votes needed on any given day.
  • As long as a quorum is present (a minimum number of members required to do business), more than half of those voting yes or no is enough to pass a standard bill.

TL;DR: For “how many House votes to pass a bill,” the standard answer is 218 in a full House, but legally it is “a simple majority of members voting,” with higher thresholds only for special cases like veto overrides.

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