Inauguration Day in the United States is on January 20 every four years, unless that date falls on a Sunday, in which case the public ceremony is held on January 21 instead.

Quick Scoop: When Is Inauguration Day?

  • Inauguration Day is the day the president-elect and vice president-elect are sworn into office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
  • By law and long‑standing tradition, it takes place on January 20 following the November presidential election.
  • If January 20 lands on a Sunday, the official oath is still taken that day in a small ceremony, but the big public ceremony happens on Monday, January 21.

Recent and upcoming dates

  • Donald Trump’s second inauguration as president took place on January 20, 2025.
  • The next scheduled U.S. presidential inauguration after that is on January 20, 2029.

In practical terms, if you’re asking “when is Inauguration Day” as a general rule, the answer is: January 20 in the year after a U.S. presidential election, with the public event shifting to January 21 only when the 20th is a Sunday.

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