What Is the Presidential Line of Succession
The line of succession is the ordered list of officials who can assume the presidency if the president dies, resigns, is removed, or is unable to serve. It is defined by the Constitution and federal law.
Order of Succession
After the Vice President, the line follows the Speaker of the House, then the President pro tempore of the Senate, and then Cabinet secretaries in the order their departments were created. Current law sets this sequence through the Presidential Succession Act.
How Succession Works in Practice
When a vacancy occurs, the new president is sworn in immediately, and the position is filled according to statutory procedures. The 20th Amendment and the 25th Amendment clarify temporary and permanent transfers of power. For more details, see the official summary from the National Archives.
