1
THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE
OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Revised on May 14, 2020
The U.S. Order of Precedence is an advisory document maintained by the Ceremonials
Division of the Office of the Chief of Protocol. The U.S. Order of Precedence is not the order of
succession. For purposes of protocol, the U.S. Order of Precedence establishes the order and ranking
of the United States leadership for official events at home and abroad, e.g. seating or speaking order.
Although this document establishes a general order for the country’s highest-level positions, it does
not include every positional title across the federal government. Offices of Protocol for the executive
departments and independent agencies should be consulted for internal rankings regarding positions
not listed.
In 1908, the Roosevelt Administration created the first U.S. Order of Precedence as a means of
settling a history of embarrassment, confusion, and miscommunication amongst officials invited to
events at the White House. As the structure of the federal government evolved, this list has adapted
and grown. The President of the United States may make adjustments to the Cabinet, to give certain
White House positions the status of Cabinet-rank which then follow the heads of the executive
departments.
The U.S. Order of Precedence is used primarily in diplomacy. International rules on
precedence were first established at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. By determining that envoys of
equal title would be ranked according to the date and hour that they presented their credentials to the
government that accredited them for service, the Congress of Vienna solidified a fair and justifiable
system for diplomatic relations. These same rules are still used to determine the order of precedence
of the Diplomatic Corps in Washington, D.C. Additionally, when on official business in the United
States, foreign government officials are afforded the same protocol ranking as their corresponding
position in the United States government.
A few basic principles regarding precedence should be noted. First, the host or hostess of a
meeting or event always takes the primary position of precedence, regardless of their title or
traditional ranking. Second, a person’s relative precedence may increase or decrease depending on
the policy or context behind the specific meeting or event, or based on the wishes of the host on any
occasion.
The methodology used in ordering officials for this list includes the United States Code;
statutory prescription on precedence, including executive orders; well-established and widely-
accepted principles, procedures, and traditions throughout the history of the order of precedence; the
current structure of the federal government and the executive departments; and finally,
recommendations by the Chief of Protocol based on practical treatment of a particular position or
positions.
For any questions regarding the U.S. Order of Precedence, please email the Office of the Chief
of Protocol at [email protected].
2
UNITED STATES ORDER OF PRECEDENCE
Revised 5/14/2020
1
President of the United States
1
2
Vice President of the United States
1
3
Governor of a State
1
– when in own state
4
Speaker of the House of Representatives
5
Chief Justice of the United States
6 a
Former Presidents of the United States or their widows/widowers (by seniority of assuming
office)
b
Former Vice Presidents of the United States or their widows/widowers (by seniority of
assuming office)
7 a
American Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to foreign governments – when at
post
See also 29a in the order of precedence.
b
American Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives or Representatives to international
organizations who hold Chief of Mission authority
2
– when at post See also 29c in the
order of precedence.
c
American Chargé d’Affaires ad interim – when at post
8
Secretary of State
9 a
President, United Nations General Assembly – when in session
b
Secretary General of the United Nations – when at the United Nations
c
President, United Nations General Assembly – when not in session
10
Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of foreign diplomatic missions
3
to the
United States (in order of presentation of credentials to the President of the United States)
11 a
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court (ranked by date of appointment)
b
Retired Chief Justices of the United States (ranked by date of appointment)
c
Retired Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, unless they resigned (ranked by date of
appointment)
12
The Cabinet (other than the Secretary of State), ranked according to date of establishment of
the Department
4
, and as added by the President(*)
5
, as follows:
a
Secretary of the Treasury
b
Secretary of Defense
c
Attorney General
d
Secretary of the Interior
e
Secretary of Agriculture
f
Secretary of Commerce
g
Secretary of Labor
h
Secretary of Health and Human Services
i
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
j
Secretary of Transportation
k
Secretary of Energy
3
l
Secretary of Education
m
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
n
Secretary of Homeland Security
o
Chief of Staff to the President*
p
Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency* (EPA)
q
Director, Office of Management and Budget* (OMB)
r
United States Trade Representative* (USTR)
s
Administrator, Small Business Administration* (SBA)
t
Director of National Intelligence* (DNI)
u
Director, Central Intelligence Agency* (CIA)
13 a
President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate
b
Senate Majority Leader
c
Senate Minority Leader
d
Senate Majority Whip
e
Senate Minority Whip
f
Senators (by length of service; if the same, by the state’s date of admission into the Union or
alphabetically by state)
14
Governors of States
1
– when outside their own states (Relative precedence among
governors, all of whom are outside their own state, is determined by each state's date of
admission into the Union or alphabetically by state)
See Appendix B.
15 a
House Majority Leader
b
House Minority Leader
c
House Majority Whip
d
House Minority Whip
e
Members of the House of Representatives (by length of service; if the same, by the state’s
date of admission into the Union or alphabetically by state)
16 a
Delegates or Resident Commissioners to the House of Representatives (non-voting
members) from Territory of American Samoa, District of Columbia, Territory of Guam,
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands (by length of service) See
Appendix C.
b
Governors of Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Territory of Guam, Territory of American
Samoa, United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands (ordered by territory’s date of entering U.S. jurisdiction or alphabetically by
territory) See Appendix C.
17 a
Assistants to the President and Deputy Chiefs of Staff (ranked by date of appointment)
b
Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (also known as the “National
Security Advisor”)
c
Assistants to the President and Senior Advisor (ranked by date of appointment)
d
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Spouse of the President
e
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President
f
Assistants to the President (ranked by date of appointment)
g
Chair, Council of Economic Advisors
h
Chair, Council on Environmental Quality
i
Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy
j
Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
k
Chief of Protocol – when at the White House or accompanying the President
4
See also 29b in the order of precedence.
18 a
American Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives or Representatives to international
organizations who do not hold Chief of Mission authority
6
– when at post
See also 29d in the order of precedence.
b
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim assigned to foreign diplomatic missions to the United States
(in order of date of assumption of this position)
19 a
Former Secretaries of State (by seniority of assuming office)
b
Former Cabinet Members (by seniority of assuming office)
c
Former Senators (by leadership position, then length of service; if the same, by state’s
admission into the Union or alphabetically by state) See Appendix B.
d
Former Governors of States – when in own state (ranked by seniority of assuming office)
e
Former Governors of States – when outside their own states (relative precedence among
governors, all of whom are outside their own states, is determined by each state’s date of
admission into the Union or alphabetically by state)
See Appendix B.
f
Former Members of the House of Representatives (by leadership position, then length of
service; if the same, by state’s admission into the Union or alphabetically by state) See
Appendix B.
20
Deputies to Members of the Cabinet, ranked according to date of establishment of the
Department, and as added by the President(*)
7
, as follows:
a
Deputy Secretary of State
b
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury
c
Deputy Secretary of Defense
d
Deputy Attorney General
e
Deputy Secretary of the Interior
f
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
g
Deputy Secretary of Commerce
h
Deputy Secretary of Labor
i
Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services
j
Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
k
Deputy Secretary of Transportation
l
Deputy Secretary of Energy
m
Deputy Secretary of Education
n
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs
o
Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
p
Deputy Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency* (EPA)
q
Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget* (OMB)
r
Deputy United States Trade Representative* (USTR)
s
Deputy Administrator, Small Business Administration*(SBA)
t
Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (DNI)*
u
Deputy Director, Central Intelligence Agency* (CIA)
21 a
Secretary of the Army
b
Secretary of the Navy
c
Secretary of the Air Force
d
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
22 a
Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve and Commissioner of Social
Security of the Social Security Administration (SSA)
5
b
Heads of Federal Independent Agencies whom are at Level II of the Executive Schedule
(ranked by agency’s creation date; if the same, by length of service).
8
See Appendix A.
These agencies include, but are not limited to, the following: National Science Foundation
(NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Office of
Personnel Management (OPM), Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), U.S.
International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) [Formerly Overseas Private
Investment Corporation (OPIC)]
9
c
Vice Chairman and Governors of the Federal Reserve System (by length of service)
d
Deputy Commissioner, Social Security Administration (SSA)
e
Deputy Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
f
Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC)
g
Deputy Heads of Federal Independent Agencies whom are at Level II of the Executive
Schedule (ranked by agency’s creation date, when the same, by length of service). See
Appendix A.
23 a
Under Secretaries of State and Counselor of the Department of State (as ranked by State
Department)
b
Under Secretaries of Executive Departments, Treasurer of the United States, Associate
Attorneys General and Solicitor General (according to date of establishment of the
Department; if more than one from a Department, then as ranked within the Department)
c
Heads of Federal Departmental Agencies that report to the head of an Executive Department
(ranked by date of establishment of the Department; if more than one from a Department,
then as ranked within the Department)
These agencies include, but not limited to: Director of Foreign Assistance at the Department
of State; Defense Agencies, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Secret Service (USSS),
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
24a
Retired Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
10
b
Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
c
Chief of Staff, Army; Commandant of the Marine Corps; Chief of Naval Operations; and
Chief of Staff, Air Force (order is established by date of appointment)
d
Chief, National Guard Bureau
e
Commandant of the Coast Guard
f
Combatant Commanders (order is established by date of appointment)
11
25 a
Heads of Federal Independent Agencies whom are at Level III of the Executive Schedule
(ranked by agency’s creation date; when the same, by length of service) See Appendix A.
These agencies include, but are not limited to, the following: U.S. International Trade
Commission (USITC), Export-Import Bank of the United States, Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), General Services Administration (GSA), Peace Corps (PC), U.S. Trade
and Development Agency (USTDA), National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities
(NFAH), National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Merit Systems
Protection Board (MSPB)
b
Deputy Heads of Federal Independent Agencies whom are at Level III of the Executive
Schedule (ranked by agency’s creation date, when the same, by length of service). See
Appendix A.
c
Postmaster General
6
26
Lieutenant Governors – when in own State
27
Mayors
1
of U.S. cities and the District of Columbia – when in own city
28a
Heads of International Organizations (ranked by their date of establishment) – when not at
post
These organizations are including, but not limited to, the following: Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO), Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Organization of
American States (OAS), World Bank, United Nations (UN)
b
Ambassadors or Permanent Representatives of foreign governments accredited to
international organizations headquartered in the United States
29 a
American Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to foreign governments – on
official business in the United States or another country (ranked by the oath of office) See
also 7a in the order of precedence.
b
Chief of Protocol – when at the Department of State or at events outside the White House
See also 17k in the order of precedence.
c
American Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives or Representatives to international
organizations who hold Chief of Mission authority
2
– on official business in the United
States or when representing the United States at a meeting of their international organization
away from post (ranked by the oath of office)
See also 7b in the order of precedence.
d
American Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives or Representatives to international
organizations who do not hold Chief of Mission authority
6
–on official business in the
United States or when representing the United States at a meeting of their international
organization away from post (ranked by the oath of office) See 18a in the order of
precedence.
e
Career Ambassadors
13
f
Deputy Assistants to the President (ranked by date of appointment)
30 a
Chief Judges and Circuit Judges of the United States Courts of Appeals (by length of
service)
b
Chief Judges and District Judges, United States District Courts (by length of service)
c
Chief Judges and Judges of the United States Court of Military Appeals
d
Chief Judges and Judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
e
Chief Judge and Associate Judges, United States Tax Court
31
American Chargé d’Affaires ad interim – on official business in the United States or when
representing the United States
32
Under Secretaries of the Department of the Army, Navy, and Air Force (by date of
appointment)
33 a
Assistant Secretaries (according to date of establishment of the Department, if more than
one from a Department, then as ranked within the Department)
b
Chiefs of Staff to the Head of an Executive Department (according to date of establishment
of the Department, if more than one from a Department, then as ranked within the
Department)
c
Ambassadors at Large (according to date of establishment of the Department, if more than
one from a Department, then as ranked within the Department)
7
d
Special Envoys/Representatives (according to date of establishment of the Department, if
more than one from a Department, then as ranked within the Department)
e
Assistant Attorneys General (according to date of establishment of the Department, if more
than one from a Department, then as ranked within the Department)
f
Legal Advisers of Executive Departments (according to date of establishment of the
Department, if more than one from a Department, then as ranked within the Department)
g
Special Assistants to the President, which includes the White House Social Secretary and
Senior Directors of the National Security Council (NSC) (ranked by date of appointment)
h
Heads of Federal Independent Agencies whom are at Level IV of the Executive Schedule
(ranked by agency’s creation date, when the same, by length of service). See Appendix A.
i
Deputy Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
j
Deputy Heads of Federal Independent Agencies whom are at Level IV of the Executive
Schedule (ranked by agency’s creation date, when the same, by length of service). See
Appendix A.
34 a
Assistant Administrators, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
b
Assistant Administrators, Agency for International Development (USAID)
c
Assistant United States Trade Representatives (USTR)
d
Associate Administrators, Small Business Administration (SBA)
35 a
Comptroller General of the United States
b
Members of the Council of Economic Advisers (ranked alphabetically)
c
Members of the Council of Environmental Quality
36
American Ambassadors-designate (in the United States)
14
37a
Mayors
1
of U.S. cities – when not in own city (if multiple mayors present, rank by length of
service)
b
Mayor
1
of the District of Columbia – when not in own city (if multiple mayors present, rank
by length of service)
c
Mayors
1
of U.S. territories – when not in own city (if multiple mayors present, rank by
length of service)
38 a
Vice Chief of Staff, Army; Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps; Vice Chief of
Naval Operations; and Vice Chief of Staff, Air Force (by date of appointment)
b
Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau
c
Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard
d
Assistant Secretaries and General Counsels of the Department of the Army, Navy, and Air
Force (by date of appointment)
e
Four Star Military Officers - General or Admiral (in order of seniority; retired officers rank
with but after active duty officers)
f
Executive Secretary, National Security Council (NSC)
g
Officers of the U.S. Senate, including the following: the Chaplain, the Party Secretaries, the
Secretary of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms, and the Parliamentarian
h
Officers of the U.S. House of Representatives, including the following: the Chaplain, the
Chief Administrative Officer, the Clerk of the House, and the Sergeant at Arms
39 a
Three Star Military Officers – Lieutenant General, Vice Admiral (in order of seniority;
retired officers rank after active duty members)
b
State Senators – when in own state (ranked by length of service, when the same, by
alphabetical order by surname)
c
State Representatives – when in own state (ranked by length of service, when the same, by
8
alphabetical order by surname)
d
Former American Ambassadors/Chiefs of Diplomatic Missions (in order of presentation of
credentials at first post)
40 a
Chairmen or Heads of other federal Boards, Councils and Commissions not previously
listed
15
(ranked by creation date, when the same, by length of service)
b
Librarian of Congress
c
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
d
Chairman of the American Red Cross
e
Deputy Chief of Protocol (ranked by date of appointment)
f
Minister-rank officials assigned to foreign diplomatic missions
41 a
Deputy Under Secretaries of Executive Departments (according to date of establishment of
the Department; if more than one from a Department, then as ranked within the Department)
b
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Executive Departments (according to date of
establishment of the Department; if more than one from a Department, then as ranked within
the Department)
c
Deputy Counsels of Executive Departments (according to date of establishment of the
Department; if more than one from a Department, then as ranked within the Department)
d
Two Star Military – Major General, Rear Admiral (in order of seniority; retired officers
rank with but after active duty officers)
42 a
Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Executive Departments (according to date of establishment
of the Department; if more than one from a Department, then as ranked within the
Department)
b
Deputy Assistant Secretaries and Deputy General Counsels of the Army, Navy and Air
Force (by date of appointment)
c
Directors of the National Security Council
d
American Consuls General to foreign governments – at post
e
American Deputy Chiefs of Mission – at post
f
Deputy Permanent Representatives of foreign governments accredited to international
organizations headquartered in the United States – at post
g
Assistant Chiefs of Protocol (ranked by date of appointment)
h
Minister-Counselor-rank officials assigned to foreign diplomatic missions
42 a
Chief Judge and Judges, United States Court of International Trade
b
Chief Judge and Associate Judges, United States Court of Claims
43 a
One Star Military – Brigadier Generals, Rear Admirals (in order of seniority; retired officers
rank with but after active officers)
b
Directors of Offices of Executive Departments
c
Consuls General of foreign governments accredited to the United States
d
Counselor-rank officials assigned to foreign diplomatic missions
e
Members of the Senior Executive Service (SES) not holding previously listed positions (by
date of appointment, unless ranked differently as determined by the respective Executive
Department)
f
Members of other federal Boards, Councils, and Commissions not previously listed
g
Desk Officers of Executive Departments
h
First Secretary-rank officials assigned to foreign diplomatic missions
9
Endnotes and Further Explanation of Positional Rankings:
1 Spouses of the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, Governors in their own
state and Mayors in their own cities are afforded the same rank and courtesy that accompanies their spouses’
positions at official functions. Spouses of other federal, state, or municipal government officials are accorded
the same rank as the Principal at official functions when they are attending together, and they are seated
accordingly. This seating courtesy is the only ranking a spouse without title receives in the United States,
unless the spouse himself or herself holds a separate position on the Order of Precedence.
2 The American Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives or Representatives to international organizations
with Chief of Mission authority include the following: U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN) – New
York; U.S. Mission to the African Union (USAU) – Addis Ababa; U.S. Representative to the Organization for
Security & Cooperation in Europe with rank of Ambassador (OSCE) – Vienna; U.S. Mission to the Vienna
Office of the United Nations (UNVIE) – Vienna; U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(USNATO) – Brussels; U.S. Representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
with the rank of Ambassador (USOECD) – Paris; U.S. Mission to the UN and Other International
Organizations – Geneva; U.S. Mission to the European Union (USEU) – Brussels; U.S. Mission to the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (USASEAN) – Jakarta; U.S. Mission to the Organization of American
States (USOAS) – Washington, DC.
3 Diplomatic missions refer to all bilateral missions and the delegations of the European Union and African Union.
4 For the purposes of the Order of Precedence, any reference to “executive department” shall mean the Cabinet
Departments led by the Cabinet Secretaries in #8 and #11a-n. See Appendix D for listing of executive
departments by date of establishment.
5 The President may make changes in his or her administration to the Cabinet-rank positions listed in 11o-u.
Positions listed with an (*) have been given the status of Cabinet-rank by the current presidential
administration (as of March 2020).
6 The American Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives or Representatives to international organizations
who do not hold Chief of Mission authority, and are given an Ambassador-rank only for the time served in the
role, include the following: U.S. Representative to the Conference on Disarmament – Geneva; Representative
to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – Montreal; U.S. Representative to the UN Human
Rights Council (UNHRC) – Geneva; U.S. Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – Paris; U.S. Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – The Hague; U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and
Agriculture (FAO) – Rome.
7 See endnote #4. The Deputies to Members of the Cabinet holding Cabinet-rank positions, marked with a (*),
would also
change based on the structure of the current Cabinet, as decided by the President.
8 The Executive Schedule (EX), created by title 5 of the United States Code (5 U.S.C. § 5311), is the basic pay
schedule of the highest-level management positions in the United States government. All Executive Schedule
positions are statutory and require Presidential appointment and Senate confirmation, otherwise known as
“PAS”. For purposes of order of precedence, the Head and Deputy Head positions of Independent Federal
Agencies are ranked accordingly. See Appendix A.
9
DFC was established in 2019 through the passage of Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development
(BUILD), Act. The BUILD Act combined the capabilities of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation
(OPIC) and the Development Credit Authority which had previously been housed in the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID).
10
10 Retired military officers take precedence immediately after active-duty officers of the same position (or grade if
the officer did not serve in a position that is explicitly listed) by the initial date of appointment to the position (or
grade). The positions for which this rule applies include the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, the Vice
Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, the Chiefs of Staff of the Military Services, the Chief of the National Guard
Bureau, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, the Combatant Commanders, the Vice Chiefs of Staff of the
Military Services, and Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard.
Precedence for retired military officers will be immediately after the highest position on the list for which an
individual served, except for retired Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Retired Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff. [Revised Department of Defense (DoD) Order of Precedence, July 15, 2016]
11 Precedence is established by date of appointment as a Combatant Commander. However, if that individual
was previously appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, Service Chief, or a previous Combatant Commander position, then the initial date of appointment to the
previously held position will be used. Retired Combatant Commanders take precedence with but immediately
after active-duty Commanders by the initial date of appointment. [Revised Department of Defense (DoD)
Order of Precedence, July 15, 2016]
12 For purposes of order of precedence, the common practice for many municipal governments is to rank the
mayor immediately following the Governor of their state when in their own city.
13 Career Ambassadors refer to a specific and limited group of individuals. Under the 1980 Foreign Service Act
(P.L. 96-465; 94 Stat. 2084), the President is empowered, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to confer the
personal rank of Career Ambassador upon a career member of the Senior Foreign Service in recognition of
especially distinguished service over a sustained period. In writing and upon retirement, Career Ambassadors
may use the title Career Ambassador of the Foreign Service of the United States of America, Retired.
An individual who has served as an Ambassador, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate, may use the title of ambassador, as appropriate, upon retirement: U.S. Ambassador, Retired; or
Ambassador-at-Large of the United States, Retired.
This long-standing custom and practice, has established a tradition that persons who have served as an
Ambassador, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, may continue to use
the title after such service in appropriate communications with others, may be referred to in communications and
conversations by the title of Ambassador, and may be introduced to public audiences by the title. However, this
does not apply to officials who are given the rank of ambassador only for their tenure in that position or who are
not confirmed by the Senate.
See Department of State Foreign Affairs Handbook for more information.
https://fam.state.gov/FAM/03FAH01/03FAH012430.html#H2439
In the United States, Government officials who have been elected to public office or are appointed by the
President of the United States with the advice and consent of the Senate are afforded the courtesy title of The
Honorable. These positions include, but are not limited to the President, Vice President, members of the Cabinet,
Assistants to the President, Special Assistants to the President, Deputy and Under Secretaries of executive
departments, Assistant Secretaries, American Ambassadors, Governors, and Mayors. Courtesy titles are not
salutations and used only in writing before the full name of a person. Additionally, it is custom in the United
States for a person who has held the courtesy title of The Honorable to be addressed as The Honorable after
leaving a high-ranking position, unless they are removed from office or leaves in disgrace.
14 Ambassador-designate is a diplomatic agent who has been nominated by the President of the United States and
confirmed by the Senate, but who has not presented copies of our credentials to the foreign government. See
Department of State Foreign Affairs Handbook for more diplomatic terms.
https://fam.state.gov/FAM/05FAH01/05FAH010610.html#X611
11
15 See Appendix A for the list of Federal Independent Agencies as noted in the United States Government Policy
and Supporting Positions “Plum Book”. Chairmen or Heads of Boards, Councils or Commissions listed as “V”
or not listed in the Executive Schedule should be included here in order of agency’s creation date. Other
members or commissioners below the head should be placed at 43f.
12
Additional Guidance regarding Order of Precedence:
Member of Delegation Precedence Order
As a member of a delegation to a meeting, summit, ministerial or other event, a person’s relative
precedence may increase or decrease depending on the policy or context behind a specific meeting or event, or
based on the wishes of the host on any occasion. Although ambassadors at Post traditionally outrank other
Cabinet-level ministers who might represent their countries as the head of delegation, out of courtesy for the
subject-matter and Cabinet-level diplomat, the ambassador will drop down in rank as a member of the official
delegation for that official visit.
Officials in “acting,” “interim,” or “performing the duties of” positions
Any official appointed to serve as “Acting,” “Interim” or “Performing the Duties of” in a position
where the original office-holder was appointed to office by the President, by and with consent by the Senate,
will be afforded the protocol level for the position in which he or she is serving while “Acting.” When more
than one official of the same rank are present at the same event, the “acting” official(s) should be ranked with,
but after all others of the same rank. This ensures the rank of the position is afforded protocol courtesies, not
the specific individual appointed to serve in that role. For more information, see the Federal Vacancies
Reform Act of 1998, as amended (5 U.S.C. §§ 3345-3349d).
Foreign Government Officials and International Organizations
For purposes of order of precedence, it is important to note that the United States Order of Precedence
list refers to positions being held by American officials only.
Positions of equivalence in foreign sovereign nations are afforded the same protocol level when in the
United States. For example, foreign Chiefs of State and/or Heads of Government would equate to the United
States President, and therefore be positioned accordingly. In situations where multiple sovereign nations are
sending representatives to a meeting, summit or other event, the head of delegation will be the most senior
member of that nation’s delegation, and will be ranked in precedence order by category of their title. Within
each category, seniority is given to each representative based on the individual's length of service within that
position, or sometimes alphabetically by short form country name.
The following categories are used to determine relative precedence between sovereign nations’
representatives or heads of delegation, and the corresponding precedence rank for their U.S. counterpart has
been provided for situational awareness: (1) chiefs of state, (1) heads of government, (2) deputy chiefs of state,
(2) deputy heads of government, (8) foreign ministers, (11) other Cabinet-level ministers, (10) ambassadors,
(28) ambassadors to an international organization, and other senior members of that government. Some
nations, including the United States, only have one chief of state or head of government, represented by the
same individual. Although ambassadors at Post traditionally outrank other Cabinet-level ministers who might
represent their countries as the head of delegation, out of courtesy for the subject-matter and Cabinet-level
diplomat, the ambassador will drop down in rank as a member of the official delegation for that official visit.
The United States of America is a member of multiple international alliances and organizations, and
often works with the heads of those organizations during meetings, summits, or other events. A head of an
international organization (including, but not limited to, the following positions: President of the Inter-
American Development Bank (IDB), President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Managing Director
of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO), Director of Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Secretary General of the Organization of
American States, President of the World Bank, Secretary General of the United Nations) should be listed in
precedence order after official representatives of the sovereign nations present. The only exception to this
would be if that organization is hosting the meeting or summit, in which case the head of that international
organization would serve in the primary and top position of precedence. Ranking for heads of international
organizations is determined by the organization’s date of establishment.
Leaders or Chief Executives of American Indian Tribes
For purposes of order of precedence, American Indian Tribes should be treated as foreign
governments, with their leaders positioned just after leaders of sovereign foreign nation states, and before any
13
heads of international organizations (see above guidance regarding Foreign Government Officials and
International Organizations for further clarification). When multiple American Indian tribal leaders are
present, precedence should be organized alphabetically by the official name of each tribe, beginning first
with any federally recognized tribes, then state-recognized tribes, then any non-officially recognized tribes.
American Indian Tribes are defined both as “Sovereign Nations” and “Dependent Nations” in the
United States. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power “to regulate
commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes.” Additionally, three
bedrock principals regarding the sovereignty of the American Indian Tribes underlie U.S. Supreme Court
decisions since 1832: (1) by virtue of aboriginal political and territorial status, Indian tribes possessed certain
incidents of preexisting sovereignty; (2) such sovereignty was subject to diminution or elimination by the
United States, but not by the individual states; and (3) the tribes’ limited inherent sovereignty and their
corresponding dependency on the United States for protection imposed on the latter a trust responsibility.
The leader or chief executive of a tribe is usually called a chairman, chairwoman or chairperson, but may
also be called a principal chief, governor, president, mayor, spokesperson, or representative. The chief executive
presides over the governing body of the tribe. In modern tribal government, the chief executive and members of
the tribal council or business council are almost always elected.
14
APPENDIX A: List of Federal Independent Agencies & Government Corporations (Heads & Deputy Heads)
KEY to Executive Schedule (EX) Level Ranking:
These officials are ranked by the agency’s creation date; and if the same, by length of service in the position.
Agency Name
Agency
Acronym
Creation Date
Precedence Rank
of
Head of Agency
Precedence Rank of
Deputy Head of Agency
Administrative Conference of
the
United States
ACUS
1964
22b (Chairman)
43f
Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation
ACHP
1966
40a
43f
African Development
Foundation
ADF
1980
40a
43f
American Battle Monuments
Commission
ABMC
1923
40a
43f
Appalachian Regional
Commission
ARC
1965
25a (Federal Co-
Chairman)
43f (Alternate Federal
Co-Chairman)
Architectural and Transportation
Barriers Compliance Board
(United States Access Board)
ATBCB
1973
40a
43f
Armed Forces Retirement Home
(1831 US Naval Asylum & 1851
US Soldiers' Home merged)
AFRH
1991
40a
43f
Broadcasting Board of
Governors
BBG
1999
33h (Director, IBB)
43f
Chemical Safety and Hazard
Investigation Board
CSB
1998
33h (Board
Chairperson)
33j (Board Members)
Commission of Fine Arts
CFA
1910
40a
43f
Committee for Purchase From
People Who Are Blind or
Severely Disabled
AbilityOne
1971
40a
43f
Commodity Futures Trading
Commission
CFTC
1974
25a (Chairperson)
33j (Commissioners)
Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau
CFPB
2008
22b (Director)
43f
Consumer Product Safety
Commission
CPSC
1972
25a (Chairman)
33j (Commissioners)
Corporation for National and
Community Service
CNCS
1993
25a (CEO)
43f
Council of the Inspectors
General
on Integrity and
Efficiency
CIGIE
2008
40a
43f
Court Services and Offender
Supervision Agency for the
District of Columbia
CSOSA
1997
33h (Director)
43f
Defense Nuclear Facilities
Safety
Board
DNFSB
1988
25a (Chairman)
25b (Vice Chairman
&
Members)
Delaware River Basin
Commission
DRBC
1961
40a
43f
Head of Agency
EX Level
Precedence Rank
II
22b
III
25a
IV
33h
V or N/A
40a
Deputy Head of Agency
EX Level
Precedence Rank
II
22c-f
III
25b
IV
33j
V or N/A
43f
15
Agency Name
Agency
Acronym
Creation Date
Precedence Rank
of
Head of Agency
Precedence Rank of
Deputy Head of Agency
Delta Regional Authority
DRA
2000
40a (Federal Co-
Chairman)
43f
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
Commission
Eisenhower
Memorial
1999
40a
43f
Election Assistance Commission
EAC
2002
33h (Commissioner)
33j (Commissioners)
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA
1970
22b (Administrator)
25b
Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission
EEOC
1965
25a (Chairman)
33j (Commissioners)
Export-Import Bank of the
United
States
Ex-Im Bank
1934
25a
(President/Chairman)
33j (Vice-Chair/VP and
Members)
Farm Credit Administration
FCA
1933
25a (Chairman)
33j (Members)
Federal Communications
Commission
FCC
1934
25a (Chairman)
33j (Commissioners)
Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation
FDIC
1933
33h (Chairman)
33j (Vice-Chairman &
Members)
Federal Election Commission
FEC
1975
33h (Commissioner
Members)
43f
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
FERC
1977
25a (Chairman)
33j (Members)
Federal Financial Institutions
Examination Council
FFIEC
1979
40a
43f
Federal Housing Finance
Agency
FHFA
2008
40a
43f
Federal Labor Relations
Authority
FLRA
1978
33h (Chairman)
43f (Members)
Federal Maritime Commission
FMC
1961
25a (Chairman)
33j (Members)
Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service
FMCS
1947
25a (Director)
43f
Federal Mine Safety and Health
Review Commission
FMSHRC
1977
25a (Chairman)
33j (Commissioners)
Federal Reserve System
FRS
1913
22a (Chairman)
22c (Vice-Chairman &
Governors)
Federal Retirement Thrift
Investment Board
FRTIB
1986
25a (Executive
Director)
43f
Federal Trade Commission
FTC
1914
25a (Chairman)
33j (Commissioners)
General Services Administration
GSA
1949
25a (Administrator)
43f (Deputy
Administrator)
Harry S. Truman Scholarship
Foundation
Truman
Scholarship
Program
1975
40a
43f
Holocaust Memorial Council
HMC
1980
40a
43f
Inter-American Foundation
IAF
1972
33h (President)
43f
International Boundary
Commission: United States and
Canada
IBC
1925
40a
43f
International Joint Commission
IJC
1909
40a
43f
Interstate Commission on the
Potomac River Basin
ICPRB
1940
40a
43f
James Madison Memorial
Fellowship Foundation
JMMFF
1986
40a
43f
Japan - United States Friendship
Commission
JUSFC
1975
40a
43f
John F. Kennedy Center
KC
1958 (public
debut 1971)
40a (all trustees)
43f
16
Agency Name
Agency
Acronym
Creation Date
Precedence Rank
of
Head of Agency
Precedence Rank of
Deputy Head of Agency
Marine Mammal Commission
MMC
1972
40a
43f
Medicaid and Chip Payment and
Access Commission
MACPAC
1997
40a
43f
Medicare Payment Advisory
Commission
MedPAC
1997
40a
43f
Merit Systems Protection Board
MSPB
1978
25a (Chairman)
33j (Vice-Chairman &
Member)
Millennium Challenge
Corporation
MCC
2004
22b (CEO)
43f
Morris K. Udall and Stewart L.
Udall Foundation
Udall
Foundation
1992
40a
43f
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration
NASA
1958
22b (Administrator)
25b (Deputy
Administrator)
National Archives and Records
Administration
NARA
1934
25a (Archivist)
43f
National Capital Planning
Commission
NCPC
1924
40a
43f
National Council on Disability
NCD
1978
40a
43f
National Credit Union
Administration
NCUA
1970
25a (Chairman)
33j (Board Members)
National Foundation on the Arts
and the Humanities
NFAH
1965
25a (Director and
both
Chairmen)
43f
National Labor Relations Board
NLRB
1935
25a (Chairman)
33j (Board Members)
National Mediation Board
NMB
1934
25a (Chairman)
33j (Board Member)
National Science Foundation
NSF
1950
22b (Director)
25b (Deputy Director)
National Transportation Safety
Board
NTSB
1967
25a (Chairman)
33j (Vice-Chairman &
Members)
Northern Border Regional
Commission
NBRC
2008
25a (Federal Co-
Chairperson)
43f
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
NRC
1975
22b (Chairman)
25b (Commissioners)
Nuclear Waste Technical
Review
Board
NWTRB
1987
40a
43f
Occupational Safety and Health
Review Commission
OSHRC
1970
25a (Chairman)
33j (Commission
Members)
Office of Government Ethics
OGE
1978
25a (Director)
43f
Office of Personnel Management
OPM
1979
22b (Director)
25b (Deputy Director)
Office of Special Counsel
OSC
1979
33h (Special
Counsel)
43f
Peace Corps
PC
1961
25a (Director)
33j (Deputy Director)
Pension Benefit Guarantee
Corporation
PBGC
1974
25a (Director)
43f
Postal Regulatory Commission
PRC
1970
33h (Chairman)
33j (Commissioners)
President's Commission on
White
House Fellowships
WH Fellows
1964
40a
43f
Presidio Trust
Presidio Trust
1996
40a
43f
Privacy and Civil Liberties
Oversight Board
PCLOB
2007
40a
43f
Railroad Retirement Board
RRB
1930s
25a (Chairman)
33j (Members of Board)
Securities and Exchange
Commission
SEC
1934
25a (Chairman)
33j (Commissioners)
Selective Service System
SSS
1917
33h (Director)
43e (Deputy Director)
Smithsonian Institution
SI
1846
40a
43f
Social Security Administration
SSA
1935
22a (Commissioner)
22d (Dep. Commissioner)
Social Security Advisory Board
SSAB
1994
40a
43f
Special Inspector General for
SIGAR
2008
40a
43f
17
Agency Name
Agency
Acronym
Creation Date
Precedence Rank
of
Head of Agency
Precedence Rank of
Deputy Head of Agency
Afghanistan Reconstruction
State Justice Institute
SJI
1984
40a
43f
Susquehanna River Basin
Commission
SRBC
1970
40a
43f
Tennessee Valley Authority
TVA
1933
40a
43f
The Barry Goldwater
Scholarship
and Excellence in
Education
Foundation
BGS
1986
40a
43f
U.S. Section of the International
Boundary and Water
Commission
(with Mexico)
USIBWC
1889
25a (Commissioner)
43f
United States - China Economic
and Security Review
Commission
USCC
2000
40a
43f
United States Agency for
International Development
USAID
1961
22b (Administrator)
25b (Deputy
Administrator)
United States Arctic Research
Commission
USARC
1984
40a
43f
United States Commission for
the
Preservation of America's
Heritage Abroad
Heritage
Abroad
1985
40a
43f
United States Commission on
Civil Rights
USCCR
1957
33h (Chairman)
33j (Commissioners)
United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom
USCIRF
1998
40a
43f
United States Institute of Peace
USIP
1984
40a
43f
United States Interagency
Council
on Homelessness
USICH
1987
40a
43f
U.S. International Development
Finance Corporation (Formerly
Overseas Private Investment
Corporation)
DFC
2019
22b (CEO)
25b
United States International Trade
Commission
USITC
1916
25a (Chairman)
33j (Vice-Chairman &
Commissioners)
United States Postal Service
USPS
1775
40a
43f
United States Trade and
Development Agency
USTDA
1961
25d (Director)
43e (Deputy Director)
Utah Reclamation Mitigation
and
Conservation Commission
Mitigation
Commission
1992
40a
43f
Woodrow Wilson International
Center for Scholars
Wilson Center
1968
40a
43f
14
APPENDIX B: List of U.S. States by Date of Admission to the Union – Chronological
State
Date of Admission
1
Delaware
December 7, 1787
2
Pennsylvania
December 12, 1787
3
New Jersey
December 18, 1787
4
Georgia
January 2, 1788
5
Connecticut
January 9, 1788
6
Massachusetts
February 6, 1788
7
Maryland
April 28, 1788
8
South Carolina
May 23, 1788
9
New Hampshire
June 21, 1788
10
Virginia
June 25, 1788
11
New York
July 26, 1788
12
North Carolina
November 21, 1789
13
Rhode Island
May 29, 1790
14
Vermont
March 4, 1791
15
Kentucky
June 1, 1792
16
Tennessee
June 1, 1796
17
Ohio
March 1, 1803
18
Louisiana
April 30, 1812
19
Indiana
December 11, 1816
20
Mississippi
December 10, 1817
21
Illinois
December 3, 1818
22
Alabama
December 14, 1819
23
Maine
March 15, 1820
24
Missouri
August 10, 1821
25
Arkansas
June 15, 1836
26
Michigan
January 26, 1837
27
Florida
March 3, 1845
28
Texas
December 29, 1845
29
Iowa
December 28, 1846
30
Wisconsin
May 29, 1848
31
California
September 9, 1850
32
Minnesota
May 11, 1858
33
Oregon
February 14, 1859
34
Kansas
January 29, 1861
35
West Virginia
June 20, 1863
36
Nevada
October 31, 1864
37
Nebraska
March 1, 1867
38
Colorado
August 1, 1876
39
North Dakota
November 2, 1889
40
South Dakota
November 2, 1889
41
Montana
November 8, 1889
42
Washington
November 11, 1889
43
Idaho
July 3, 1890
44
Wyoming
July 10, 1890
45
Utah
January 4, 1896
46
Oklahoma
November 16, 1907
47
New Mexico
January 6, 1912
48
Arizona
February 14, 1912
49
Alaska
January 3, 1959
50
Hawaii
August 21, 1959
District of Columbia
June 1, 1871 – by an act of Congress
14
APPENDIX C: List of U.S. Territories by Date of Admission to the Union – Chronological
Territory
Date of Admission
1
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
1889
2
Territory of Guam
1898
3
Territory of American Samoa
1899
4
U.S. Virgin Islands
1917
5
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
1978
15
APPENDIX D: List of Executive Departments by Date of Establishment
Executive Department
Date of
Establishment
1
Department of State
July 27, 1789
2
Department of Treasury
September 2, 1789
3
Department of Defense
September 18,
1947
4
Department of Justice
July 1, 1870
5
Department of the Interior
March 3, 1849
6
Department of Agriculture
May 15, 1862
7
Department of Commerce
February 14, 1903
8
Department of Labor
March 4, 1913
9
Department of Health and Human Services
April 11, 1953
10
Department of Housing and Urban Development
September 9, 1965
11
Department of Transportation
April 1, 1967
12
Department of Energy
August 4, 1977
13
Department of Education
October 17, 1979
14
Department of Veterans Affairs
March 15, 1989
15
Department of Homeland Security
November 25, 2002
