The United States order of precedence is an advisory document maintained by the Ceremonials Division of the Office of the
Chief of Protocol of the United States which lists the ceremonial order, or relative preeminence, for domestic and foreign government officials (military and civilian) at diplomatic, ceremonial, and social events within the United States and abroad.[1][2] The list is used to mitigate miscommunication and embarrassment in
diplomacy, and offer a distinct and concrete spectrum of preeminence for ceremonies.[3] Often the document is used to advise diplomatic and ceremonial event planners on seating charts and order of introduction. Former presidents, vice presidents, first ladies, second ladies, and secretaries of state and retired Supreme Court justices are also included in the list.
The Cabinet (other than Secretary of State), ranked according to the date of establishment of the department,[n 5] as added by the president,[n 6] as follows:
Remaining
assistants to the president or special presidential envoys who previously held Cabinet rank (ordered by date of appointment; excluding those already listed above)
Hillary Clinton (January 21, 2009 – February 1, 2013) (note that Hillary Clinton would appear above when in attendance with her husband, former president
Bill Clinton)
Deputy secretaries of executive departments (in the order of the creation of the respective departments or presidential appointment as for Cabinet above):
Chief of Protocol (when at the Department of State or at events outside the White House, otherwise appears above)
Ambassadors from the United States to international organizations who hold Chief of Mission authority (on official business in the United States or another country)
Ambassadors from the United States to international organizations who do not hold Chief of Mission authority (on official business in the United States or another country)
Minister-rank officials assigned to foreign bilateral diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C.
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)
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)
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)
Two-star military officers (in order of seniority: retired officers rank with but after active-duty officers)
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)
Deputy assistant secretaries and deputy general counsels of the Army, Navy and Air Force (by date of appointment)
One-star military officers (in order of seniority: retired officers rank with but after active-duty officers)
Directors of offices of executive departments
Consuls general of foreign governments accredited to the United States
Counselor-rank officials assigned to foreign bilateral diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C.
Members of the
Senior Executive Service not holding previously listed positions (by date of appointment, unless ranked differently as determined by the respective executive department)
Members of other federal boards, councils, and commissions not previously listed
Desk officers of executive departments
First Secretary-rank officials assigned to foreign bilateral diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C.
Notes
^
abcdSpouses 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.[citation needed]
^For the purposes of the Order of Precedence, any reference to "executive department" shall mean the Cabinet Departments led by the Cabinet Secretaries.
^The President may make changes in his or her administration to the Cabinet-rank positions.
^
ab"U.S. State Department Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 2 Section 320 "Precedence"". Retrieved December 13, 2015. Precedence Lists establish the order or ranking of a country's government, military, and, in some cases, civic leaders for diplomatic, ceremonial, and social events, at home and abroad. The president, through the Office of the Chief of Staff, establishes the United States Order of Precedence.
The United States order of precedence is an advisory document maintained by the Ceremonials Division of the Office of the
Chief of Protocol of the United States which lists the ceremonial order, or relative preeminence, for domestic and foreign government officials (military and civilian) at diplomatic, ceremonial, and social events within the United States and abroad.[1][2] The list is used to mitigate miscommunication and embarrassment in
diplomacy, and offer a distinct and concrete spectrum of preeminence for ceremonies.[3] Often the document is used to advise diplomatic and ceremonial event planners on seating charts and order of introduction. Former presidents, vice presidents, first ladies, second ladies, and secretaries of state and retired Supreme Court justices are also included in the list.
The Cabinet (other than Secretary of State), ranked according to the date of establishment of the department,[n 5] as added by the president,[n 6] as follows:
Remaining
assistants to the president or special presidential envoys who previously held Cabinet rank (ordered by date of appointment; excluding those already listed above)
Hillary Clinton (January 21, 2009 – February 1, 2013) (note that Hillary Clinton would appear above when in attendance with her husband, former president
Bill Clinton)
Deputy secretaries of executive departments (in the order of the creation of the respective departments or presidential appointment as for Cabinet above):
Chief of Protocol (when at the Department of State or at events outside the White House, otherwise appears above)
Ambassadors from the United States to international organizations who hold Chief of Mission authority (on official business in the United States or another country)
Ambassadors from the United States to international organizations who do not hold Chief of Mission authority (on official business in the United States or another country)
Minister-rank officials assigned to foreign bilateral diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C.
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)
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)
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)
Two-star military officers (in order of seniority: retired officers rank with but after active-duty officers)
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)
Deputy assistant secretaries and deputy general counsels of the Army, Navy and Air Force (by date of appointment)
One-star military officers (in order of seniority: retired officers rank with but after active-duty officers)
Directors of offices of executive departments
Consuls general of foreign governments accredited to the United States
Counselor-rank officials assigned to foreign bilateral diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C.
Members of the
Senior Executive Service not holding previously listed positions (by date of appointment, unless ranked differently as determined by the respective executive department)
Members of other federal boards, councils, and commissions not previously listed
Desk officers of executive departments
First Secretary-rank officials assigned to foreign bilateral diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C.
Notes
^
abcdSpouses 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.[citation needed]
^For the purposes of the Order of Precedence, any reference to "executive department" shall mean the Cabinet Departments led by the Cabinet Secretaries.
^The President may make changes in his or her administration to the Cabinet-rank positions.
^
ab"U.S. State Department Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 2 Section 320 "Precedence"". Retrieved December 13, 2015. Precedence Lists establish the order or ranking of a country's government, military, and, in some cases, civic leaders for diplomatic, ceremonial, and social events, at home and abroad. The president, through the Office of the Chief of Staff, establishes the United States Order of Precedence.