Constitutional Term Limit Rules
The Twenty-Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1951, limits a person to being elected president twice. It also bars anyone who has served more than two years of another president's term from being elected more than once. These rules apply to the office of the President of the United States and are enforced by the Federal Election Commission and other federal bodies. The amendment was a direct response to Franklin D. Roosevelt winning four consecutive elections between 1932 and 1944.
Under current law, a two-term president cannot run again, and a vice president who succeeds a president and serves more than two years of that term can only be elected once. The amendment does not limit the number of times a person can serve as vice president. It also does not restrict non-consecutive terms beyond the two-election cap. The text of the amendment is published on the National Archives website alongside other constitutional amendments.
Historical Presidential Terms and Exceptions
Before the Twenty-Second Amendment, no formal limit existed, and George Washington set the two-term precedent in 1796. Several presidents later served two full terms, including Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and Ronald Reagan. Grover Cleveland is counted as both the 22nd and 24th president because his two non-consecutive terms are treated as separate presidencies.
The only president to serve more than two terms was Franklin D. Roosevelt, who won a third term in 1940 and a fourth term in 1944. He died in April 1945, early in his fourth term. His unprecedented four elections led Congress to propose the amendment that was ratified in 1951. The full historical list of presidential terms is maintained by the Office of the Federal Register and the American Presidency Project.
Can a Former President Run Again After a Break
A former two-term president cannot run for a third term, even after leaving office for one or more terms. The Twenty-Second Amendment counts total elections won, not consecutive service. This means a person who served two full terms cannot be elected again, regardless of how much time passes.
A vice president who succeeds a president and serves less than two years of that term can later be elected twice, for a maximum of roughly ten years in office. If the same vice president serves more than two years of the predecessor's term, they can only be elected once, capping their total time at about eight years. The Congressional Research Service publishes detailed reports on presidential succession and term calculations.