Inauguration Ticket Request Information
If you are interested in attending the inauguration ceremony, please review the following information before submitting your request:
- The inauguration ceremony is Friday, January 20, 2017.
- The entire National Mall will be open for observers. Large-screen televisions will allow everyone on the Mall to watch the ceremony. Tickets are not required for most of the Mall. Because millions of people are expected to attend the inauguration, you should make your hotel arrangements as soon as possible as spaces fill up quickly.
- You must submit contact information for all members of your party. The Hawaii congressional delegation will coordinate ticket distribution to maximize the number of people whose requests can be accommodated.
- Tickets must be picked up in person from Senator Schatz’s Washington, D.C. office on January 18 or 19. A photo ID will be required to receive tickets.
- No tickets will be distributed on the day of the inauguration.
- Tickets will not be mailed.
Additional Information
- In 2008, 1.8 million people attended the inauguration ceremony. Members of Congress distributed just 240,000 tickets. Remember, the entire National Mall will be open for observers.
- On January 20th, gates will likely open at 5:00 a.m. and the Mall will fill up quickly. Most ticketed areas are filled by 8:00 a.m. The ceremony will likely begin at 11:30 a.m., with a musical performance prior to that time.
- For security purposes, there are restrictions on the types of items you can bring onto the Mall area. The list of restricted items will be provided at a later date.
- Please understand you will be standing for at least five hours. There are very few seats and they are all reserved for dignitaries and honored guests.
- The average temperature on January 20th in Washington, D.C. is 27 degrees.
- Please note that my office will only distribute a limited number of tickets for the inaugural ceremony. Inauguration activities are managed by two different committees. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is the committee that oversees the formal ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. This is a government committee that only handles official government activities.
- Shortly after the election, a separate inaugural committee will be established by the President-Elect. That will be a private committee which will oversee all of the other inaugural activities including the inaugural balls, inaugural parade and sales of commemorative items. In past years this committee has also hosted a large public celebration and concert at the Lincoln Memorial the day before the inauguration. Following the election, that committee will establish its own website to provide information on all non-official activities. While our office cannot distribute tickets to these non-official events, we will post the web address here as soon as the site is available, so you can make appropriate arrangements.
- Inaugural ball and other non-official events: A separate inaugural committee will be established by the President-Elect. This private committee will oversee all of the other inaugural activities including the inaugural balls, inaugural parade, and sales of commemorative items. In past years, this committee has also hosted a large public celebration and concert at the Lincoln Memorial the day before the inauguration. That committee will establish its own website to provide information on all non-official activities. Our office cannot distribute tickets to these non-official events.
