Frequently asked questions
Find answers to frequently asked questions below.
Know Before You Go
- All guests, regardless of age, must submit their personal information via the RSVP link prior to arrival.
- All information must exactly match the form of identification presented upon arrival. If the information does not match the government-issued ID presented, guests will be subject to delayed or denied entry.
- Minors, 17 years old and younger, not accompanied by an adult guardian, will be denied entry.
- U.S. Citizens 17 years old and younger do not need to provide an ID or Social Security Number.
- Tours are self-guided and last approximately 45 minutes.
- No food or drinks are allowed inside the White House. Please have a snack and hydrate before you arrive.
- Part of this tour is outdoors. Please dress and prepare appropriately for all weather conditions.
- Arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled tour time. Late arrivals may not be admitted.
- Please silence your cell phone and refrain from phone calls during the tour.
- Flash photography and video recording are not permitted during the tour.
- Furnishings and art in the White House are important pieces of our Nation’s history. Please refrain from touching, leaning on, or placing objects on any furnishings, art, or wall coverings.
- Tour schedules may change at any time, with little notice, due to inclement weather or scheduling conflicts, even after your tour is confirmed.
Getting Here
Use of public transportation, a taxi, or rideshare is strongly encouraged, as there is no parking available at the White House and street parking is limited.
Via Metrorail
The closest Metrorail stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines), Metro Center (blue, orange, silver, and red lines), and McPherson Square (blue, orange, and silver lines).
White House Tour Entrance
The White House Tour entrance is located in Sherman Park at 15th Street, NW and Alexander Hamilton Place, NW. If arriving by rideshare, use the White House Visitor Center (WHVC) as the drop-off address. The WHVC is located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20230, which is one block from the White House.
Acceptable forms of identification
All U.S. citizens ages 18 and older, and foreign nationals of all ages (including children), must present a valid, government-issued ID upon arrival for their tour. Acceptable forms of identification are below.
For U.S. Citizens
- Valid United States Driver’s License or State-Issued ID
- Valid United States Passport
- Valid United States Military ID
Please note, only physical government-issued IDs will be accepted (e.g. no phone pictures of IDs or digital IDs accepted).
For Foreign Nationals
- Valid Passport
- Valid Alien Registration Card
- Valid Permanent Resident Card
- Valid U.S. State Department-Issued Diplomatic ID Card
A U.S. driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification for foreign nationals. No foreign-issued state IDs, foreign-issued driver’s licenses, expired passports, photocopies, digital copies, other transmissions of these documents, or other forms of identification will be accepted. Individuals without acceptable identification, or whose identification does not exactly match the information previously registered, will be denied entry.
Security
Permitted Items
- Cell phones
- Compact cameras with lenses less than 3 inches long
- Umbrellas without metal tips
- Wallets
- Baby carriers worn on the body
- Baby wipes
- Breast pumps
- Baby formula and bottles
- Diaper bags
- Diapers
- Service animals
- All items needed for medical purposes (i.e. wheelchairs, EpiPens, medication, etc.)
Prohibited Items
Please note that storage facilities are not provided during your visit. Individuals who arrive with bags, strollers, or other prohibited items will not be permitted to enter the White House.
- Aerosols
- Ammunition
- Bags of any kind (including fanny packs, purses, and clutches)
- Cameras with detachable lenses
- E-cigarettes and smoking paraphernalia of any kind
- Electric stun guns
- Fireworks
- Flags
- Food
- Guns
- Knives of any kind
- Laptops
- Lighters
- Liquids
- Mace
- Martial arts weapons
- Metal water bottles
- Monopods
- Polaroid cameras
- Range finders
- Signs
- Strollers
- Tablets (iPads)
- Tripods
- Tobacco Products
- Toy Weapons
- Video cameras
- Water
- Weapons/devices
- Any pointed object
- Any other item determined to be a potential safety hazard
Accessibility
What accessibility accommodations are available?
The White House tour route is wheelchair accessible. A limited amount of wheelchairs are available upon request to a U.S. Secret Service Officer the day of your tour.
Registered service animals are permitted on the White House tour upon USSS Screening.
What accommodations are available for guests who are Deaf or blind?
Prior to your tour, please download the White House Experience App, developed in collaboration with our partners the White House Historical Association. The app includes caption/transcript and audio versions of the tour elements for each stop along the tour.
We recommend downloading the application in advance, which can then be accessed without service/WiFi from a users’ device. They can find out more about this app, as well as where to download the app here.
Additionally, new tactile elements have been added in the Green Room, Blue Room, and Red Room for increased exploration of objects on display. We recommend making time in the tour to visit these rooms to engage with these new tactile elements!
Restrooms
Public Restroom Locations
Restrooms are located at the White House Visitors Center, located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20230. There are no restrooms available once you arrive for your tour.