Executive Order 13727: Facilitation of a Presidential Transition
President: Barack Obama
Created White House and agency transition councils and required succession planning and transition preparation before elections.
Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13727 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13727 establishes recurring presidential-transition coordination, rather than a framework limited to the 2016 election. The Federal Register disposition table identifies no revocation; its requirements operate alongside the Presidential Transition Act, as amended. Sources: Office of the Federal Register: current 2016 executive order disposition table; Executive Order 13727: signed text.
What does Executive Order 13727 do?
EO 13727 institutionalized early executive-branch planning for a change or continuation of presidential administration. It created a White House Transition Coordinating Council and an Agency Transition Directors Council, required agency transition directors and succession planning, and tied work to the Presidential Transition Act. The framework remains unrevoked and complements later statutory changes, although each election cycle receives its own implementation guidance.
Before and after
Before the order
Transition planning depended more heavily on temporary cycle-specific arrangements.
After the order
Standing interagency structures supported recurring preparedness, records, appointments and succession work.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| GSA | Support eligible transition teams and interagency planning | Each election cycle |
| Agencies | Name transition directors and prepare materials | Continuing cycle-based duty |
| White House council | Coordinate executive planning | Reconstituted as needed |
What happened next
EO 13727 established the councils.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The Presidential Transition Act, as amended, controls services, eligibility, ethics and funding. Records and national-security law govern information transfer.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- GSA — presidential transition directory (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 15, 2026. How we research →