How close did US debt come to its ceiling in 2015?

In 2015, through 31 December 2015, room under the debt limit was lowest on 20 March 2015, at $24.00 million; it was under $1 billion on 162 statement days, and the limit was suspended on 90 days.

The debt limit in 2015 at a glance

The debt limit in 2015
Measure	Value
Statement days held	252
Lowest room left ($ million)	24
Day of the lowest room	20 March 2015
Near the limit: room under this amount ($ million)	1,000
Statement days near the limit	162
Statement days with the limit suspended	90

Room left under the limit in 2015

$ trillion

Source: U.S. Treasury, Fiscal Data, Daily Treasury Statement, Table IIIC. Observed 31 Dec 2015.

How much room was left at the end of each month of 2015?

Last statement day of each month ($ million)
Month	Date	Subject to the limit	Limit	Room left	Cash balance
January 2015	30 January 2015	18,043,707	n/a	n/a	156,815
February 2015	27 February 2015	18,116,337	n/a	n/a	34,929
March 2015	31 March 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	100,084
April 2015	30 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	273,869
May 2015	29 May 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	198,947
June 2015	30 June 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	254,340
July 2015	31 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	209,982
August 2015	31 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	131,787
September 2015	30 September 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	198,716
October 2015	30 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	22,892
November 2015	30 November 2015	18,787,183	n/a	n/a	253,274
December 2015	31 December 2015	18,881,745	n/a	n/a	333,447

The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.

When did the limit change in 2015?

Changes in the statutory limit ($ million; a dash means suspended)
First statement day	Limit before	Limit after
16 March 2015	n/a	18,113,000
2 November 2015	18,113,000	n/a

Every statement day

Each Daily Treasury Statement of 2015 ($ million)
Date	Subject to the limit	Limit	Room left	Cash balance
31 December 2015	18,881,745	n/a	n/a	333,447
30 December 2015	18,784,892	n/a	n/a	324,846
29 December 2015	18,783,921	n/a	n/a	315,002
28 December 2015	18,778,489	n/a	n/a	315,258
24 December 2015	18,762,614	n/a	n/a	269,540
23 December 2015	18,755,076	n/a	n/a	266,131
22 December 2015	18,767,158	n/a	n/a	274,253
21 December 2015	18,757,981	n/a	n/a	274,060
18 December 2015	18,754,767	n/a	n/a	265,246
17 December 2015	18,755,998	n/a	n/a	263,075

Show 242 more rows

Each Daily Treasury Statement of 2015 ($ million) (continued)
Date	Subject to the limit	Limit	Room left	Cash balance
16 December 2015	18,747,945	n/a	n/a	266,187
15 December 2015	18,758,004	n/a	n/a	265,147
14 December 2015	18,727,413	n/a	n/a	186,805
11 December 2015	18,724,655	n/a	n/a	165,184
10 December 2015	18,721,787	n/a	n/a	160,711
9 December 2015	18,734,992	n/a	n/a	175,746
8 December 2015	18,748,958	n/a	n/a	187,717
7 December 2015	18,749,078	n/a	n/a	193,149
4 December 2015	18,746,669	n/a	n/a	187,252
3 December 2015	18,747,817	n/a	n/a	187,998
2 December 2015	18,762,626	n/a	n/a	217,267
1 December 2015	18,757,712	n/a	n/a	211,369
30 November 2015	18,787,183	n/a	n/a	253,274
27 November 2015	18,742,485	n/a	n/a	217,722
25 November 2015	18,679,682	n/a	n/a	154,215
24 November 2015	18,690,300	n/a	n/a	166,583
23 November 2015	18,682,788	n/a	n/a	170,116
20 November 2015	18,680,803	n/a	n/a	162,827
19 November 2015	18,678,198	n/a	n/a	165,040
18 November 2015	18,618,371	n/a	n/a	112,494
17 November 2015	18,630,040	n/a	n/a	123,580
16 November 2015	18,620,503	n/a	n/a	128,339
13 November 2015	18,613,482	n/a	n/a	141,693
12 November 2015	18,608,988	n/a	n/a	141,656
10 November 2015	18,565,452	n/a	n/a	96,449
9 November 2015	18,574,817	n/a	n/a	114,943
6 November 2015	18,569,865	n/a	n/a	109,961
5 November 2015	18,569,799	n/a	n/a	112,153
4 November 2015	18,492,889	n/a	n/a	44,215
3 November 2015	18,492,360	n/a	n/a	40,606
2 November 2015	18,452,109	n/a	n/a	25,148
30 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	22,892
29 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	29,922
28 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	35,586
27 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	49,022
26 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	54,338
23 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	47,856
22 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	47,190
21 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	57,086
20 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	65,661
19 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	66,754
16 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	60,077
15 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	53,089
14 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	57,540
13 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	73,212
9 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	66,262
8 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	69,269
7 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	87,139
6 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	80,764
5 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	84,251
2 October 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	77,996
1 October 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	97,527
30 September 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	198,716
29 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	144,754
28 September 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	141,420
25 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	135,132
24 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	125,865
23 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	164,941
22 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	170,580
21 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	159,015
18 September 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	146,414
17 September 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	140,806
16 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	179,990
15 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	176,280
14 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	108,938
11 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	89,469
10 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	88,263
9 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	76,256
8 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	92,215
4 September 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	86,871
3 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	84,591
2 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	122,263
1 September 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	116,052
31 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	131,787
28 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	120,956
27 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	109,509
26 August 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	119,147
25 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	132,259
24 August 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	136,308
21 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	127,918
20 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	128,595
19 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	142,076
18 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	159,606
17 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	166,391
14 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	194,030
13 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	195,017
12 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	207,989
11 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	194,178
10 August 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	198,675
7 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	193,376
6 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	193,293
5 August 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	198,755
4 August 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	191,874
3 August 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	194,970
31 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	209,982
30 July 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	208,961
29 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	203,378
28 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	198,065
27 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	202,166
24 July 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	193,399
23 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	193,966
22 July 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	183,203
21 July 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	192,871
20 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	201,804
17 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	195,805
16 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	198,114
15 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	175,706
14 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	179,334
13 July 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	181,193
10 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	174,933
9 July 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	173,846
8 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	173,642
7 July 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	184,266
6 July 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	191,010
3 July 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	183,011
2 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	180,219
1 July 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	212,135
30 June 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	254,340
29 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	235,302
26 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	225,955
25 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	212,557
24 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	240,762
23 June 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	253,257
22 June 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	253,502
19 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	233,729
18 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	227,775
17 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	251,369
16 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	255,946
15 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	239,926
12 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	180,260
11 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	165,516
10 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	172,918
9 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	179,529
8 June 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	184,235
5 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	177,615
4 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	179,752
3 June 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	184,099
2 June 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	173,517
1 June 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	175,350
29 May 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	198,947
28 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	170,754
27 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	163,581
26 May 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	181,314
22 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	176,627
21 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	177,634
20 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	173,749
19 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	183,639
18 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	188,095
15 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	173,601
14 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	205,199
13 May 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	205,392
12 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	216,630
11 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	222,191
8 May 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	217,032
7 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	218,170
6 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	229,131
5 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	221,880
4 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	225,663
1 May 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	213,999
30 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	273,869
29 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	245,426
28 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	241,333
27 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	225,719
24 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	209,295
23 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	197,552
22 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	201,073
21 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	195,018
20 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	149,009
17 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	130,864
16 April 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	112,506
15 April 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	111,551
14 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	67,740
13 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	45,631
10 April 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	32,306
9 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	31,288
8 April 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	44,254
7 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	55,465
6 April 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	57,552
3 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	51,519
2 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	74,619
1 April 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	65,529
31 March 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	100,084
30 March 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	79,308
27 March 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	72,876
26 March 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	64,718
25 March 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	71,325
24 March 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	86,561
23 March 2015	18,112,974	18,113,000	26	92,916
20 March 2015	18,112,976	18,113,000	24	87,505
19 March 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	88,030
18 March 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	87,560
17 March 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	101,105
16 March 2015	18,112,975	18,113,000	25	105,616
13 March 2015	18,112,976	n/a	n/a	34,186
12 March 2015	18,114,324	n/a	n/a	27,959
11 March 2015	18,109,481	n/a	n/a	27,237
10 March 2015	18,116,229	n/a	n/a	41,678
9 March 2015	18,110,571	n/a	n/a	48,705
6 March 2015	18,107,462	n/a	n/a	39,720
5 March 2015	18,107,711	n/a	n/a	39,236
4 March 2015	18,110,183	n/a	n/a	52,446
3 March 2015	18,110,466	n/a	n/a	53,808
2 March 2015	18,114,040	n/a	n/a	84,797
27 February 2015	18,116,337	n/a	n/a	34,929
26 February 2015	18,111,318	n/a	n/a	52,782
25 February 2015	18,094,922	n/a	n/a	46,714
24 February 2015	18,109,661	n/a	n/a	65,213
23 February 2015	18,102,956	n/a	n/a	74,061
20 February 2015	18,102,044	n/a	n/a	71,730
19 February 2015	18,099,967	n/a	n/a	75,622
18 February 2015	18,084,391	n/a	n/a	73,097
17 February 2015	18,083,942	n/a	n/a	93,494
13 February 2015	18,098,308	n/a	n/a	132,081
12 February 2015	18,098,357	n/a	n/a	136,936
11 February 2015	18,082,306	n/a	n/a	130,765
10 February 2015	18,093,814	n/a	n/a	154,654
9 February 2015	18,089,948	n/a	n/a	164,976
6 February 2015	18,086,371	n/a	n/a	163,059
5 February 2015	18,087,275	n/a	n/a	172,777
4 February 2015	18,061,431	n/a	n/a	157,250
3 February 2015	18,059,943	n/a	n/a	161,328
2 February 2015	18,060,474	n/a	n/a	191,848
30 January 2015	18,043,707	n/a	n/a	156,815
29 January 2015	18,045,054	n/a	n/a	190,030
28 January 2015	18,042,583	n/a	n/a	194,311
27 January 2015	18,055,102	n/a	n/a	203,777
26 January 2015	18,047,700	n/a	n/a	210,050
23 January 2015	18,046,280	n/a	n/a	200,254
22 January 2015	18,047,362	n/a	n/a	199,442
21 January 2015	18,043,401	n/a	n/a	196,231
20 January 2015	18,045,976	n/a	n/a	176,668
16 January 2015	18,040,684	n/a	n/a	164,874
15 January 2015	18,039,489	n/a	n/a	158,669
14 January 2015	18,041,363	n/a	n/a	159,730
13 January 2015	18,052,046	n/a	n/a	164,032
12 January 2015	18,046,812	n/a	n/a	164,571
9 January 2015	18,045,664	n/a	n/a	154,928
8 January 2015	18,044,646	n/a	n/a	154,758
7 January 2015	18,058,158	n/a	n/a	176,363
6 January 2015	18,057,704	n/a	n/a	169,487
5 January 2015	18,051,197	n/a	n/a	173,529
2 January 2015	18,040,465	n/a	n/a	164,963

The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.

Source: U.S. Treasury, Fiscal Data, Daily Treasury Statement. Observed 31 Dec 2015.

Sources and licence

U.S. Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Fiscal Data (source). Licence: Public domain, a work of the US federal government

Our text and compilation: CC BY 4.0. How to reuse and cite this page.