How close has US debt come to the ceiling each year?

As of 2 October 2026, across every statement since 3 October 2005, room under the debt limit was lowest on 5 September 2017, at $23.00 million.

How close did debt come to the limit in each year?

A statement day counts as near the limit when room left is under1,000 million dollars. A dash means the limit was suspended all year, or not in force at the year's end.

The debt limit by year ($ million)
Year	Statement days	Lowest room left	Day of the lowest room	Days near the limit	Days suspended	Limit at year end	Subject to the limit at year end
2005	61	76,970	30 December 2005	0	0	8,184,000	8,107,030
2006	251	24	2 March 2006	21	0	8,965,000	8,592,514
2007	251	34,823	14 September 2007	0	0	9,815,000	9,144,716
2008	252	338,762	25 July 2008	0	0	11,315,000	10,640,273
2009	252	24,495	15 December 2009	0	0	12,394,000	12,254,531
2010	252	89,554	2 February 2010	0	0	14,294,000	13,972,512
2011	251	23	18 May 2011	54	0	15,194,000	15,180,337
2012	251	24	4 January 2012	18	0	16,394,000	16,393,975
2013	251	24	30 July 2013	123	125	n/a	17,303,558
2014	251	24	13 February 2014	5	246	n/a	18,101,296
2015	252	24	20 March 2015	162	90	n/a	18,881,745
2016	251	n/a	n/a	0	251	n/a	19,939,042
2017	251	23	5 September 2017	136	114	20,456,000	20,455,974
2018	251	25	2 January 2018	27	224	n/a	21,933,738
2019	251	24	18 June 2019	107	144	n/a	23,155,700
2020	253	n/a	n/a	0	253	n/a	27,721,341
2021	252	24	16 August 2021	88	146	31,381,463	29,590,001
2022	250	34,153	30 December 2022	0	0	31,381,463	31,347,310
2023	250	24	21 February 2023	95	144	n/a	33,890,366
2024	251	n/a	n/a	0	251	n/a	36,103,970
2025	250	24	25 March 2025	115	0	41,103,996	38,340,718
2026	191	1,043,429	1 October 2026	0	0	41,103,996	40,043,137

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

Source: U.S. Treasury, Fiscal Data, Daily Treasury Statement, Table IIIC. Observed 2 Oct 2026.

Sources and licence

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

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