The Statecraft Blueprint
How Long Government Shutdowns Have Lasted, 1995–2026
Duration of every major government shutdown since 1995. The longest shutdowns in
U.S. history are all recent — and the funding lapse has gone from a procedural footnote
to a routine bargaining tool.
Before 1995: The shutdowns between 1981 and 1990 averaged about 2 days
each — brief, procedural, and barely noticed. The era of consequential shutdowns begins
in 1995. Durations since have varied widely; what stands out is that the longest on record are the most recent.
Partial shutdown (some agencies)
2 days
avg. shutdown duration
1981–1990
13 days
avg. shutdown duration
1995–2019
43 days
longest full shutdown ever
Oct–Nov 2025, 900K furloughed
76 days
longest partial shutdown ever
DHS only, Feb–Apr 2026
Sources: Congressional Research Service, "Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief Overview";
Wikipedia, "2025 United States federal government shutdown";
Wikipedia, "2026 United States federal government shutdowns."
Full data and methodology: sources.md |
Raw data: data.csv