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The Third Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the government from housing soldiers in private homes during peacetime without the owners consent, and in wartime only as prescribed by law.

1791

The year this amendment was ratified in.

What is a constitutional amendment?

A constitutional amendment alters the Constitution of the United States by striking or inserting new language. The Constitution establishes the structure, powers, and responsibilities of the federal government. It has been formally amended 27 times.

The constitutional amendment process is as follows:

Step 1

Two-thirds vote

An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures.

Step 2

Three-fourths ratification

Once proposed, the archivist of the United States submits the amendment to the states for consideration. It becomes part of the Constitution once it is ratified by three-fourths of the states.

Full text of the Third Amendment

"No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law."

When did the states ratify the Third Amendment?

Congress proposed this amendment on September 25, 1789. Ratification was completed on December 15, 1791, when the 11th state, Virginia, approved the amendment, with 14 states in the Union at the time. New Jersey was the first state to approve, 56 days after the amendment was proposed. Connecticut was the last state to approve, 54,600 days after the amendment was proposed.

Virginia completed ratification of the Third Amendment.

Date of ratification by state, Third Amendment

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How has the Third Amendment shaped Supreme Court rulings?

The Supreme Court has the power of judicial review, which is the authority to declare that federal or state government actions violate the Constitution. This power shows how individual amendments can have a lasting impact on how laws are interpreted and applied.

Under judicial review, there have been zero cases where the Court struck down laws as unconstitutional using the Third Amendment.

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Methodology

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Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.