---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 626"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "626"
heading: "Acceptance of promotions; oath of office"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/626"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 36 — Promotion, Separation, and Involuntary Retirement of Officers on the Active-Duty List"
  - "Subchapter II — Promotions"
---

# §626. Acceptance of promotions; oath of office

- (a) An [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who is appointed to a higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) under [section 624 of this title](/usc/10/624.md) is considered to have accepted such appointment on the date on which the appointment is made unless he expressly declines the appointment.
- (b) An [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) who has served continuously since he subscribed to the oath of office prescribed in [section 3331 of title 5](/usc/5/3331.md) is not required to take a new oath upon appointment to a higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) under [section 624 of this title](/usc/10/624.md).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 96–513, title I, § 105, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2858.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.