Timeline


 * For years in the production of 24, please refer to the production timeline.

The timeline of 24 has never been pinned down. The creative team behind 24 has resisted placing any season in any specific year; moreoever, the few date references given tend to conflict with each other, as well as with real life.

Relative timeline

 * 24: Nightfall
 * 2 years pass
 * Day 1
 * 18 months pass
 * Day 2
 * 6 months pass
 * 24: The Game
 * 2 years, 6 months pass
 * Day 3
 * 3 months pass
 * Season 4 Prequel Part 1
 * 1 year passes
 * Season 4 Prequel Part 2
 * 3 months pass
 * Season 4 Prequel Part 3
 * 6 hours pass
 * Day 4
 * 12 months pass
 * Season 5 Prequel
 * 6 months pass
 * Day 5
 * 7 months pass
 * Season 6 Prequel
 * 13 months pass
 * Season 6
 * 15 hours pass
 * Day 6 Debrief

Theories about the timeline
There are many possible years in which to place Day 1 based on the available evidence.


 * 1998
 * A calendar visible in Day 4 10:00am-11:00am shows July/August 2004, placing Day 1 in July/August 1998.
 * Andrew Paige's driver's license in Day 4 10:00am-11:00am was issued on 04/21/2003 and expired on 05/15/07, placing Day 1 between between April 1997 and May 2001.
 * Dates in the twelfth episode of 24: Conspiracy show 03/05/04 to 07/05/04, placing Day 1 in 1998.


 * 1999
 * Andrew Paige's driver's license in Day 4 10:00am-11:00am was issued on 04/21/2003 and expired on 05/15/07, placing Day 1 between between April 1997 and May 2001.


 * 2000
 * This is an election year in real life.
 * A calendar visible in Day 1 8:00am-9:00am may represent August/September 2000.
 * This year places Operation Nightfall in 1998, when Slobodan Milosevic was still in power.
 * Recent dates in Reza Naiyeer's passport appear to be from 2001, placing Day 1 in 2000 or 2001.
 * Andrew Paige's driver's license in Day 4 10:00am-11:00am was issued on 04/21/2003 and expired on 05/15/07, placing Day 1 between between April 1997 and May 2001.


 * 2001
 * In Day 1 12:00am-1:00am, a poster for Coldplay's Parachute album is visible in Kim Bauer's room. The album was released in November of 2000.
 * The "National Geographic Traveler" that Martin Belkin shows to Mandy in Day 1 12:00am-1:00am is the March 2001 issue.
 * An on-screen date in Day 1 2:00am-3:00am is given as 2001.
 * January 14 is mentioned as the second weekend in January in Day 1 2:00am-3:00am. January 14, 2001 was a Sunday.
 * In Day 1 9:00am-10:00am, while Jack is hiding behind an SUV, the California license plate has a 2002 expiration date on it.
 * This year places Operation Nightfall in 1999, when Slobodan Milosevic was still in power.
 * A calendar visible in Day 1 8:00am-9:00am may represent May/June 2001.
 * Dates given at the bottom of every page in The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU may infer that Day 1 took place in 2001.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo's wife died on June 11, 2000.
 * Recent dates in Reza Naiyeer's passport appear to be from 2001, placing Day 1 in 2000 or 2001.
 * President David Palmer's administration includes the Department of Homeland Security, established after 9/11, meaning Day 2 takes place after 2001, and therefore Day 1 after 2000.
 * An on-screen date in Day 2 5:00pm-6:00pm is given as 2002, placing Day 1 in early 2001.
 * The racing game 24: Countdown takes place in December of 2004, between Day 2 and Day 3, placing Day 1 between 2001 and 2003.
 * Andrew Paige's driver's license in Day 4 10:00am-11:00am was issued on 04/21/2003 and expired on 05/15/07, placing Day 1 between between April 1997 and May 2001.


 * 2002
 * In Trojan Horse, Operation Proteus was just getting started two years before the novel. Operation Proteus took place in 2000, placing Day 1 in at least 2002.
 * In Day 1 12:00am-1:00am, a poster for Coldplay's Parachute album is visible in Kim Bauer's room. The album was released in November of 2000.
 * A calendar visible in Day 1 8:00am-9:00am may represent October/November 2002.
 * In Day 1 9:00am-10:00am, while Jack is hiding behind an SUV, the California license plate has a 2002 expiration date on it.
 * During Day 1, David Palmer is seen wearing a pin which didn't come into use until after 9/11/01.
 * This year places Operation Nightfall in 2000, when Slobodan Milosevic was still in power.
 * George Mason’s phone in Day 1 5:00pm-6:00pm appears to read "03/11/02."
 * A view of Jack Bauer's phone in Day 1 6:00pm-7:00pm says that it's March 19, 2002.
 * Day 1 takes place in March or April. Day 1 7:00pm-8:00pm shows Jack Bauer's watch with the date "23" on it.  April 23, 2002 was a Tuesday.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo began working as a warden in 2002.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo's wife died on June 11, 2000.
 * Recent dates in Reza Naiyeer's passport appear to be from 2004, placing Day 1 in 2002 or 2003.
 * President David Palmer's administration includes the Department of Homeland Security, established after 9/11, meaning Day 2 takes place after 2001, and therefore Day 1 after 2000.
 * Kyle Singer's driver's license gives his date of birth as being November 19, 1987. His age is given as 19, but if Day 3 takes place earlier than November, his father may have been rounding Kyle's age up.
 * The racing game 24: Countdown takes place in December of 2004, between Day 2 and Day 3, placing Day 1 between 2001 and 2003.
 * In Day 6 Debrief, Jack Bauer states his birth as 1966. Jack was 36 at the time of Day 1, which places it in as 2002 and Day 6 as 2011.


 * 2003
 * In Trojan Horse, Operation Proteus was just getting started two years before the novel. Operation Proteus took place in 2000, placing Day 1 in at least 2002.
 * In Day 1 12:00am-1:00am, a poster for Coldplay's Parachute album is visible in Kim Bauer's room. The album was released in November of 2000.
 * During Day 1, David Palmer is seen wearing a pin which didn't come into use until after 9/11/01.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo began working as a warden in 2002.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo's wife died on June 11, 2000.
 * President David Palmer's administration includes the Department of Homeland Security, established after 9/11, meaning Day 2 takes place after 2001, and therefore Day 1 after 2000.
 * Recent dates in Reza Naiyeer's passport appear to be from 2004, placing Day 1 in 2002 or 2003.
 * Kyle Singer's driver's license gives his date of birth as being November 19, 1987. If Kyle's father meant that Kyle was literally 19-years-old and Day 3 takes place earlier than November, then it was 2007.
 * The racing game 24: Countdown takes place in December of 2004, between Day 2 and Day 3, placing Day 1 between 2001 and 2003.
 * Dates on the CTU phones on Day 6 reportedly read "Jan. 23, 2012." Day 1 was approximately nine years earlier.


 * 2004
 * This is an election year in real life.
 * Veto Power, taking place approximately six months before Day 1, references the falling of Saddam Hussein, which took place in December 2003. This places Day 1 in mid-2004 at the earliest.
 * In Trojan Horse, Operation Proteus was just getting started two years before the novel. Operation Proteus took place in 2000, placing Day 1 in at least 2002.
 * In Day 1 12:00am-1:00am, a poster for Coldplay's Parachute album is visible in Kim Bauer's room. The album was released in November of 2000.
 * During Day 1, David Palmer is seen wearing a pin which didn't come into use until after 9/11/01.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo began working as a warden in 2002.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo's wife died on June 11, 2000.
 * President David Palmer's administration includes the Department of Homeland Security, established after 9/11, meaning Day 2 takes place after 2001, and therefore Day 1 after 2000.