How to Start a LaTeX Enumerate List at Any Number

With the enumitem package, write \begin{enumerate}[start=5] to begin at 5. Without it, put \setcounter{enumi}{4} right after \begin{enumerate}. The counter holds the number before the first item, so it is one less than the number you want. To continue numbering after text, use [resume].

Method 1: \setcounter on enumi

The top-level enumerate list counts with a counter named enumi. Put \setcounter{enumi}{4} after \begin{enumerate} and before the first \item, and the first item prints as 5. It needs no extra package. Place it after \begin{enumerate} because the environment resets the counter when it begins.

Method 2: the enumitem start option

Load enumitem and pass the number directly: \begin{enumerate}[start=5]. This reads better than the counter trick and keeps the setting next to the list it affects.

Method 3: resume a list after text

When one numbered list is interrupted by a paragraph and you want the numbers to carry on, open the second list with \begin{enumerate}[resume] (also from enumitem). The first list ends at 2, the second picks up at 3.

A complete example you can compile

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\begin{document}

1. Plain LaTeX: \verb|\setcounter{enumi}{4}| inside the list

\begin{enumerate}
  \setcounter{enumi}{4}
  \item Fifth item
  \item Sixth item
\end{enumerate}

2. enumitem: \verb|[start=5]|

\begin{enumerate}[start=5]
  \item Fifth item
  \item Sixth item
\end{enumerate}

3. enumitem: \verb|[resume]| continues an earlier list

\begin{enumerate}
  \item First item
  \item Second item
\end{enumerate}

Text between the two lists.

\begin{enumerate}[resume]
  \item Third item
  \item Fourth item
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}

We compiled this file as-is with Tectonic 0.17.0 on October 31, 2026, and inspected the rendered page. In that output the first two lists begin at 5 and the resumed list continues at 3 after the text. We did not compile it with other engines or package versions.

FAQ

How do I start a LaTeX enumerate list at 5?

Use \begin{enumerate}[start=5] with the enumitem package loaded, or \setcounter{enumi}{4} immediately after \begin{enumerate} in plain LaTeX. The example above was compile-tested with Tectonic 0.17.0 and shows both.

Why is \setcounter{enumi}{4} one less than the starting number?

Each \item increments the counter before printing it. Setting enumi to 4 makes the first item print as 5.

How do I continue a numbered list after a paragraph?

With enumitem, open the second list with \begin{enumerate}[resume]. It carries on from the last number of the previous enumerate list, as the third demo above shows.

Does the setcounter command go before or after \begin{enumerate}?

After it, and before the first \item. The enumerate environment resets its counter when it begins, so a \setcounter placed before \begin{enumerate} is overwritten.

Does this work for nested lists?

The same idea applies at deeper levels with the matching counters (enumii, enumiii, enumiv), and enumitem accepts start= on nested lists too. The example here only covers the top level, so test nested lists in your own document.

Further reading

Companion guides in this series cover line breaks in table cells, bold math symbols, citing websites with BibTeX, and typing backslashes and tildes. More how-tos are on the Bibby AI blog. Source question: How can I make an enumerate list start at something other than 1? on TeX Stack Exchange.

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Last updated: October 31, 2026. By the Bibby AI editorial team.