Washington DC - US President-elect Donald Trump's transition team said Monday it had signed a long-stalled memorandum of understanding with the White House to pave the way for the Republican to take office in January.

The team had repeatedly signaled its intention to sign agreements with President Joe Biden's administration – which traditionally involve accepting limits on private fundraising in exchange for federal cash – but missed September and October deadlines.

The transition team's statement said it would be relying on private US-based donors that it would disclose publicly rather than burning through taxpayers' cash, accepting foreign money, or using government buildings and technology.

An "existing ethics plan" will provide guidance on propriety – although it has not yet been made public – and the transition "will not require additional government and bureaucratic oversight," it said.

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"This engagement allows our intended cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power," Susie Wiles, the incoming White House chief of staff, said in a statement.

The US prides itself on its tradition of a smooth handover of power from one president to the next but it is a complex process requiring the recruitment of potentially thousands of political appointees and costs millions of dollars.

Biden's 2020/21 transition raised $22 million – more than triple its goal – and had hundreds of employees.

Trump's first term transition disclosed raising $6.5 million and receiving $2.4 million from the government.

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Some $1.8 million of that reportedly went to legal fees spent after Trump entered the White House, however.

Transition fundraising is a separate issue from covering the inauguration, and in 2016, Trump raised more than $100 million for his inaugural celebrations.

Authorities in Washington accused the inaugural committee of misusing funds, including paying more than the going rate for rooms at Trump's downtown hotel.

A lawsuit was eventually settled for $750,000.