Transcription by all three eukaryotic RNA polymerases involves the assembly of a large preinitiation complex (PIC) at gene promoters. The PIC comprises several general transcription factors (GTFs) including TBP, and the respective RNA polymerase. It has been suggested that some GTFs remain stably bound at active promoters to facilitate multiple transcription events. By using two complementary approaches we show that, in G1-arrested yeast cells, TBP exchanges very rapidly even at the most highly active RNA Pol II promoters. A similar situation is observed at RNA Pol III promoters. By contrast, TBP remains stably bound at RNA Pol I promoters. We also provide evidence that, unexpectedly, PIC dynamics is neither the cause, nor the consequence, of nucleosome exchange at most of the RNA Pol II promoters we analyzed. These results point to a stable reinitiation complex at RNA Pol I promoters and suggest independent PIC and nucleosome turnover at many RNA Pol II promoters.