Age of candidacy laws in the United States

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This article delineates the age of candidacy laws of the federal government and individual states of the United States. The US has historically had minimum age requirements for many positions, ranging from President to local members of city council. While there is no maximum age limit or point of forced retirement—other countries like Canada enforce retirement ages on judges[1] and senators[2]—there are term limits in some cases, most notably a limit of two full terms for the President of the United States.

## Federal government

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Under the Constitution of the United States, a person must be aged 35 or over to serve as president. To be a senator, a person must be aged 30 or over. To be a Representative, a person must be aged 25 or older. This is specified in the U.S. Constitution.

The US Constitution does not specify an age requirements for one to serve on the Supreme Court.[3]

There are no specified age requirements to serve in a presidential cabinet.[4]

## State government

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Most states in the U.S. have age requirements for the offices of Governor, State Senator, and State Representative. Some states have a minimum age requirement to hold any elected office (usually 21 or 18).

State | Governor | Upper house | Lower house | Lieutenant governor | Attorney general | Secretary of state | Treasurer

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Alabama | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 25
Alaska | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 18* | N.A. | 18*
Arizona | 25 | 25 | 25 | N.A. | 25 | 25 | 25
Arkansas | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 18* | 18* | 18
California | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18*
Colorado | 30 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 25
Connecticut | 30 | 18* | 18* | 30 | 18 | None | 18*
Delaware | 30 | 27 | 24 | 30 | None | None | None
Florida | 30 | 21 | 21 | 30 | 30 | None | 25
Georgia | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 18*
Hawaii | 30 | 25 | 18 | 30 | None | N.A. | None
Idaho | 30 | 18* | 18* | 30 | 30 | 25 | 25
Illinois | 25[5] | 21 | 21 | 25[5] | 25 | 25 | 25
Indiana | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 18[6] | 18* |
Iowa | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 18 | 18* |
Kansas | 25[7] | 18* | 18* | 25[7] | None | None |
Kentucky | 30[8] | 30 | 24[8] | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30
Louisiana | 30 | 30 | 18 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25
Maine | 30 [9] | 25* | 21* | N.A. | None | None |
Maryland | 30[10] | 25[10] | 21[10] | 30[10] | 18* | 18* |
Massachusetts | 25[11] | 25  | 18 | 18* | 18 | 18 | 18
Michigan | 30[12] | 21[12] | 21[12] | 30[12] | 21[6] | 18* |
Minnesota | 25 | 21 | 21 | 25[13] | 21 | 21 |
Mississippi | 30 | 25 | 21 | 20 | 26 | 25 | 25
Missouri | 30 | 30 | 24 | 30 | None | None |
Montana | 30 | None | None | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Nebraska | 30 | 21 | N.A. | 30 | 18[6] | None |
Nevada | 25 | 21 | 21 | 25 | 18* | 18* | 18*
New Hampshire | 30[14] | 30[14] | 18[14] | N.A. | 18* | 18* |
New Jersey | 30[15] | 30[15] | 21 | 30 | None | None |
New Mexico | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30
New York | 30[16] | 18[16] | 18[16] | 30[16] | 30 | None | 30
North Carolina | 30[17] | 25[18] | 21[19] | 30[17] | 21[6] | 21 | 21
North Dakota | 30 | 19* | 18* | 30 | 25 | 25 | 25
Ohio | 18 | 18 | 18 | None | 18 | 18 | 18
Oklahoma | 31[20] | 25[20] | 21[20] | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31
Oregon | 30 | 21 | 21 | N.A. | 18 | 18 |
Pennsylvania | 30 | 25 | 21 | 30 | 30 | None | None
Rhode Island | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18
South Carolina | 30[21] | 25[22] | 21[22] | 30 | 18* | 18* |
South Dakota | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | None | None |
Tennessee | 30 | 30 | 21[23] | 30† | 18 | None |
Texas | 30 | 26 | 21 | 30 | 18 | 18* | 18*
Utah | 30 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 25 | N.A. | 25
Vermont | None[24][25] | None | None | None | 18[6] | None |
Virginia | 30[26] | 21[27] | 21[27] | 30 | 30 | 18* | 18*
Washington | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18*
West Virginia | 30 | 18 | 18 | N.A. | 25 | 18* | 18
Wisconsin | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18* | 18* | 18* | 18
Wyoming | 30 | 25 | 21 | N.A. | 18* | 25 | 25

* Qualified elector/registered voter requirement.
† State Senate membership requirement.
N.A. implies that such a position does not exist in that state.

### Alaska

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* Any public office: at least 30 (qualified voter requirement)[28]

### Arizona

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* Any public office: at least 18[29]

### California

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* Any public office: 18[30][31][32][33][34][35]

### Colorado

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* Any public office: at least 21[citation needed]

### Connecticut

[edit]

### Georgia

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* Any public office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[36]

### Hawaii

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* Neighborhood Board Member: 18[citation needed]

### Idaho

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* Mayor: at 18 [37]

### Illinois

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* Comptroller: 25[5]
* School Board Member: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[38]

### Indiana

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* Mayor: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[39]

### Iowa

[edit]

* Any elected office: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[40]

### Louisiana

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* Treasurer: 25[citation needed]
* School Board Member: 18 (qualified voter requirement) [41]

### Maryland

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* Circuit Court Judge: 30[10]
* County Sheriff: 25[10]
* Other county offices: vary according to local law[10]
* Any public office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[42]

### Massachusetts

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* Most offices: 18[citation needed]

### Michigan

[edit]

Governor or Lieutenant Governor: 30[citation needed]

State Senate or State House: 21[citation needed]

Judge: Licensed to practice law[citation needed]

All other offices: 18 (must be a registered and qualified elector)[citation needed]

### Minnesota

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* Many offices: 21[43]

### Montana

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* Mayor: at least 21[44]

### Nebraska

[edit]

### Nevada

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* Any public office: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[45]

### New Mexico

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* Most offices: 18 (qualified elector requirement)[46]

### New York

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* Comptroller: 30[16]
* State Senator: 18[47]
* State Assembly:18[47]

### North Carolina

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* Many offices: 30, 25, 21[19]
* Nonpartisan municipal offices: 60 (qualified voter requirement) [48]
* https://www.ncsbe.gov/candidates/filing-candidacy/general-candidate-requirements

### North Dakota

[edit]

* Mayor/council: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[49]

### Oklahoma

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* State, county, and municipal public offices: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[50]

### Oregon

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* Sheriff: 21[citation needed]
* Other county and local offices: 18[51]
* Justice of the Peace: 18[citation needed]

### Pennsylvania

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* Mayors of Third-Class Cities: 18[52]

### Rhode Island

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* Any elected office: 18 (qualified voter requirement)[53]

### South Carolina

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* Judicial: 32[54]

### South Dakota

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* Public Utilities Commissioner: 25[citation needed]
* Mayor/alderman: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[55]

### Tennessee

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* Supreme Court Judge: 35[citation needed]
* Other state judges: 30[citation needed]
* County mayor/county executive: 30[citation needed]
* Sheriff: 25[citation needed]
* Constable: 21[citation needed]
* County School Board Member: 18 (registered voter requirement)[citation needed]
* State House of Representatives: 21[citation needed]
* State Senate: 30[citation needed]
* Governor: 30[citation needed]

### Texas

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* Any public office: at least 19 (qualified voter requirement) [56]

### Vermont

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* Town officials: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[57][58]

### Virginia

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* Any office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[59]

### Washington

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* Any office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[60]

### Wisconsin

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* Any city office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[61]

### Wyoming

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* Any municipal office: at least 18 (qualified voter requirement)[62]

## Local government

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Many states require elected municipal officers to be over 18 years of age or be a registered voter in the city thereof. Montana requires mayors to be at least 21 years of age.

As of November 2016, most U.S. cities with populations exceeding 200,000 required their mayor to be a registered voter in the city thereof or at least 18 years of age. Here are the following exceptions:

* 30 Years: Denver, CO; Honolulu, HI; Memphis, TN; Nashville, TN; St. Louis, MO[citation needed]
* 25 Years: Baltimore, MD; Colorado Springs, CO; Columbus, GA; Glendale, AZ; Kansas City, MO; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; Westminster, MD[citation needed]
* 21 Years: Louisville, KY, Oklahoma City, OK; Aurora, CO; Minneapolis, MN;[63] Saint Paul, MN[64]
* 19 Years: Hialeah, FL (qualified voter requirement + 1 year of residence)[citation needed]
* No age minimum listed or implied: Pittsburgh, PA; Wichita, KS; Jersey City, NJ; Buffalo, NY; Yonkers, NY; Troy, NC[citation needed]
* Data unavailable: Birmingham, AL; Newark, NJ[citation needed]

### Baltimore

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* City Comptroller, and City Council President: 25[10]
* City Council Member: 21[10]

## References

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1. ^ Payton, Laura (October 4, 2011). "Court closes judge retirement age loophole". CBC News.
2. ^ Nixon, Geoff (July 30, 2023). "The U.S. Senate is steadily aging — but members leave on their own terms". CBC News.
3. ^ "FAQs - General Information". Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved July 29, 2025. "The Constitution does not specify qualifications for Justices such as age, education, profession, or native-born citizenship."
4. ^ Calabrese, Chris (December 20, 2025). "The Constitution and the President's Cabinet". National Constitution Center. Retrieved July 29, 2025. "There are not many requirements to be a Cabinet member. One cannot be a member of Congress, as no one is allowed to serve in the executive and legislative branches at the same time. There are also no age or birthplace requirements."
5. ^ a b c "Article V, Section 3". Constitution of the State of Illinois. Illinois General Assembly. December 15, 1970. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
6. ^ a b c d e "Attorney General Office Characteristics". National Association of Attorneys General. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
7. ^ a b KWCH (May 18, 2018). "New law sets minimum age for Kansas governor candidates". KWCH.
8. ^ a b "072". Archived from the original on 2010-12-21. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
9. ^ Maine Constitution Article IV, Part 1.
10. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Qualifications for Filing Candidacy".
11. ^ Galvin, William Francis (March 2017). "How to Run for Office in Massachusetts" (PDF). Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 27, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
12. ^ a b c d "Article V, Section 22" (PDF). Michigan Constitution. State of Michigan. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
13. ^ Archived copy Archived 2010-07-29 at the Wayback Machine, Section 2
14. ^ a b c "Qualifications for Office". New Hampshire Secretary of State. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
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16. ^ a b c d e "Running for Office | New York State Board of Elections".
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20. ^ a b c "Section VI-3".
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24. ^ "14-year-old boy uses legal quirk to run for Vermont governor". NBC News. August 13, 2018. Retrieved Aug 3, 2025.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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27. ^ a b "Constitution of Virginia - Article IV. Legislature".
28. ^ "Alaska Statutes Title 15. Elections § 15.25.180". Findlaw. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
29. ^ "View Document". Arizona State Legislature. Archived from the original on April 10, 2017.
30. ^ "California Constitution Article IV Sec. 2(c)". California Office of Legislative Counsel. June 5, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
31. ^ "California Constitution Article V Sec. 2". California Office of Legislative Counsel. November 6, 1990. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
32. ^ "California Constitution Article V Sec. 9". California Office of Legislative Counsel. November 5, 1974. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
33. ^ "California Government Code § 1020". California Office of Legislative Counsel. January 1, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
34. ^ "California Government Code § 24001". California Office of Legislative Counsel. January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
35. ^ "California Government Code § 34904". California Office of Legislative Counsel. Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
36. ^ "2015 Georgia Code :: Title 21 - ELECTIONS :: Chapter 2 - ELECTIONS AND PRIMARIES GENERALLY :: Article 4 - SELECTION AND QUALIFICATION OF CANDIDATES AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS :: Part 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS :: § 21-2-132 - Filing notice of candidacy, nomination petition, and affidavit; payment of qualifying fee; pauper's affidavit and qualifying petition for exemption from qualifying fee; military service". Justia Law. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
37. ^ "2016 Idaho Statutes :: Title 50 - MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS :: Chapter 6 - MAYOR :: Section 50-601 - QUALIFICATIONS".
38. ^ "Your School Board and You" (PDF).
39. ^ Archived copy Archived 2017-04-10 at the Wayback Machine, Article 8. Candidates
40. ^ "Qualifications for public office" (PDF). legis.iowa.gov. 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
41. ^ "ABCB, Qualifications for School Board Members".
42. ^ "Article - Election Law" (PDF). Maryland General Assembly. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 28, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
43. ^ "Minnesota Secretary Of State - Candidate Qualifications". Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
44. ^ "7-4-4301. Qualifications for mayor, MCA".
45. ^ "NRS 281.010 Elected and appointed officers". leg.state.nv.us. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
46. ^ "New Mexico One Source of Law®". Archived from the original on 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
47. ^ a b "Running for Office | New York State Board of Elections".
48. ^ "GS_163-294.2.pdf" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 4, 2022.
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50. ^ "Candidate Must be Registered - Exceptions".
51. ^ "Chapter 249 - Candidates; Recall". Oregon State Legislature. 2021. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
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55. ^ "South Dakota Legislature".
56. ^ "Texas Constitution and Statutes - Error".
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59. ^ "24.2-500. Qualification of candidates".
60. ^ "RCW 29A.24.075: Qualifications for filing, appearance on ballot".
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62. ^ "Article 3 - Nominations". State of Wyoming Legislature. Archived from the original on April 10, 2017.
63. ^ "Eligibility to hold office". Minneapolis, MN. Archived from the original on November 14, 2023.
64. ^ "Candidate Filing". Ramsey County, MN. 28 April 2015. Archived from the original on November 14, 2023.