How old do you have to be to run for president?
You must be at least 35 years old. There is no maximum age. The Constitution requires the president to be 35 or older when taking office.
Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution requires that the president be 'at the Age of thirty five Years.' This minimum age applies at the time of taking office, not necessarily at the time of filing or campaigning. A candidate who turns 35 before Inauguration Day on January 20, 2029 would satisfy the requirement.
The 35-year threshold was set at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Framers believed a minimum age helped ensure maturity and life experience, though the exact number was somewhat arbitrary - other ages were considered.
There is no constitutional maximum age. The question of whether very old candidates are physically or cognitively suited for office is a political and medical judgment, not a legal one. Voters and parties assess this, but courts do not.
In practice the minimum age has never been a barrier in modern elections; major-party nominees in recent decades have all been well past 35. The constraint is more relevant for younger House members or rising political figures who might otherwise seek the presidency.
Related questions
What is the youngest age a president has ever been elected?
Does the age requirement apply to the vice president too?
Related explainers
To be eligible, a person must be a natural-born U.S. citizen, at least 35 years old, and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.
No. The Constitution requires the president to be a 'natural-born citizen.' Naturalized citizens - those who became citizens through the legal naturalization process - are not eligible.
The presidential nominee personally selects their running mate. There is no primary or formal party vote. The choice is the nominee's alone, subject to informal vetting and consultation.