Who can run for president of the United States?
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.
Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution lays out the three eligibility requirements for the presidency: the person must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, must be at least 35 years of age, and must have been a resident within the United States for at least 14 years.
These requirements have remained unchanged since the Constitution was ratified in 1788. Courts have consistently declined to add or expand the criteria, meaning there are no requirements related to education, wealth, prior officeholding, or political party membership.
The 22nd Amendment adds a fourth practical constraint: no person may be elected president more than twice. Someone who has already served two full elected terms is constitutionally barred from winning the presidency again.
In practice, major-party nominees also need to win primaries and secure delegates, which requires money, organization, and political support - informal barriers far higher than the constitutional minimums. But constitutionally, those three criteria are all that is required.
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Related questions
Can someone born in a U.S. territory run for president?
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Related explainers
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.
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.
Yes. The Constitution lists only three eligibility requirements - age, citizenship, and residency. A criminal conviction does not constitutionally bar someone from running for or serving as president.
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