To qualify for the presidency of the United States, a candidate must meet the following requirements:

• Be a natural-born citizen of the United States
• Be at least 35 years old
• Have lived in the United States for at least 14 years

Once a candidate meets these requirements, they can declare their candidacy for president. However, once they raise or spend more than $5,000 for their campaign, they must register with the Federal Election Commission and name a principal campaign committee to raise and spend campaign funds.

The age requirement for the presidency ensures that persons holding the office of President will have the necessary maturity for the position as well as sufficient time in a public role for the electorate to be able to assess the merits of a presidential candidate.