State Requirements

Explore our interactive map to state-by-state voting requirements:

Pre-18 Registration Laws

  • 50% of U.S. teens: Preregistration starts at age 16

  • 20% more teens: States that allow at least one year to register before the first election but do not start at age 16

  • Remaining 30%: States with shorter preregistration periods; most have time to register in senior year

State Requirements

Explore our interactive map to state-by-state voting requirements:

Pre-18 Registration Laws

  • 50% of U.S. teens: Preregistration starts at age 16

  • 20% more teens: States that allow at least one year to register before the first election but do not start at age 16

  • Remaining 30%: States with shorter preregistration periods; most have time to register in senior year

Alabama

Alabama

Voter registration age: 18 by next election (date of primary/caucus or general if primary/caucus passed)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Alaska

Alaska

Voter registration age: 90 days before age 18
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Arizona

Arizona

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2026 (18 by general election, starting over even years)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Arkansas

Arkansas

Voter registration age: 18 by next election (date of primary/caucus or general if primary/caucus passed)
Paper Form | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

California

California

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration | VR Drive Guide

Colorado

Colorado

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Connecticut

Connecticut

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2025 (18 by general election, starting over every year)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Delaware

Delaware

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

District of Columbia

District of Columbia

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Florida

Florida

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Georgia

Georgia

Voter registration age: 17.5
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Hawai'i

Hawai'i

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Idaho

Idaho

Voter registration age: 18 (local restrictions may vary)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Illinois

Illinois

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Indiana

Indiana

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2025 (18 by general election, starting over every year)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Iowa

Iowa

Voter registration age: 17
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Kansas

Kansas

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2026 (18 by general election, starting over even years)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Kentucky

Kentucky

Voter registration age: 18 by next election (18 by general election, starting over every year)
Online Registration | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Louisiana

Louisiana

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Maine

Maine

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Maryland

Maryland

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Massachusetts

Massachusetts

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Michigan

Michigan

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form for 16+ | Paper Form for 18+ | VR Drive Guide

Minnesota

Minnesota

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Mississippi

Mississippi

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2025 (18 by general election, starting over every year)
Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Missouri

Missouri

Voter registration age: 17.5
Online Registration | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Montana

Montana

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2026 (18 by general election, starting over even years)
Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Nebraska

Nebraska

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2025 (18 by general election, starting over every year)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Nevada

Nevada

Voter registration age: 17
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

New Hampshire

New Hampshire

Voter registration age: 18 by next election (date of primary/caucus or general if primary/caucus passed)
In-Person | VR Drive Guide

New Jersey

New Jersey

Voter registration age: 17
Online Registration | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

New Mexico

New Mexico

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2026 (18 by general election, starting over even years)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

New York

New York

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

North Carolina

North Carolina

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

North Dakota

North Dakota

Voter registration not required

Ohio

Ohio

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2025 (18 by general election, starting over every year)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Voter registration age: 17.5
Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Oregon

Oregon

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Voter registration age: 18 by next election (date of primary/caucus or general if primary/caucus passed)
Online Registration | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Rhode Island

Rhode Island

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

South Carolina

South Carolina

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2026 (18 by general election, starting over even years)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

South Dakota

South Dakota

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2026 (18 by general election, starting over even years)
Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Tennessee

Tennessee

Voter registration age: 18 by next election (date of primary/caucus or general if primary/caucus passed)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Texas

Texas

Voter registration age: 17 and 10 months
Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Utah

Utah

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Vermont

Vermont

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2026 (18 by general election, starting over even years)
Online Registration | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Virginia

Virginia

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Washington

Washington

Voter registration age: 16
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

West Virginia

West Virginia

Voter registration age: 17
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Voter registration age: 18 by next election (date of primary/caucus or general if primary/caucus passed)
Online Registration* | Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

Wyoming

Wyoming

Voter registration age: 18 by Nov. 2026 (18 by general election, starting over even years)
Paper Form | VR Drive Guide

* - DMV-issued ID required to register to vote online. Eligible citizens can print out and mail in a voter registration application without DMV-issued ID. Check your state’s form for details. For assistance learning what forms of ID you can use to register and vote, and for help obtaining a valid form of ID, visit our friends at VoteRiders.

Last updated November 2024.
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