EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2023, OUR LOBBY WALK-IN HOURS WILL BE 9 A.M. - 4 P.M. (CENTRAL), MONDAY - FRIDAY.

Qualifications for All Public Offices

Public Office Sought U.S. Citizen Texas
Resident		 District
Resident		 Registered to Vote in Area of Office Sought Minimum
Age		 Practicing 
Lawyer or Judge		 Source Law Term of Office
President Yes;
Natural Born		 - - not req’d 35 - US Const.
Art. II, § 1		 4 yrs.
United States Senator 9 yrs.k Yesa not req’d not req’d 30k - US Const.
Art. I, § 3		 6 yrs.
United States Representative 7 yrs.k Yesa not req'd not req’d 25k - US Const. Art. I, § 2 2 yrs.
Governor Yes 5 yrs. - not req’d 30b - TX Const. Art. IV, § 4 4 yrs.
Lieutenant Governor Yes 5 yrs. - not req’d 30b - TX Const. Art. IV § 16 4 yrs.
Attorney General Yes 12 mo.c - Yesc 18h not req’d TX Const. Art. IV, § 22 4 yrs.
Comptroller of Public Accounts Yes 12 mo.c - Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. IV, § 23 4 yrs.
Commissioner of General Land Office Yes 12 mo.c - Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. IV, § 23 4 yrs.
Commissioner of Agriculture Yes 12 mo.c - Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. IV, § 23 4 yrs.
Railroad Commissioner Yes 12 mo.c - Yesc 25h - Nat. Res. Code §§
81.01003,
81.01004		 6 yrs.
Chief Justice & Justice, Supreme Court Yes 12 mo.c - Yesc 35b 10 yrs.b i j TX Const. Art. V, § 2 6 yrs.
Presiding Judge and Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Yes 12 mo.c - Yesc 35b 10 yrs.b i j TX Const. Art. V, § 4 6 yrs.
State Senator Yes 5 yrs.b 12 mo.b not req’dd 26b - TX Const. Art. III, § 6 4 yrs.
State Representative Yes 2 yrs.b 12 mo.b not req’dd 21b - TX Const. Art. III, § 7 2 yrs.
Member, State Board of Education Yes 12 mo.b 12 mo.b Yesc 26b - Educ. Code §
7.103		 4 yrs.
Chief Justice and Justice, 
Court of Appeals		 Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 35b 10 yrs.b i j TX Const. Art. V, § 6 6 yrs.
District Judge Yes 2 yrs.b 2 yrs.b Yesc 25b 8 yrs.b&j TX Const. Art. V, § 7
Gov’t Code § 24.001		 4 yrs.
Criminal District Judge Yes 2 yrs.b 2 yrs.b Yesc 25b 8 yrs.b&j TX Const. Art. V, § 7
Gov’t Code § 24.001		 4 yrs.
Family District Judge Yes 2 yrs.b 2 yrs.b Yesc 25b 8 yrs.b&j TX Const. Art. V, § 7
Gov’t Code § 24.001		 4 yrs.
District Attorneye Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h Yes TX Const. Art. V, §§ 21, 30
Gov’t Code § 41.001		 4 yrs.
Criminal District Attorney Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h Yes TX Const. Art. V, § 30
Gov’t Code Ch. 44, §
41.001		 4 yrs.
County Judge Yes 12 moc. 6 mo.c Yesc 18h Not req’d TX Const. Art. V, § 15 4 yrs.
Judge, County Court-at-Lawe Yes 2 yrs.e 2 yrs.b e Yesc 25 e, 4 yrs.e TX Const. Art. V, § 30
Gov’t Code §
25.0014		 4 yrs.
Judge, County Criminal Courte Yes 2 yrs.e 2 yrs.b e Yesc 25e 4 yrs.e TX Const. Art. V, § 30
Gov’t Code §
25.0014		 4 yrs.
Judge, County Probate Courte Yes 2 yrs.e 2 yrs.b e Yesc 25e 4 yrs.e TX Const. Art. V, § 30
Gov’t Code §
25.0014		 4 yrs.
District Clerk Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. V, § 9 4 yrs.
District & County Clerk Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. V, § 20 4 yrs.
County Clerk Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. V, § 20 4 yrs.
County Treasurer Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. XVI, § 44 4 yrs.
County Surveyor Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. XVI, § 44 4 yrs.
County Attorney Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h Yes TX Const. Art. V, § 21 
Gov’t Code § 41.001		 4 yrs.
Sherifff Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. V, § 23
Loc. Gov’t Code § 85.0011		 4 yrs.
Tax Assessor-Collector Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. VIII, § 14 4 yrs.
County Commissioner Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. V, § 18 4 yrs.
Constableg Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. V, § 18 
Loc. Gov’t Code §
86.0021		 4 yrs.
Justice of the Peace Yes 12 mo.c 6 mo.c Yesc 18h - TX Const. Art. V, § 18  4 yrs.

  1. No duration specified.
  2. Before date of general election.
  3. As of December 11, 2023, if candidate for Democratic or Republican Party nomination. As of the date of nomination, if other party nominee for statewide, multi-county district, single-county district, county, or precinct office. As of June 27, 2024, if independent candidate. As of November 5, 2024, if declared write-in candidate.
  4. The offices of state senator and state representative must be qualified voters as defined by Tex. Const. Art. VI, Sec 2.  This definition provides that an individual must be eligible to register to vote but need not actually be a registered voter.
  5. Statutory qualifications may vary; contact your local party chair or the Secretary of State.
  6. Additional qualifications for sheriff: A person must (1) have a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate; and (2) either: (A) hold an active permanent peace officer license; or (B) be eligible to be licensed under Sections 1701.309 and 1701.312 of the Texas Occupations Code and has a minimum of five years of experience as a federal special investigator or is a military veteran with a minimum of 10 years of combined active duty or national guard service experience. Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code § 85.0011.  

    7. NOTE: Per guidance from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE), a person would be considered to hold an "active permanent peace officer license" if the person has a peace officer license that is in active status and has not been revoked.  For more guidance on the applicable requirements relating to licensure, please contact TCOLE at 512-936-7700, press 4, then 1.

  7. Additional qualifications for constable: A person must be either (1) eligible to be licensed under Sections 1701.309, 1701.312, and 1701.502 of the Texas Occupations Code AND (a) has at least an associate’s degree, or (b) is a special investigator under Article 2.122(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, or (c) is an honorably retired peace officer or honorably retired federal criminal investigator who holds a certificate of proficiency issued under Section 1701.357 of the Texas Occupations Code OR (2) an active or inactive licensed peace officer under Chapter 1701 of the Texas Occupations Code.
  8. On first day of term to be filled at election. Note: A candidate might need to be age 18 at an earlier date than the first day of the term to be filled at election if the candidate is required to be a registered voter. See offices requiring voter registration.
  9. NEW LAW: No person shall be eligible to serve in the office of Chief Justice or Justice of the Supreme Court unless the person has been either: (A) a practicing lawyer licensed in the State of Texas for at least ten years; or (B) a practicing lawyer licensed in the State of Texas and judge of a state court or county court established by the Legislature by statute for a combined total of at least ten years. Tex. Const. Art V, Sec. 2(b).
  10. NEW LAW: No person shall be eligible to serve in the office of District Judge unless the person has been a practicing lawyer or a Judge of a Court in the State of Texas, or both combined, for eight years next preceding the person’s election, during which time the person’s license to practice law cannot have been revoked, suspended, or subject to a probated suspension. Tex. Const. Art V, Sec. 7(b).
  11. At the time the oath of office is administered. (See S. Rep. No. 904, 74th Congress, 1st sess. (1935), reprinted in 79 Cong. Rec. 9651–9653 (1935))

Special Note 1: Please be advised that due to the removal of the staggering schedule from Article XVI, Section 65 of the Texas Constitution, there are various local offices which may have been created by your county commissioners court or the Texas Legislature but are not listed in this guide. For further information on filing for county offices not listed, please contact the county clerk’s/elections administrator’s office or the Secretary of State.

Special Note 2: Please be advised that executive and judicial officers elected in a statewide election, state appellate and district judges, members of the State Board of Education, and district or criminal district attorneys (among others) are subject to the provisions of Chapter 572 of the Texas Government Code, which relates to personal financial disclosure, standards of conduct, and conflicts of interest issues. For further information on the applicability and requirements of Chapter 572, candidates should contact the Texas Ethics Commission.