To become a U.S. Representative, you have to clear three constitutional qualifications, register your campaign with the Federal Election Commission once your fundraising or spending passes $5,000, file a personal financial disclosure with the Clerk of the House, qualify for the ballot under your state’s election rules, and then keep up with continuous federal reporting through Election Day. Winning the seat is a separate matter; this is what the law requires to run and to serve.
Who Is Eligible to Run
Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution sets three requirements. You must be at least 25 years old by the time you would be sworn in, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years before the election, and a resident of the state whose district you want to represent when voters go to the polls.1Library of Congress. Article I Section 2 – Constitution Annotated There is no waiver. Congress cannot lower the age, shorten the citizenship period, or excuse a residency gap.
One nuance: the Constitution requires you to be an inhabitant of the state, not of the specific congressional district. Living outside the district you’re running in is legal, though opponents typically make an issue of it.
The Fourteenth Amendment Bar
Even if you meet the Article I qualifications, Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment separately disqualifies anyone who previously took an oath to support the Constitution as a federal or state official and then engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or gave aid or comfort to those who did.2Library of Congress. Fourteenth Amendment Section 3 – Constitution Annotated Only a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate can lift it.
Registering With the FEC
Federal law makes the trigger a dollar amount, not a personal announcement. Once you raise or spend more than $5,000 in connection with a House race, you become a candidate by operation of law and must register with the FEC. Money spent earlier while testing the waters counts toward the threshold.3Federal Election Commission. New Statements of Candidacy File Description Two forms follow in close succession.
Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2)
FEC Form 2 officially declares your candidacy. It lists your legal name, address, party affiliation, the office sought, and the principal campaign committee that will handle your money.4Federal Election Commission. FEC Form 2 Statement of Candidacy It must be filed within 15 days of crossing the $5,000 threshold. Most candidates file electronically through the FEC’s online portal, though paper filing is available if your committee expects to handle less than $50,000 in a calendar year.5eCFR. 11 CFR 104.18 – Electronic Filing of Reports
Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1)
Your principal campaign committee then files FEC Form 1 within 10 days of being designated on your Statement of Candidacy. Form 1 establishes the committee’s name, mailing address, and treasurer. The treasurer is personally responsible for the committee’s financial integrity, from maintaining bank accounts to signing every disclosure report.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 52 US Code 30102 – Organization of Political Committees Pick someone detail-oriented; sloppy bookkeeping is where campaigns get into trouble with regulators.
Knowingly filing false information on any federal form is a felony under 18 U.S.C. § 1001, carrying a fine and up to five years in prison.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally
Financial Disclosure With the House
Separate from anything you file with the FEC, House candidates must file a personal Financial Disclosure Report with the Clerk of the House. The requirement comes from the Ethics in Government Act and is enforced by the House Committee on Ethics. The report covers income sources, assets, liabilities over $10,000, and certain gifts or travel reimbursements.8House Committee on Ethics. FAQs About Financial Disclosure for Candidates
In an even-numbered election year, the report is due within 30 days of becoming a candidate or by May 15, whichever is later. If you qualify less than 30 days before the election itself, it is due immediately.8House Committee on Ethics. FAQs About Financial Disclosure for Candidates Failing to file or falsifying the disclosure can bring a civil penalty of up to $75,540 under the most recent inflation adjustment.9Federal Register. 2025 Civil Monetary Penalties Inflation Adjustments for Ethics in Government Act Violations Willful falsification can also be prosecuted criminally.
Getting on Your State’s Ballot
Federal registration puts you in the FEC’s system. It does not put you on any ballot. That happens under state law, and the rules vary. Every state requires some combination of a declaration of candidacy, nominating petition signatures, and a filing fee.
Petitions and Signatures
Most states require signatures from registered voters in the district to demonstrate a minimum level of public support. Requirements range from a couple dozen signatures in some states to several thousand in others. Some states set a flat number; others tie it to a percentage of registered voters or prior turnout, so the target moves with the district.
Each signature has to be collected under strict rules about the signer’s registration status and the collector’s presence during signing. Election officials verify every petition, and invalid signatures are struck. Falling below the minimum means you’re off the ballot, and in most states there is no second chance. Opponents can also challenge your petitions during a public review period, scrutinizing handwriting and registration records.
Independent and unaffiliated candidates generally face higher signature thresholds than major-party candidates seeking a primary nomination. Many states also enforce sore-loser laws that prevent someone who lost a party primary from running as an independent in the same general election.
Filing Fees and Deadlines
Filing fees vary by state. Some states let candidates submit additional petition signatures in place of paying the fee. The declaration of candidacy, petitions, and fee payment typically go to the Secretary of State’s office or a local elections bureau.
Filing deadlines fall anywhere from three to twelve months before the November general election, with most states setting a cutoff seven to nine months out. Missing the deadline means automatic disqualification, no matter how many signatures you gathered or how much you raised. Building a calendar of every state-specific date should be one of the first things a prospective candidate does.
Running as a Write-In
If you miss the filing window or choose not to petition, some states allow a write-in campaign, but the path is harder than most people assume. A write-in vote does not automatically count. Most states require write-in candidates to file paperwork before the election for their votes to be tallied at all.10USAGov. Write-in Candidates for Federal and State Elections The rules depend entirely on state law, and the practical odds of winning a House seat this way are extremely slim.
Contribution Limits
Once you’re a registered candidate, your committee can accept contributions, but federal law caps how much any single source can give. For the 2025–2026 cycle, an individual donor can contribute up to $3,500 per election. Because the primary and general count separately, the same donor could give $3,500 for the primary and another $3,500 for the general, totaling $7,000 across both.11Federal Election Commission. Contribution Limits for 2025-2026 The individual limit is adjusted for inflation every odd-numbered year.
Multicandidate political action committees can give up to $5,000 per election, a limit set by statute and not adjusted for inflation.11Federal Election Commission. Contribution Limits for 2025-2026 Your treasurer needs to track every contribution carefully. Accepting money above these limits creates liability for the campaign.
Ongoing Reporting After You File
Registration is the start, not the end. Transparency obligations run continuously until you win, lose, or formally wind down the committee.
Quarterly Reports
Your principal campaign committee files FEC Form 3 on a quarterly schedule throughout the election cycle. In an election year, quarterly reports are due by April 15, July 15, and October 15, with a year-end report due January 31 of the following year. Each report discloses all contributions received and expenditures made since the last filing.12Federal Election Commission. FEC Form 3 Instructions – Authorized Committee Pre-election and post-election reports are also required around any primary or general election your campaign takes part in. Every filing becomes a public record on the FEC’s website.
48-Hour Notices Before the Election
If your campaign receives a contribution or loan of $1,000 or more less than 20 days out but more than 48 hours before Election Day, you must file a special notice with the FEC within 48 hours of receiving the money.13Federal Election Commission. 48-Hour Notices The rule covers primary, general, runoff, and special elections. It exists so that large last-minute donations become public before voters cast their ballots rather than surfacing in the next quarterly report.