Voting, jury duty, Selective Service and age limits

Step 1 — From day one: the age-21 rules

Some U.S. age limits may be higher than at home.

• Alcohol: “The minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) in the United States is 21 years,” which means alcohol cannot be sold to anyone younger (CDC). All states have adopted 21 (NHTSA).
• Tobacco and vaping: since December 20, 2019, it has been illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, to anyone under 21, with no exceptions (FDA — Tobacco 21). This includes cigars, hookah tobacco, liquid nicotine and products with nicotine from any source (FDA).
• Carry a photo ID: stores should check the photo ID of anyone under 30 who tries to buy tobacco (FDA).
• Local rules: the FDA’s age-check app for stores covers “federal, state, and local age restrictions” (FDA), so your state or city can add its own.
• Driving after drinking, at any age: it’s illegal in all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher; in Utah the limit is .05 (NHTSA).

Marijuana is a separate topic: even where a state allows it, USCIS’s Policy Manual says its controlled-substance rule for citizenship applications “Applies Regardless of State Law Decriminalizing Marijuana” (USCIS — Policy Manual).

Step 2 — Know which elections are open to you

To vote in federal, state and local elections, you must be a U.S. citizen, be 18 by Election Day, meet your state’s residency rules and register by your state’s deadline (USA.gov — Who can vote). In USA.gov’s words, “Non-citizens, including permanent legal residents, cannot vote in federal, state, and most local elections” (USA.gov).

The word “most” matters. Some areas allow noncitizens to vote in local elections only (USA.gov). USA.gov sends any question about who can vote to your state or local election office (USA.gov), so ask them before you register for a local election. USCIS says voting in a local election is not counted as an unlawful act in a citizenship review if you were eligible to vote under that local law (USCIS — Policy Manual).

Money for campaigns. Federal law bars “foreign nationals” from giving contributions or donations in connection with any federal, state or local election (FEC — Foreign nationals). For the Federal Election Commission (FEC), a foreign national is someone who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident, so green card holders may contribute (FEC).

If you have a green card, our guide to your first 90 days as a green card holder covers your other rights and responsibilities.

Step 3 — Don’t register to vote, even when a form offers it

Voter registration is offered in many places: online, by mail, at motor vehicle offices and at public assistance offices such as SNAP or TANF offices (USA.gov — Register to vote). Many states build it into driver’s license and ID applications, usually with a citizenship question and a warning not to register if you’re not a citizen (USCIS — Policy Manual). Our driver’s license guide covers the DMV visit itself.

The national mail registration form shows how serious this is. It is “For U.S. Citizens,” and the person signing swears “I am a United States citizen” (EAC — Registration form). Its oath warns: “If I have provided false information, I may be fined, imprisoned, or (if not a U.S. citizen) deported from or refused entry to the United States” (EAC). The form’s instructions add that federal law makes it illegal to falsely claim U.S. citizenship to register to vote in any federal, state or local election (EAC).

USCIS’s current Policy Manual says (USCIS — Policy Manual):

• under immigration law, a noncitizen can be “deportable for unlawful voting or falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen”;
• this can apply even when the registration happened during a driver’s license, ID or state benefit application;
• a false claim to citizenship can count even if it was made “without knowledge or intent”;
• voting in a federal election is also a federal crime for noncitizens, punishable by a fine, up to 1 year in prison, or both.

Answer citizenship questions truthfully. The Policy Manual notes that registration forms may say that a person who answers “no” to the citizenship question should not complete the form (USCIS).

If you think you registered or voted by mistake, don’t guess what to do. Talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a Department of Justice–accredited representative; our guide to free immigration legal help explains how to find one.

Step 4 — Men 18 through 25: check whether you must register with Selective Service

Selective Service keeps a list of men it would draw from only if Congress and the President instruct it, and registering does not mean joining the military (SSS — FAQ). The U.S. has not had a draft since 1973 (USA.gov — Selective Service).

Whether you must register depends on your status, not only your age. Selective Service’s chart says (SSS — Who needs to register):

• must register: permanent residents; refugees, parolees and asylees; undocumented immigrants; dual U.S. citizens;
• don’t register: people in lawful nonimmigrant status on a current nonimmigrant visa, and seasonal agricultural workers on H-2A visas.

The chart adds that immigrants who stayed in lawful nonimmigrant status on a valid visa until after they turned 26 were never required to register (SSS). If your status changes before you turn 26, for example when you get a green card, check the chart again.

• When: federal law requires registration at 18, and Selective Service accepts it up to age 25; “If you are 26 or older, it’s too late to register” (SSS).
• How: online with a valid Social Security number (SSS — FAQ), or by mail with the paper form (USA.gov).
• Why it matters: not registering is a federal felony, and you may not be eligible for federal jobs, citizenship or state-funded student aid (USA.gov).

A change is coming. A federal law signed on December 18, 2025, makes registration automatic: the Director of Selective Service will register men, starting one year after that date (Public Law 119-60, section 535). It keeps the exception for people who maintain lawful nonimmigrant status (GovInfo). In late October 2026, Selective Service’s website still asked men to register themselves (SSS), so check sss.gov for the current process. Our guide to Selective Service for immigrant men has the details.

Step 5 — If a jury letter arrives

Federal courts choose possible jurors at random from state voter lists and, when needed, from other lists such as licensed drivers (U.S. Courts — Juror selection). So a letter can reach someone who is not a citizen. To serve on a federal jury, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18, and meet other conditions (U.S. Courts — Juror qualifications).

The first letter is usually a qualification questionnaire, to return within 10 days or complete online on the court’s eJuror page (U.S. Courts). In the Western District of Washington, for example, question 1 asks: “Are you a citizen of the United States?” (U.S. District Court, W.D. Wash.).

• Don’t ignore it. That court’s FAQ says that if you don’t return the form, “You could be ordered to appear before the court to complete the questionnaire at your own expense” (W.D. Wash.).
• Answer truthfully. USCIS says a false claim to citizenship can be made to any federal, state or local official (USCIS — Policy Manual).
• If the letter comes from a state or county court, follow its instructions, and contact that court if something is unclear.