• Must be at least 18 and under 27 years of age as of February 1, 2009.
  
• Must never have participated in a previous national MISS USA Pageant.
  
• May only compete in one MISS USA State Pageant (including the District of Columbia) per pageant year.

• Must be at least 14 and under 19 years of age as of February 1, 2009.
  
• Must never have participated in a previous national MISS TEEN USA Pageant.
  
• May only compete in one MISS TEEN USA State Pageant (including the District of Columbia) per pageant year.

• Must not be married, never have been married, and never have had a marriage annulled. Must never have given birth to a child, can not be pregnant or be a parent.
  
• Must be of good health and moral character.
  
• Must be a naturally born female, a citizen of the United States, and at least one of the following must be true:
  
  • Must now reside in their state as their permanent and primary residence for a period of at least six (6) months immediately prior to the beginning of their state pageant (although they may have attended college or University elsewhere); or
    
  • Must have resided in their state as a full-time student at a college or university for one entire semester immediately prior to the beginning of their state pageant, and they are continuing to reside in their state as a full-time student (although they may have spent or be spending the summer in another state).
• Must agree, that if selected to represent their state in the MISS USA or MISS TEEN USA Pageant, they will participate in that pageant, and will abide by all the rules and regulations governing that pageant. If they win the MISS USA Pageant, they must agree to participate in the MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT, and to abide by the rules and regulations governing that pageant.
  
• No contestant or any member of their immediate family can be employed by Miss Universe L.P. LLLP, any State Director in the MISS USA and/or MISS TEEN USA Pageant system, NBC Inc., or any of its subsidiaries, Ernst & Young, or any of its subsidiaries, Donald J. Trump, Trump Pageants Inc., The Trump Organization, NBC Universal Inc., or any of their subsidiaries or affiliated or related companies. (If contestant or any member of their immediate family is employed by any of the foregoing or any firm or corporation controlled or  affiliated with any of them, then they must notify the state director immediately, in writing, so that their eligibility may be determined. 
  
• Must agree that if they win or succeed to the state level title or the national title of MISS USA or MISS TEEN USA, they will not participate in any other pageants during the time they hold any of these titles, unless authorized in writing by Miss Universe L.P. LLLP.
  
• Must be willing to release, unconditionally and forever, any claim against Miss Universe L.P. LLLP, Its parent and affiliated or related companies and their respective officers, directors, partners, employees, agents and assigns, which they may have by virtue of their participation in their state pageant, or by any use of their name, likeness, voice, and/or biography in connection with their state pageant, including use in promotional and advertising material.
  
• Must understand and agree that all issues as to eligibility shall be determined by Miss Universe, L.P. LLLP, and they must agree to abide by that determination both as to themselves and other applicants