General Requirements

• Age Requirements: CR 8.20
• Test Requirements: CR 8.09
• Summary: CR 28.00 (Tables "A" & "B") (pp 67-68 in 2003 Rulebook)
• Adult Competition Requirements: CR 100 - 109

Age-Limited Events  
Note that for age-restricted categories, the age as of September 1 prior to the Regional Championship governs (CR 8.21).

Testing

• Provisional entries based upon the applicant passing a test after the closing date will not be accepted (CR 8.10)
• Test qualifications as of the date closing of entries for Regional Championships shall determine eligibility for all succeeding Qualifying competitions during the same skating year (CR 8.11)
• Competitors who subsequently pass a test at a level higher than that required for entry into a Qualifying event shall forfeit their eligibility to enter qualifying competitions that season (CR 8.12)
  • [this requirement does not bind after Sectionals upon those qualified for Junior Nationals (CR 72.02E)]  

Membership
Competitors in Regional, Sectional, and National competition must be US citizens (some exceptions noted in CR  8.80), and must by members of USFSA clubs, USFSA Collegiate clubs, or USFSA Individual members.  If a member of a USFSA club, the home club designated on the Qualifying competition entry club will remain the designated club throughout the current season (CR 8.01C)

Where to Compete
Singles skaters enter the Regional competition in which their Home Club is located; Individual Members enter in the Region in which their legal residence is located (CR 8.02A, CR 8.03). Pairs and Dance couples representing clubs in different Regions may enter the Regional competition relevant to either partner's club (CR 8.02A).  

When a Pairs or Dance skater is entered into couples event outside their home Region wishes to also enter a singles event, they may do so in either their home Region or the Region in which they are entered into the Pairs or Dance event (CR 8.02B).

Competitively Earned Byes  
The Advancement information indicated covers the majority of cases. The following additional rules regarding byes for past year winners also apply. Those skaters who enter a competition on a bye are in addition to those who qualify according the the normal rules. Consult CR 8.30 for the official language.

For Nationals  
For Senior level, the previous season US Nationals medalists (1,2,3) plus the most recent World and Olympic medallists may enter the current year's comparable event (same discipline, at same level - i.e. Senior Dance) without qualifying through Sectional competition. However, if they do elect to qualify through Sectional competition, they must actually place well enough to advance. (CR 8.32) All Junior and Novice competitors must qualify through Sectional competition each season (CR 8.33). 

For Junior Nationals 
Previous season winners (1st place) of US Junior Nationals events are not eligible to enter the comparable event at Junior Nationals again (either partner in Pairs or Dance can reenter with a different partner if otherwise eligible)  (CR 73.01, CR 73.02).

For Sectionals  
At the Senior, Junior, or Novice level, the previous year's winner (1st place) of a Sectional Freeskating, Pairs, or Dance event may enter the current year's comparable event (same discipline, at same level - i.e. Junior FS) without qualifying through Regional competition. However, if they do elect to qualify through Regional competition, they must actually place well enough to advance. (CR 8.34)

Past year's Regional winners do not receive any bye to current year Sectional competition, unless qualified by CR 8.33 or CR 8.34.  (CR 8.35, CR 8.36).

For Regionals  
Previous year winners of National titles (1st place) at the Junior and Novice levels are ineligible to enter the comparable event (same discipline, at same level - i.e. Junior FS) at Regionals, but if they are competing again in the comparable event, they may advance directly to Sectional competition. (CR 8.33)  

Other Byes  
Byes are sometimes given for reasons such as medical issues, assignment to international or ProAm competitions, failure to hold a Regional or Sectional level competition or event, or other extraordinary circumstances.  The rules describing these byes are found in CR 8.71.