On January 5, 2018, The Miss America Organization notified state and local directors of changes to the contestant contract regarding age eligibility.
Young women can now compete for one additional year as 25 year-olds. In Section 2.2 of the local contestant contract, it says that a contestant “must be no older than twenty-five years of age on December 31, 2018.” Previously, contestants could only compete up through their 24th year.
The minimum age requirement remains at 17 years-old, but the contract now specifies that the contestant must be in her senior year of high school.
Last week, newly appointed chairwoman and Miss America 1989, Gretchen Carlson told ABC News that “big changes are coming for the Miss America Organization.”
Watch her full interview below.