Youth must be elected by the peers of their Unit to become a candidate in the Order of the Arrow. To qualify to be elected, they must:
- Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America.
- At the time of their election, youth must be under the age of 21, and hold one of the following ranks corresponding to the type unit in which they are being considered for election: Scouts BSA First Class rank, the Venturing Discovery rank, or the Sea Scout Ordinary rank or higher, and following approval by the Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor or Sea Scout Skipper, be elected by the youth members of their unit.
- After registration with a troop, crew, or ship, have experienced 15 days and nights of Boy Scout camping during the two-year period prior to the election. The 15 days and nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of six consecutive days and five nights of resident camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. The balance of the camping must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps.
- Be approved by their unit leader prior to election.
Adults are nominated by their unit committee, not elected. For unit-level adult leaders, the requirement that states at least one youth must be elected in a unit for any adults to be chosen remains. Two adults may be nominated per three youth elected. To be nominated, the unit committee should ensure:
- Selection of the adult is based on the ability to perform the necessary functions to help the Order fulfill its purpose, and not for recognition of service, including current or prior achievement and positions.
- The individual will be an asset to the Order because of demonstrated abilities that fulfill the purpose of the Order.
- The adult leader’s membership will provide a positive example for the growth and development of the youth members of the lodge.
- For camping requirements, unit-level adults must have at least 15 nights of camping while registered with a troop, crew, or ship within two years prior to the unit election. The 15 nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of at least five consecutive nights of overnight camping, approved by the standards set by the BSA. For council and district-level adults, however, the camping nights requirement may be waived by the lodge adviser or scout executive.