Residence Eligibility Requirements

RESIDENCE AND SCHOOL ATTENDANCE PLAYER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Each local Little League determines the actual geographic boundaries of the area from within which it shall select players. These boundaries must be described in detail and shown on a map and dated when making application for a Little League charter. Players will be eligible to play with that league only if they reside or the physical location of the school where they attend classes is within the boundaries provided to and approved by Little League Baseball, Incorporated.

I. A player will be deemed to reside within the league boundaries if:

• A. His/her parents are living together and are residing within such league boundaries, OR;
• B. Either of the player’s parents (or his/her court-appointed legal guardian) reside within such boundaries. It is unacceptable if a parent moves into a league’s boundaries for the purpose of qualifying for tournament play. As detailed later in these rules, the penalty for violation of this rule may, in Little League Baseball, Incorporated’s discretion, result in the disqualification of a player, team or entire league from regular season and/or tournament play.

“Residence,” “reside” and “residing” refers to a place of bona fide continuous habitation. A place of residence once established shall not be considered changed unless the parents, parent or guardian makes a bona fide change of residence.

Residence shall be established and supported by documents, dated or in force between February 1, 2013 (previous year) and February 1, 2014 (current year), from THREE OR MORE of the following categories to determine residency of such parent(s) or guardian: 

1. Driver’s License 
2. Voter’s Registration
3. School records 
4. Welfare/child care records
5. Federal records 
6. State records 
7. Local (municipal) records 
8. Support payment records 
9. Homeowner or tenant records 
10. Utility bills (i.e., gas, electric, water/sewer, phone, mobile phone, heating, waste disposal)
11. Financial (loan, credit, investments, etc.) records 
12. Insurance documents 
13. Medical records 
14. Military records 
15. Internet, cable or satellite records 
16. Vehicle records 
17. Employment records

NOTE: Example – Three utility bills (three items from No. 10 above) constitute only ONE document. Any documents submitted as proof of residence must show customary usage or consumption to demonstrate bona fide continuous habitation as determined by Little League Baseball, Incorporated in its discretion.

II. A player will be deemed to attend school in the boundaries if:

A. The physical location of the school where they attend classes is within the boundaries established by the local league. Note: This excludes home schools, cyber schools, sports-related schools, sports academies, or preschool or after school where a student participates outside of the primary school the player is enrolled.

“School attendance” refers to the (place) physical location the player in question attends school during the traditional academic year. Once established, a location of school attendance shall not be considered changed unless the child is enrolled and attends another school or is no longer enrolled in the previous school.

School attendance shall be established and supported by a document indicating enrollment for the current academic year, dated prior to October 1, 2013 and with the physical location of the school, from ONE of the following categories to determine school attendance by such player:

1. Official/Certified School enrollment record 
2. School issued report card or performance record
3. A Little League issued school attendance form completed by the principal, assistant principal or administrator

It is recommended that the league require some proof of residence or school attendance within the league’s boundaries at the time the player registers. Players and their parents/guardians are advised that a false statement of residence or school attendance may lead to ineligibility to play Little League Baseball or Softball. Under NO circumstances does ANY person have the authority to grant a waiver that allows a child to play in a local Little League program IN ANY DIVISION, when that child does not qualify under these residency requirements. Any league who accepts any player outside of their boundaries and fails to properly document compliance with the “Residence and/or School Attendance Player Eligibility Requirement” or obtain a waiver through the Charter Committee may result in the disqualification of a player, team or entire league from regular season and/or tournament play.

If the claim for residency or school attendance is challenged, the above materials must be submitted to Little League Baseball, Incorporated, with an affidavit of residency or school attendance from the parent(s) or guardian. Little League Baseball, Incorporated shall have the right to request additional documentation in support of the claim of residency or school attendance. The parent(s) or legal guardian will be required to provide said documentation to obtain eligibility. Little League Baseball, Incorporated shall decide the issue in its sole discretion, and that decision will be final and binding. Residency or school documents must illustrate that the residence or school attendance (as defined above) was inside the league’s boundaries throughout the regular season (as of June 15 of the year in question).

In the case of a Regulation II(d) Waiver Form, or a Regulation IV(h) Waiver Form, the proof of residence for the FORMER residence of the parent(s) that was within the current league’s boundaries must be obtained. This proof of residence for the former residence must be supported by the same documentation as noted above.

Tournament Requirement for Non-Citizens: A participant who is not a citizen of the country in which he/she wishes to play, but meets residency requirements as defined by Little League, may participate in that country if:

1. his/her visa allows that participant to remain in that country for a period of at least one year, or; 
2. the prevailing laws allow that participant to remain in that country for at least one year, or;
3. the participant has an established bona fide residence in that country for at least two years prior to the start of the regular season.

Exceptions can only be made by action of the Charter Committee in Williamsport. Any request for a waiver pertaining to the eligibility of a player must be submitted in writing, by the president of the local Little League through the district administrator, to their respective Regional Director not later than the date prescribed in Regulation IV(j). Requests submitted after that date will not be considered.

Regulation II – League Boundaries

II - LEAGUE BOUNDARIES

(a) Each league shall determine actual boundaries of the area from WITHIN which it shall select players. Only those participants whose residence or the physical location of the school where they attend classes is within the boundaries of the league shall be eligible to participate. Residence, for the purposes of this regulation, is defined in “Residence Eligibility Requirements” in the first section of this book (Pages 16-17). NOTE: Any player who does not reside in or the school where they attend classes is not WITHIN the league’s boundaries must have an approved waiver issued by the Charter Committee at Little League International. All waiver requests to the Charter Committee must be submitted and approved in writing by the league president before the start of the league’s regular season or June 4, whichever occurs first. Requests must be submitted to the regional office through the district administrator. Failure to properly document compliance with the “Residence and School Attendance Player Eligibility Requirement” or obtain a waiver through the Charter Committee may result in the disqualification of a player, team or entire league from regular season and/or tournament play. These boundaries MUST be described in detail AND shown on a map when making application for the charter. The local Little League boundaries shall be the boundaries of the Intermediate (50-70) Division/Junior/Senior/Big League. Exception noted for Big League district operating in Regulation I.

(b) When there are two (2) or more leagues within a locale, each must have separate boundaries, detailed by a map. No exception to this provision will be made without written approval of Little League International.

(c) Team boundaries may be permitted where communities making up a league are widely separated, upon application to and approval by Little League International.

(d) The board of directors of the local league, with the approval of the player involved, reserves the right to continue as a player, any individual (1) whose residence or school enrollment/attendance changes from within the boundary to outside the league’s boundary or (2) who lives or school enrollment/attendance is outside the league’s boundaries because of a revision of such boundaries even if the child then resides in the territory of another league. Current players, or any sibling of a current player whose brother or sister met the criteria under II (d) at one time may be retained. Any player meeting (1) or (2) above may be retained for the remainder of his/her career, including Little League, Intermediate (50-70) Division, Junior, Senior and Big League competition. NOTE: A player who qualifies under this regulation and elects not to participate for a playing season is not eligible to be retained for the subsequent season.

Regulations II (d) - Processing Procedure

The league president will process a II(d) form. Once the president completes the form, he/she must compile “residency or school enrollment/attendance requirement” verification that each player meets the conditions of II(d) as outlined above. The league president will present this verification to the District Administrator for review. Once the district administrator verifies the documentation meets the regulations, the district administrator will sign the II(d) form granting his or her approval. The league and the district will maintain the form and documentation in their files. This verification process is only required once during a participant’s career. The league must maintain this form and documentation for this player for the duration of his/her career until the player graduates from the program or breaks service with the league. Tournament team players will be required to carry a copy of this form and documentation with them throughout the tournament. If contested during tournament play, the league will be required to produce the documentation. Additionally, if it is determined at a later date that the player does not meet the conditions of II(d), the player is ineligible for further participation. Situations in which documentation is not available must be referred to the Charter Committee through the regional office for a decision. The decision of the Charter Committee is final and binding.

 PDF for downloadable version.
 2014 Eligibility Requirements.pdf