What are the membership eligibility requirements?
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Constitution determines eligibility for tribal membership based on the following definition: “Choctaw Indians by blood whose names appear on the final rolls of the Choctaw Nation approved pursuant to Section 2 of the Code of April 26, 1906 (34 Stat. 136) and their lineal descendants. Potential and current tribal members must not be enrolled as a member of any other tribe or band of Indians (aka prohibited dual enrollment).
Determining Choctaw Indian by Blood Original Enrollees
The final rolls are referenced by The Index and Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Tribes in Indian Territory, approved June 21, 1906 (34 Stat. 354). This census, also called the Dawes Roll, recorded people living with their tribal nation in Indian Territory who chose to register and were approved by the federal Dawes Commission. The Dawes Roll also provided detailed information about the blood quantum for most registered people. Blood quantum refers to the fraction or percentage of Native American ancestry a person has. Each registered person was also given a unique roll number.
Original enrollee individuals are considered Choctaw by Blood and eligible for membership if they are listed with blood quantum under one of the following categories:
- Choctaws by Blood
- Choctaw Roll – Citizens by Blood*
- Newborn Choctaws by Blood
- Minor Choctaw Citizens by Blood
- Mississippi Choctaw
- Mississippi Choctaw Roll – Citizens by Blood*
- Newborn Mississippi Choctaws
- Minor Mississippi Choctaws
*Those listed under the “Citizens by Blood” rolls were added via the 1914 Code of Congress (Public No. 160) but are considered part of the 1906 Final Rolls.
No. There is no minimum blood quantum requirement to apply for membership with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
No. DNA test results from companies like Ancestry.com or 23andMe do not determine tribal affiliation and are not accepted. DNA is considered valid when there is a 95% or more match to a Choctaw parent. The DNA must be received directly from an AABB Accredited Facility listing the biological parent(s).
No. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Constitution prohibits dual enrollment with any other tribe or band of Indians.
The applicant must provide documentation showing the ancestor was listed on the Dawes Roll with a recorded blood quantum and roll number. If no blood quantum is listed, the ancestor is not considered Choctaw by Blood, even if a roll number is present.
Some services, such as those provided through the Indian Health Service (IHS), may have been available to eligible dependents under their parents’ CDIB or membership. Receiving services does not automatically confirm membership. Each individual must complete a membership application and meet eligibility criteria to be recognized as a member.
For Choctaws, the process of removing to Oklahoma lasted from 1830-1903. The last two emigrations came in 1902 and 1903. The Dawes Commission recorded the individuals who arrived in 1902 and 1903 as “Mississippi Choctaws” to distinguish them from the Choctaws who had already been in Oklahoma for a few decades. Because they are on the Dawes Roll, they and their descendants are eligible to be members of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Not all Choctaw people left Mississippi. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians was federally recognized in 1945. Most of the Choctaws who were still in Mississippi at the time and of at least half blood quantum were enrolled with that Tribe. Even though both Tribes are Choctaw, they have separate governments and different enrollment requirements. Members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians can’t switch enrollment to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma unless they have an ancestor on the Choctaw Dawes roll.
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has always prioritized the protection of our membership’s integrity, and the updated Membership Act of 2025 reinforces that commitment through formal safeguards designed to ensure consistency, fairness, and accountability in all membership decisions.
Key safeguards include:
- Defined Eligibility Criteria: Eligibility continues to be based on lineal descent from an original Dawes enrollee. This standard has not changed and remains the foundation of Choctaw Nation membership.
- Quality Assurance Review: No membership decision (approval or denial) is made by a single individual. All applications are reviewed through a quality assurance process to ensure consistency, accuracy, and alignment with the Membership Act.
- Formal Appeals Process: The appeals process exists to ensure that no eligible individual is unintentionally denied membership. If new information or documentation becomes available, the appeal provides an opportunity to have the decision re-evaluated according to the law.
- Document Verification Procedures: All submitted documents undergo careful review to verify authenticity and prevent fraud. Additional checks are performed when necessary.
- Sovereign Oversight: As a sovereign Nation, the Choctaw Nation determines its own membership processes and does not rely on the federal government to establish standards that reflect our values, history, or cultural legacy.
- These safeguards ensure that enrollment decisions are made fairly, transparently, and in accordance with the laws adopted by Choctaw Nation Executive and Legislative Branches.