Updated October 6, 2026: added the Development League’s 2027-28 birth years. This page is rebuilt every season when USA Hockey and Hockey Canada publish their charts.
Youth hockey divisions are set by birth year, not by grade, and not by how old your kid is on the first day of practice. USA Hockey's playing season runs September 1 through August 31, and every player is slotted into a two-year band for the whole season. Here is the 2026-27 chart for both countries, what the labels mean, and the two exceptions parents trip over.
USA Hockey 2026-27 age classifications — youth
| Division | Birth years | Second-year / first-year |
|---|---|---|
| 6U | 2020 and younger | — |
| 8U (Mite) | 2018, 2019 | 2018 / 2019 |
| 10U (Squirt) | 2016, 2017 | 2016 / 2017 |
| 12U (Peewee) | 2014, 2015 | 2014 / 2015 |
| 14U (Bantam) | 2012, 2013 | 2012 / 2013 |
| 15-only | 2011 | single year |
| 16U (Midget Minor) | 2010, 2011 | 2010 / 2011 |
| 18U (Midget Major) | 2008, 2009 | 2008 / 2009 |
USA Hockey 2026-27 age classifications — girls
| Division | Birth years |
|---|---|
| 8U | 2018, 2019 |
| 10U | 2016, 2017 |
| 12U | 2014, 2015 |
| 14U | 2012, 2013 |
| 16U | 2010, 2011 |
| 19U | 2007, 2008, 2009 |
The Development League (starts 2027-28)
USA Hockey’s new Development League starts play in the 2027-28 season with two age groups, set by age on Dec. 31, 2027:
15U DL: players born 2012 and 2013
17U DL: players born 2010, 2011 and 2012
29 programs were invited on Oct. 5, 2026. A program with DL teams can’t also field 15O or 16U Tier I teams; its DL teams take their place. Everything else on this chart is unchanged. See all 29 programs on the DL Tracker, or start with our plain-English DL guide.
Hockey Canada 2026-27 age divisions
Hockey Canada sets divisions by the player's age on December 31 of the playing year. By that rule, the 2026-27 bands line up almost exactly with USA Hockey's:
| Division | Birth years | US equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| U7 | 2020 and younger | 6U |
| U9 | 2018, 2019 | 8U |
| U11 | 2016, 2017 | 10U |
| U13 | 2014, 2015 | 12U |
| U15 | 2012, 2013 | 14U |
| U18 | 2009, 2010, 2011 | 16U + part of 18U |
As of Oct. 8, 2026, Hockey Canada’s own page still shows 2025-26. These rows follow the age rule in its 2026-27 Regulations (Section B, item 1) and match the 2026-27 charts from the OMHA, GTHL and Hockey Alberta. Source: Hockey Canada Regulations 2026-27
In Canada? Our full Hockey Canada chart has every division to U21, the old names, Quebec’s M-divisions and a printable page.
What the labels mean
Two-year bands. Every division from 8U/U9 up is a two-year band (three years at U18 in Canada). The older birth year is the second-year; the younger is the first-year. Next season the band shifts up one year, so a first-year becomes a second-year. Which year your kid is in changes how you should read a September roster — we wrote up what the research actually says about first-years and second-years.
15-only and 13-only. USA Hockey also runs single-birth-year classifications at 15 (2011 births in 2026-27) and 13 (2013 births), used mainly by Tier I programs and for Nationals.
Mixed or pure rosters. A 12U team can be any mix of 2014s and 2015s, or a single birth year — that’s a club decision, not a rule. Minnesota’s Tier I fall leagues, for example, are single-year by design.
Two exceptions parents trip over
Minnesota. Minnesota Hockey's community classifications run June 1 to May 31 instead of the calendar year, so kids play with their school classmates. A June 2015 birth is a different division in Minnesota than in the rest of the country. Minnesota's Tier I fall leagues use single birth years (14U is 2012 births only for 2026-27). Minnesota Hockey age charts.
Non-sanctioned leagues. The charts above bind USA Hockey- and Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs. Independent leagues and some spring/summer programs set their own cutoffs. Ask before you register.
Quick answers
Is it birth year or grade? Birth year. Grade doesn't matter to USA Hockey or Hockey Canada (Minnesota's community windows are the exception).
My kid’s birthday is in December — does anything change mid-season? No. The division is fixed for the whole playing season, September 1 to August 31.
Is a 2013 birth a first-year or second-year in 2026-27? First-year 14U in the US, first-year U15 in Canada. Next season, second-year in both.
Can my kid play up a division? Usually only with the club's and affiliate's approval, and rules vary by district and province. Ask your registrar before tryouts, not after.
Full Ice is a weekly briefing for hockey parents in the US and Canada — rules, costs, safety, and the pathway, sourced every time. Free, every Thursday at 6 a.m.
Download the printable one-pager
The same chart as a single sheet — youth, girls and Hockey Canada, plus the exceptions — for the fridge, the team binder, or the group chat. Attached below.
