Annual Membership Fee Change, Reminder and Update
New Annual Membership Fee Process Announced – BSA Will No Longer Prorate Fees for New Members beginning August 1, 2023.
Beginning August 1, 2023, all new youth and adult members who join Scouting will be enrolled in a 12-month membership cycle, and BSA will cease prorating fees. Both youth and adults will pay the full annual membership fee and will renew their membership on the anniversary date of joining Scouting. All proration of membership fees will be eliminated. Each registered member of the BSA will receive an email notification with a registration renewal link beginning 60 days before the anniversary month they joined Scouting. Units will have the option to pay for their membership instead of individual families. To find out how your unit can set this up, click here.
Leaders will receive a copy of the email and should stay engaged in the membership renewal process like rechartering.
Check out the Greater Tampa Bay Council Infographic for details. Read more about how the new membership process will work below.
Key Updates for 2023 Unit Charter Renewals
- Units with 2023 expiration dates- No changes, you will renew charter and membership as always.
- To simplify the unit charter process, membership renewals will no longer be tied to the unit charter process; beginning for units expiring in March 2024; units will still renew their charters separate from their membership. The process will be much simpler as the system will validate the unit leadership and verify the unit has the minimum required youth and adults. The COR and council will approve the leadership, the unit will approve the charter, and the unit will submit the annual unit charter renewal fee of $100.
Membership Renewal Process:
- All membership in the BSA will be renewed on a 12-month membership cycle.
- Each member, youth, or adult will renew their membership on their anniversary month. Many will have an anniversary that is the month their unit renewed last, and any new members will renew 12 months after they joined.
- Membership renewals will be completed either by credit card with a 12-month renewal payment from the individual, by a scout unit that has elected “Unit will pay all our members renewals” option, or by a manual payment at the Council Office.
- By eliminating proration, it will streamline the rechartering and membership renewal process for units and councils.
New Members:
- Beginning August 1, 2023, all new youth and adult members will join for a 12-month membership cycle. Both youth and adults will pay the full annual membership fee to join Scouting and will renew their membership on the anniversary month of joining.
- New members joining after July 31, 2023, will begin their annual membership renewal in July 2024. This will be tied to the anniversary month of joining.
- Each member of the BSA will receive an email notice with a registration renewal link beginning 60 days before the anniversary month of joining.
Existing Members:
- Beginning August 1, 2023, all youth and adult membership renewals will be for a 12-month membership cycle.
- Charter Renewal will remain unchanged for units due to charter through February 2024. March 2024 units will be the first to renew in the new process.
- Charter Renewal change will take effect for units starting March 1, 2024, to allow all units renewing in 2023 a complete renewal cycle.
- Renewing members will renew their membership on their anniversary month.
- Each member will receive an email renewal notice reminder beginning 60 days before the anniversary month.
Merit Badge Counselors:
- Beginning in August 2023, merit badge counselors who are not registered as an adult leader in a unit will pay an annual $25 fee.
- Merit badge counselors are not registered in a unit position and therefore are not allowed to attend overnight Scouting activities/events.
