Katahdin Area Council/ National Membership Fees

National Membership Fees

November 8, 2022

The national Boy Scouts of America organization sets the fee amounts to register as a member of Scouting. BSA has increased the youth membership fee by $3 (effective August 1, 2022) in all programs except Exploring for the 2022-2023 program year. Here are the current national fee amounts:

  • $100 Unit Charter/ Affliation Fee
  • $75 for youth in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scouting
  • $25 new member fee (one-time only, upon joining Scouting for the first time)
  • $45 for youth in Exploring
  • $45 for adult members in all programs (includes cost of background check)
  • $2.40 Local Council Insurance Fee for Youth and Adults
  • $15.00 Scout Life Magazine Fee (Optional) 

Note:

  • Youth who cross over from Cub Scouts to Scouts BSA do not have to pay the new member fee   (New Signed application are needed to Crossover to the Troop)
  • Youth who transfer from one unit or program to another do not have to pay the new member fee
  • Youth who are new members joining Exploring do not have to pay the new member fee
  • Adults who are new volunteers (in any program) do not have to pay the new member fee
  • Everyone still pays the $2.40 fee for our council’s local insurance coverage during recharter 
  • Our council does not use the council program fee approved by the national organization

If you join Scouting during the year, you pay a pro-rated portion ($6.25 Per Month) of the national membership fee. Here are some real-world examples (new member amount assumes joining September 1):

  • New Cub Scout/Scouts BSA/Venturer/Sea Scout – pay $50 to join (pro-rated $25 membership fee for the final four months of 2022 + $25 one-time new member fee) and then $77.40 (national membership fee + $2.40 for local insurance coverage) at recharter in December
  • New Explorer – pay pro-rated $15 membership fee for the final four months of 2022 and then $47.40 (national membership fee + $2.40 for local insurance coverage) at recharter in December
  • Scouts BSA youth staying active in a troop but also joining Exploring – pay pro-rated $15 membership fee for the final four months of 2022 in Exploring and then, in December with recharter, $77.40 (BSA national membership fee + $2.40 for local insurance coverage) for your Scouts BSA registration AND $47.40 (national Exploring membership fee + $2.40 for local insurance coverage) for your Exploring registration
  • New adult member (all programs) – pay pro-rated $15 membership fee for the final four months of 2022 and then $47.40 (national membership fee + $2.40 for local insurance coverage) at recharter in December
  • Existing Cub Scout/Scouts BSA/Venturer/Sea Scout continuing in the same program – pay $77.40 (national membership fee + $2.40 for local insurance coverage) at recharter in December
  • Cub Scout crossing over into Scouts BSA – pay $77.40 (national membership fee + $2.40 for local insurance coverage) at recharter in December for the coming year’s membership in your Scouts BSA Troop
  • Scouts BSA youth staying active in a troop but also joining Venturing or Sea Scouting – pay $77.40 (national membership fee + $2.40 for local insurance coverage) at recharter with your troop in December (you don’t pay the national fee again with the crew or ship)