Membership costs
Membership plans and fees
Billing plans, rank, Member IDs, and veteran recognition are separate records.
What it costs to join
Applying: $25.00 application fee + $35.00 background screening = $60.00, due at submission and nonrefundable once the applicable review or screening work begins.
If approved: $25.00 initiation + first-year Individual Sentinel founding dues of $45.00 = $70.00.
Total first-year cost for an individual applicant: $130.00.
Annual dues are not collected with the application. They are charged only after final National approval.
Founding rates: Members initiated on or before July 4, 2027 receive the applicable founding rate through the configured 36-month lock period. Eligibility is recorded at initiation and later policy changes do not rewrite an existing lock.
Annual membership plans
Local shares are fixed per member, and National absorbs every discount. State Commands and Companies are not financially penalized when they recruit members eligible for discounted plans.
Couple or Household
Two separately approved adult members at one verified address.
Founding: $70.00 per year
Standard: $95.00 per year
Where your dues go
Founding allocation
- National: $30.00
- State Command: $20.00
- Company: $20.00
Standard allocation
- National: $47.00
- State Command: $24.00
- Company: $24.00
Amounts shown are invoice totals. Couple plans are allocated per member. At-large or not-yet-chartered shares follow the National Organizing Fund rules.
Individual Sentinel
Individual adult membership.
Founding: $45.00 per year
Standard: $60.00 per year
Where your dues go
Founding allocation
- National: $21.00
- State Command: $12.00
- Company: $12.00
Standard allocation
- National: $30.00
- State Command: $15.00
- Company: $15.00
Amounts shown are invoice totals. Couple plans are allocated per member. At-large or not-yet-chartered shares follow the National Organizing Fund rules.
Senior Couple
Two separately approved adults, both age 65 or older, at one verified address.
Founding: $55.00 per year
Standard: $70.00 per year
Age eligibility is calculated from a verified date of birth at renewal. This billing rate does not grant or change rank.
Where your dues go
Founding allocation
- National: $23.00
- State Command: $16.00
- Company: $16.00
Standard allocation
- National: $30.00
- State Command: $20.00
- Company: $20.00
Amounts shown are invoice totals. Couple plans are allocated per member. At-large or not-yet-chartered shares follow the National Organizing Fund rules.
Senior Member
Individual membership for a verified member age 65 or older.
Founding: $35.00 per year
Standard: $45.00 per year
Age eligibility is calculated from a verified date of birth at renewal. This billing rate does not grant or change rank.
Where your dues go
Founding allocation
- National: $15.00
- State Command: $10.00
- Company: $10.00
Standard allocation
- National: $21.00
- State Command: $12.00
- Company: $12.00
Amounts shown are invoice totals. Couple plans are allocated per member. At-large or not-yet-chartered shares follow the National Organizing Fund rules.
Young Sentinel
Individual membership for ages 18-24 or verified active-duty service.
Founding: $30.00 per year
Standard: $35.00 per year
Where your dues go
Founding allocation
- National: $12.00
- State Command: $9.00
- Company: $9.00
Standard allocation
- National: $15.00
- State Command: $10.00
- Company: $10.00
Amounts shown are invoice totals. Couple plans are allocated per member. At-large or not-yet-chartered shares follow the National Organizing Fund rules.
Family Membership
In development
No price is offered. Family Membership remains disabled until youth protection, insurance, consent, screening, and program controls are approved and active.
Founding Life Membership
100 of 100 founding Life Memberships remain.
Under 50
$900.00 one time
50-64
$750.00 one time
65 and older
$500.00 one time
Available only to the eligible founding cohort. Life fees are held in a restricted fund, and normal State and Company per-capita distributions continue annually.
Separate fees
- Application & review: $25.00. Nonrefundable once review begins.
- Background screening: $35.00. Nonrefundable once screening completes.
- Initiation: $25.00. Refundable if initiation never occurs.
Payment does not guarantee membership, a requested Company number, or charter approval. Application, screening, initiation, annual dues, and charter charges are separate. Review the
refund and cancellation policy before making any payment.
Begin a membership application
Permanent identifiers
An approved adult member receives a permanent National Member ID in the format FOCS-00000001. It is assigned only after final National approval and never includes state, Company, rank, age, military service, Minuteman status, or seniority.