The APA and the District Branches have a dual membership requirement for General Members and Resident-Fellow Members in the United States and Canada. All members in the United States and Canada, excluding medical student members, must be members of both organizations. APA also collects dues for members of all New York District Branches on behalf of the New York State Association (NYSPA).
Upon review and acceptance of an application by the APA (for applicants, excluding medical students, in the United States and Canada), you will be given provisional membership, and full APA benefits, while the District Branch (DB) reviews the application. If accepted by the DB, you automatically become a fully recognized member of the APA and DB. If a DB rejects an application, the reason will be provided along with a full refund of payment.
If your membership lapsed on December 31 of any year and you are reinstating by September 30 of the following year, you will just need to pay the current year's dues to reinstate your membership.
If your membership lapsed outside of the above window, you must complete a new membership application by going to psychiatry.org/membership/rejoin-apa. Once your application is received, your application will be sent to the district branch for approval. For more specific information regarding district branch approval, please contact your district branch directly.
Please contact the Membership Services Department with any questions about this process at 1-888-357-7924 or by email at [email protected].
At the national level, APA forgives past dues for all former members who have not been active members in the APA for more than nine months. The APA and all district branches with the exception of Southern California Psychiatric Society (SCPS), will also waive all arrears dues, with the understanding that the member pays the full or pro-rated (by quarter) current year dues in advance prior to reinstating their membership. This option is available to all former members, including those who have received dues amnesty in the past.
SCPS has a one-time amnesty policy. SCPS will consider granting dues amnesty on a case-by-case basis. However, past APA national dues are still eligible for dues amnesty. For the specific dues amount that would be required to reinstate or for additional information, please contact APA Customer Service at 1-888-357-7924 or [email protected].
The APA charges different dues rates for different member classes. Dues are reduced for the first six years of General Membership, to ease the burden of membership for early career psychiatrists. District branches, as separate organizations, set their own dues rates each year. District Branch may include charges for their larger Area or for assessments and/or local chapters. APA and District Branch dues rates.
When you report a change of address to APA, a request to transfer to a new District Branch should be made if moving to another jurisdiction in the U.S. or Canada. If the address update is made online, you will be contacted to determine if a transfer is required. A transfer is not required if you either still maintain an office or still in the jurisdiction of your current District Branch or if you are a member of the Society of Uniformed Services Psychiatrists. Retired members who move are not required to transfer district branches may remain members of the branch with which they had been associated. A transfer from one district branch to another will be delayed until resolution of any charge of unethical conduct.
You may choose which branch you would like to belong to if you live in one and work in another. Most members choose to join the branch where they work, since the lobbying efforts of that branch will most affect their practice.
No. If you are retired you may retain membership in the branch you belonged to when you retired. You will need to notify us by phone, mail, or email that you wish to transfer to your new district branch.
Yes. The Society of Uniformed Services Psychiatrists is a district branch created specifically for members in the military, who may move frequently, and even live outside the country. If you are currently serving, you may choose to join the Uniformed Services branch, or you may choose to be a member of the district branch where you are living. If you join the branch where you live, you will be required to transfer your branch membership each time you move. When you are no longer in active service, you will need to transfer to the branch where you live or work.
Resident-Fellow Members are automatically advanced to General Member (GM) status upon completion of psychiatry residency training, which can also be done off cycle (before or after August). APA requires that members verify they meet the General Membership requirements by completing the General Member Verification Form. If a Resident-Fellow Member is continuing training in a fellowship program, the information must be reported to APA on the General Member Verification Form or email [email protected] so the member's status can be changed back to Resident-Fellow Member.
To be eligible to become a Fellow of the APA (FAPA) or International Fellow of the APA (IFAPA), you must meet criteria to become an APA General Member and hold a board certification at any time. The deadline for submission for each year is September 1. Once your application has been submitted, your district branch has 15 days in which to provide comments before it's reviewed by the Membership Committee and voted upon by the Board of Trustees. View More about APA Fellows here
Those applying to become a Fellow of the APA are self-nominated. Distinguished Fellows are nominated by their district branches before being recommended for approval by the APA Membership Committee and voted upon by the Board of Trustees. Candidates for this category must meet more comprehensive criteria, including significant achievement in several areas of psychiatry, and must obtain letters of recommendation.
Learn more about APA Fellows and Distinguished Fellows here.
Beginning in 2022, Life Status is earned by reaching 30 years of qualifying membership, with the dues rate remaining the same as a General Member (excludes years as a medical student member). Beginning in 2022, you may opt-in to either the Semi-retired or Retired membership categories if qualifications are met.
The Rule of 95 Life status was sunset after the 2021 dues year for any new members entering this category. Those already in Life status will be grandfathered into this category and will continue paying reduced dues of 2/3 the full rate for five years, and then further reduced to 1/3 the full rate for the next five years. After that, you will be dues exempt.
If you meet the requirements for APA and the district branches retired or semi-retired membership categories, you may opt-in to either the discounted memberships at https://my.psychiatry.org/ and select ‘Retired Opt In’ at the bottom of the navigation. Your retired or semi-retired membership will begin with the next dues year unless you have not paid for dues for the current year, in which case your membership can be switched. Details and requirements for these options can be found here. For additional information, please contact our Customer Service department at 1-888-357-7924 or [email protected].
Members outside the United States and Canada - If you are at least 70 years old and are fully retired (earning no income from the profession, including consulting work), you may request a Retired Member Dues Adjustment form to fill out and return to our department National dues are reduced by 50% and you would continue to receive all benefits of membership appropriate to member class and status.
If you are facing unusual economic pressures, there are several temporary options that may be available to you from APA and your district branch. These options must be requested prior to you making your dues payment for the year requested. For members on a scheduled payment plan, the request must be made prior to the first installment each January.
The Board of Trustees permits dues relief upon recommendation of the Membership Committee. All options are available for one year, with the opportunity to apply for a second year if hardship persists unless otherwise noted. Options include:
- Temporary Dues Reduction: Allows members to pay 50% of their dues.
- Temporary Dues Waiver: Members experiencing temporary conditions involving significant hardship may request a full waiver of national dues.
- Permanent Inactive Status: Allows members that are unable to continue as an active member of the APA as a result of full retirement, debilitating illness, or similar severe hardship. Permanent Inactive members do not receive the publications of the APA except by subscription, do not receive the member rate for the annual meeting, or may not vote or hold office. This option is permanent, and reapplication is not required.
- To apply for any of the above options please request a Dues Relief request form at [email protected] and be prepared to submit along with any supporting documentation you may have.
- Dues can be paid in full online using the Pay Member Dues link and logging in to https://my.psychiatry.org/ with your website credentials.
- Dues may also be paid by returning your invoice stub with credit card information or a check in the envelope enclosed with your invoice. Invoices are mailed approximately every two months between October and May.
- Members may also call APA Customer Service at 1-888-357-7924 or 202-559-3900 to pay by phone.
- Before you pay your dues, you may elect to enroll in the APA Scheduled Payment Plan to have membership dues charged to a credit card in monthly, quarterly, or annual installments. American Express, Visa, and Mastercard are accepted. Contact [email protected] to find out how to enroll.
Dual membership is a requirement of maintaining APA membership. Joint APA and district branch membership makes for stronger representation and promotion of the profession. The district branch offers more personal interaction and deals with issues on the state level. The district branch and the APA work together to bring you information, educate the public and provide development opportunities.
You must submit a resignation request in writing to the APA membership department at [email protected].
Your membership will continue unless and until we receive your request to resign in writing. APA will inform your district branch of your resignation and will also send a short survey for additional information.
The APA and/or district branch represents diverse opinions and views that reflect the diversity of its membership. All members do not necessarily agree on all policies, but as a member you do have a voice and should use the opportunity to educate others about your views.
For a highlight of benefits, please visit psychiatry.org/mybenefits. If you like to discuss membership benefits in more detail, please contact APA Membership at 1-888-357-7924 or [email protected].
We are pleased to have any active member show that they are a member of the American Psychiatric Association in professional bios, CVs, and websites in written format. As a registered trademark, however, the APA logo may not be used for personal use.