Member Categories, Designations & Dues

Membership Categories & Designations

Membership allows you to share knowledge, advocate for the profession, partner on solutions, and learn from experts. It connects you to advocacy efforts with your state component, your local architecture community through your chapter—which hosts events, conferences, awards programs, and volunteer opportunities. It also comes with unparalleled support for your career and practice, plus free AIAU courses and practice guides to help you design for equity and climate action. What are you waiting for?

Categories & Designations

Category | Designation | Explanation of category | Link to learn more

Architects | AIA | This membership category is open to architects licensed in the U.S. | Learn More

Associates | Assoc. AIA | This membership category is open to those who have a professional degree in architecture, work under the supervision of an architect, are enrolled in AXP, or are a faculty member in a university architecture program. | Learn More

Associate New Graduates | Assoc. AIA | Free for new architecture school graduates, for up to 18 months! Terms and conditions apply. This membership category is open to first-time AIA members who have recently graduated with a professional degree in architecture within the past 18 months. | Learn More

International Associates | Int’l Assoc. | This membership category is open to architects licensed outside of the U.S. | Learn More

Additional Designations

Emeritus | A member who has applied for and been granted Emeritus status by AIA as set out in AIA’s Bylaws (AIA Member Emeritus, Assoc. AIA Emeritus, FAIA Member Emeritus). Emeritus membership (complimentary) applies to individuals who have been AIA members for 15 successive years and either (i) have attained the age of 70 and are retired from the profession of architecture (or from a related occupation, in the case of Associate members) or (ii) are so incapacitated as to be unable to work in the profession.

Fellowship | FAIA | An Architect Member who has been advanced to Fellowship by AIA | Learn More

Honorary Fellowship | Hon. FAIA | Honorary Fellow (architect who is neither a citizen or resident of the United States, who does not primarily practice architecture within U.S. territory, and who has been admitted to Honorary Fellowship as set out in AIA’s Bylaws

Honorary AIA | Hon. AIA | Honorary Member (individual otherwise ineligible for membership who has been admitted to honorary membership as set out in AIA’s Bylaws)

The American Institute of Architecture Students | AIAS | The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is an independent, nonprofit, student-run organization dedicated to advancing leadership, design, and service among architecture students in high school and college. | Learn More

Understanding the AIA Member Designation and How to Use it After Your Name

Dues

AIA is a three-tier organization—national, state, and local—and members pay dues at all three levels. Each chapter determines its own dues, so rates vary. Your chapter location is determined by your work or home ZIP code. Visit the dues calculator to estimate your membership dues or review the dues structure below for AIA, AIA North Carolina, and your local North Carolina chapter.

Dues Part 1 (National) + Dues Part 2 (State) + Dues Part 3 (Local) = Total Dues Paid

The Emeritus Designation does not pay dues.