Annual Unit Recharter and Membership Renewal
Annual Unit Recharter and Membership Renewal
All Scouting America members and units must renew their registration annually. Starting last year, individual membership renewal was separated from the Unit Renewal (Charter) process.
Membership Renewal can be completed by the Scouting family on their annual renewal date. If the unit prefers to pay for the membership renewal, they can collect fees from the family (including any unit dues) and remit the national and local fees to the local Council.
Unit Renewal is completed by the Unit Key 3 (Unit Leader, Committee Chair, and Chartered Organization Representative) on the unit's annual renewal date.
First things First!
- Please check to make sure you have an active email address for all members (and a parental email address for Scouts under 18 years of age.) Otherwise, families won’t get the notice that their renewal is due!
- Does the Unit want to pay for registration renewals or does the Unit want the families to pay individually?
- Unit Pay – Far & away the easiest option! This option is perfect for units that only wish to charge families once for unit dues as well as national fees. Payments can be made via debit/credit card (3% fee) or via e-check ($1 fee per transaction). For instructions, please refer to the Unit Key Renewal links below.
- Self or Family Pay – let members/parents manage renewals directly with the national office (see link below under Membership Renewal).
Membership Renewal
Youth and adult members will start getting notices approximately 60 days before their membership expires. Membership can be renewed in two ways:
- Unit Pay – The Unit’s Key 3 are notified monthly via email as to which members are due to expire and can select the members to be renewed. The unit can pay for the renewing members, either online or at the council office. Please click Unit Key 3 Steps for Member Renewal for a series of step by step instructions.
- Family/Self Pay – An email notification will be sent 60 days prior to expiration & the family can renew online. Please click on Self or Family Renewal Instructions for a series of screen shots to share with your families on how they should renew their membership.
Unit Renewal
Because membership renewal is no longer part of the process, the Unit Renewal is now much simpler! The Unit Key 3 is responsible Unit Renewal, which takes place in November for most units. The process is run through the Organization Manager section of my.Scouting and a detailed list of instructions can be found by clicking Unit Renewal Instructions for Key 3's . To prepare for Unit Renewal you should:
- Ensure all Unit requirements for met in terms of the number & positions of leaders. Please note your Chartered Organization Representative must still approve all unit leaders!
- Ensure all leaders are current on their Safeguarding Youth Training (SYT.) The system will not let you complete the process unless all leaders are SYT compliant.
- Ensure that Criminal Background Check (CBC) forms have been completed and are on file.
More information
This section contains updated news from National, answers to questions asked by our leaders, and other hints and tips we discover as we go through this process.
- The system automatically defaults to subscribe to Scout Life. If you, or your members, don’t want Scout Life, be sure to turn it off!
- Units have the option to pay directly via credit card (3% fee) or e-check ($1 fee). There is also a (somewhat hidden) Pay at Council option. Choose the members you want to renew in your Roster, click Print, then Unit Payment of Membership Renewal. The resulting PDF can be sent to the council office with your payment.
Helpful Documents
Make sure all adults joining your unit are registered! Make sure they are officially on your roster and covered by insurance. This also ensures that Safeguarding Youth Training & the Criminal Background Check are completed.
Have new youth joined your unit before the end of the year? Get them registered! Make sure they are official, on your roster, and covered by insurance as quickly as possible.
Chartering organizations renew their agreement with Council -- and thereby with the BSA -- to "use Scouting to further the Charter Organization’s aims and values for youth." This statement is one of several points outlined in this document that must be signed by the Charter Organization Representative, the unit's Committee Chair, and the Council.
Families in need of financial assistance to participate in Scouting can submit this application that must also be signed by the unit leader.