Fee Schedule - 2026

The SMDPA Board of Assistants establishes and periodically revises Fees and Dues Schedule.   
Please find the current Fees and Dues Schedule, in effect for calendar year 2026.  [pending formal approval by the BOA]

Our Annual Budget and Fees are typically reviewed in conjunction with the October BOA but may not see final approval until the Annual Meeting in the Spring of the new year.

At year end 2025, SMDPA tallied 778 members, including 515 Regular (66%) and 264 Life/Emeritus Members (34%) and 72 Juniors, who do not have a GSMD membership number.
GSMD’s fees did not increase for 2026, and we have decided not to increase our SMDPA fees, either.
NOTE: SMDPA is invoiced $35 per GSMD member with a due date of April 1^st. That bill approaches $30,000, and represents 50% of our SMDPA Annual Dues, which is why we put an emphasis on collecting our dues as early as possible. We appreciate your cooperation in making a timely payment.

Our Dues Process: In a nutshell, we agree on the Annual Dues amount at the October BOA Meeting. Dues Notices are e-mailed and mailed to all Regular members within the first few weeks of the new year; targeting the 3^rd week of January. The due date is March 31^st, after which a $10 late fee is assessed. A reminder will be sent mid-March. In June/July we will mail postcards to outstanding accounts. There will be follow-ups, and anyone still outstanding by October will be presented as “dropped” at out October BOA Meeting. In 2025, we dropped 36 members, which is painful. NOTE: DROPPED MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME BACK.  

WHAT A NEW SMDPA MEMBER. INCLUDING GSMD RECOGNITION, SHOULD EXPECT:

Beginning Jan 1, 2021, all New Member Fees, are collected by SMDPA.  Of the $245, SMDPA is responsible for paying the $150.00 application fee to The General Society of Mayflower Descendants (GSMD), and the additional $95.00 is retained by SMDPA to pay the first year's dues and the certificate fee.  

Payment Options:

• A check for $245 can be made payable to SMDPA, and mailed per instructions provided by the Historian.  
  
  
• You can be invoiced via e-mail, and pay on-line via credit card for an additional $10 convenience fee per application. The process is fast and secure and avoids postal delays.  If interested, please speak to your Historian about this option.
  
  A purely SMDPA “Junior” membership is one that does not require filing lineage papers with GSMD. As of 2023, a new Junior applicant will pay a one-time application fee of $15, and we do not charge Junior annual dues. SMDPA Juniors are not recognized as members by GSMD, but they must join SMDPA, as a Junior, prior to their 18^th birthday.

 What will I pay for Supplemental Applications (additional Mayflower passenger lineages)?

 The Payment Options are as described above.

Annual Dues:

Are you an incoming Dual Member or Transferee from another Mayflower Society?

To be accepted as an SMDPA member, you must have been a member-in-good-standing in your current Mayflower Society, and you will be invoiced for the SMDPA current year’s dues. Note: this might result in paying dues to each society for one year. Sorry.
If you transfer after September 30, your dues will be applied toward the following calendar year’s dues, and you may be responsible for any difference the following year, should rates increase.

Are you Transfering TO another Mayflower Society?

To be accepted as a member in your new Mayflower Society, you must be a member-in-good-standing with SMDPA. In other words, your dues must be paid for the current year. Please understand that each state society pays GSMD a per capita fee of $35 for each member on their roster at the end of the year. If you can, please transfer before the end of the year. If you move and transfer your membership by March 31st, please expect to be charged at least the GSMD per capita fee to maintain your member in good standing status, which enables your transfer. [Note: a motion for an official policy on this matter will be discussed at an upcoming BOA meeting.] 

Emeritus Members:  These are SMDPA members who have celebrated 50 years or more with SMDPA.  Emeritus members are treated as Life Members.

Note: Any member turning 100 will be granted Emeritus Status effective the year of their 100^th birthday.  (approved November 13, 2021)

Life Membership:

Traditionally, Life Membership has been a popular means for families to guarantee that their personal membership or those of their children or grandchildren will last a lifetime, for a one-time fee.  This program has been available to new and existing members. No more dues!

Life Membership options are a State Society offering and is non-refundable and non-transferable to other members or Mayflower Societies.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING LIFE MEMBERSHIP:

EFFECTIVE 10/24/2020, WITH SMDPA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF ADVISORS APPROVAL, NO NEW LIFE MEMBERSHIP REQUESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.  

If you attain Emeritus Status, your Life Member status will be recognized.

WE WILL NOT ABANDON OUR CURRENT LIFE MEMBERSHIP COMMITMENT.  

Until we have a solution that is fiscally responsible, and benefits both SMDPA and potential Life Members, we will be suspending new Life Membership for the foreseeable future. This is in line with what many Mayflower Societies are doing at this time.  

 Questions about the Fee Schedule may be addressed, via e-mail, to [email protected].