AAFP membership for physicians

Active membership in the AAFP is reserved for physicians licensed to practice medicine in the state in which they are currently practicing/working or in another state if the physician’s employer does not require the physician to hold a license in the state where they are practicing or working.

Active members may hold the floor at the AAFP Congress of Delegates (COD), vote on organizational matters and hold leadership positions within the AAFP.

Eligibility for active membership

To be eligible for active membership, a physician must have completed one of the following:

• An Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved three-year family medicine residency program; or
• An American Osteopathic Association (AOA)-approved one-year rotating general or family medicine internship, plus two years of an AOA-approved general or family medicine residency program; or
• An AOA-approved three-year general or family medicine residency program; or
• A College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)-approved family medicine residency program. Physicians who meet this requirement also must be board certified by the CFPC and practice exclusively within the United States.

Physicians who are board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) through a reciprocity agreement between the ABFM and a foreign college of family medicine or general practice are also eligible for active AAFP membership.

CME requirements for active membership

New applicants who have held active family physician membership within the past two years must provide evidence of 100 approved CME credits completed during the two years immediately preceding application. CME records should be submitted to:

AAFP Member Resource Center
11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway
Leawood, KS 66211-2680
aafp@aafp.org | Fax: (913) 906-6075

Active members with a CME requirement must accrue and report, within each AAFP re-election term, a minimum of 150 credits of approved CME of which at least 75 credits must be AAFP prescribed credit.

2026 national active membership dues:

First-year new physicians = $100

Physicians in practice two-plus years = $510

Chapter/local dues: Vary by chapter

View the AAFP national dues payment and deductibility policy

Dues are prorated by month for new applicants. Those who apply in November or December pay prorated dues for the current year, plus the following year’s dues.

Life membership in the AAFP recognizes physicians who have held active membership for 25 years or more. Life members may hold the floor at the AAFP COD but may not vote or hold office.

Eligibility for life membership

AAFP members who have held active membership for a minimum of 25 years, have had five years of continuous membership immediately prior to election as life members and who meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Age 70 or over; or
• Fully retired

Transfers from one classification to another must be approved by the chapter. To transition from active to life membership, call the AAFP Member Resource Center at (800) 274-2237 or aafp@aafp.org with your request. Staff will review the eligibility requirements with you to determine if you qualify.

National life membership dues:

$510 one-time dues effective January 1 following transfer to life membership.

Chapter/local dues: Vary by chapter

View the AAFP national dues payment and deductibility policy

While teaching and/or practicing family medicine outside the United States, an international membership in the AAFP helps physicians stay connected to the specialty with quality education and a direct network of colleagues.

International members have a voice in AAFP reference committees but are not entitled to hold AAFP office.

Eligibility for international membership

• Family physicians outside the United States engaged in practicing and/or teaching family medicine or working in medical administration who are licensed to practice in countries or territories outside the United States in which no constituent chapter exists and who are not eligible for membership in the Uniformed Services Chapter; or
• Physicians in training in countries and territories outside the United States in which no constituent chapter exists and who are not eligible for membership in the Uniformed Services chapter may be international members.

2026 international membership dues

$120

View the AAFP national dues payment and deductibility policy

Dues are prorated by month for new applicants. Those who apply in November and December pay prorated dues for the current year, plus the following year’s dues.

Supporting members of the AAFP are physicians who are residency trained in a specialty other than family medicine and supportive of the mission and goals of the AAFP.

Supporting members may hold floor at the AAFP COD, but they may not hold national office or committee appointment or vote in national affairs. Privileges in chapters are determined under the bylaws of individual chapters.

Eligibility for supporting membership

• Physicians residing and practicing in the United States (or its territories or possessions) who completed an ACGME- or AOA-accredited residency program in a specialty other than family medicine and who are not otherwise eligible for some other category of AAFP membership; or
• Physicians who previously held supporting membership prior to September 30, 2016.

2026 national supporting membership dues

$290

Chapter/local dues: Vary by chapter

View the AAFP national dues payment and deductibility policy

Dues are prorated by month for new applicants. Those who apply in November and December pay prorated dues for the current year, plus the following year’s dues.

Physicians no longer practicing due to illness, retirement or other circumstances can stay connected to the AAFP with an inactive membership. Inactive members may hold floor at the AAFP COD but may not vote or hold office.

Eligibility for inactive membership

• Members who are incapacitated by reason of illness, accident or infirmity; or
• Members who are totally retired and not eligible for life membership; or
• Active, resident and supporting members who interrupt their practice or residency training due to extenuating circumstances.

Transfers from one classification to another must be approved by the chapter. For more information on transferring into this category, please contact the AAFP Member Resource Center at (800) 274-2237 or aafp@aafp.org.

2025 national inactive membership dues

$55

Chapter/local dues: Vary by chapter

View the AAFP national dues payment and deductibility policy

Dues are prorated by month for new applicants. November and December applicants pay prorated dues for the current year, plus the following year’s dues.