NRA Membership Dues Set to Increase

NRAlogoUPDATE 7.21.2018: We have been seeing a lot of traffic on this post recently with people looking for news on the 2018 price increase. CLICK HERE for news on the price increase scheduled for August 1, 2018. CLICK HERE to join or renew your NRA membership today at discounted rates before OR after the dues increase.

UPDATE 1.22.2016:  It sounds like the notice sent out by NRA to some members might have lent itself to some misunderstanding about how the dues increase would work (see comments below).  I spoke with NRA staff while at SHOT Show 2016 to get clarification at the request of a few GunLink-ers.  If you were concerned about having to pay more if you already have – or are paying toward – a life membership, put those concerns aside, the deal you agreed to is the deal you get.  Price increases apply to new membership per the schedule listed below.

Other GunLink-ers had the concern about the impact on membership numbers a price increase might have, especially in the midst of the big “pen and phone” gun control measures we are facing.  NRA has heard those concerns and has postponed the increase through February.  Recruiters, such as the GunLink team, have been authorized to continue providing the current discounted membership rates “until further notice,” including after the official increase happens.  You can save on online memberships here or contact us regarding saving on longer membership terms. 

According to a memo that we received from the National Rifle Association, current and prospective members will soon be facing an increase in the cost of membership dues for most membership types.

Current members will soon receive a notice in the mail announcing the increase, which will take effect in early 2016.   Associate membership and annual Junior membership dues remain unchanged while one, three, and five year memberships, as well as Life, Junior Life, and Distinguished Life membership types will all see an increase as follows:

  • 1-year dues will increase from $35 to $40
  • 3-year dues will increase from $85 to $100
  • 5-year dues will increase from $125 to $140
  • Life dues will increase from $1000 to $1500
  • Junior Life dues will increase from $550 to $750
  • Distinguished Life dues will increase from $375 to $750

NRA recruiters, including the GunLink team, have been authorized to continue offer new memberships and renewals at the current dues rates until notified otherwise, including available discounts on the current prices.  

This means that Second Amendment supporters can still renew or sign up for a new yearly NRA membership here for only $25.  Recruiters are also authorized to continue issuing on-the-spot discounts on current dues rates for 3-year, 5-year, and Life memberships until further notice.

Benefits of NRA membership go beyond helping give voice to the largest and most powerful organization that helps protect gun rights.  Members enjoy a subscription to one of NRA’s monthly magazines, insurance for both the member and their firearms, discounts, access to the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits (NRAAM), and more.

Click here to join now before rates go up.

42 Responses to NRA Membership Dues Set to Increase

  • Dana says:

    Right now they are one of the loudest voices advocating for the 2nd amendment, so I’m not complaining.

    • GunLinkBlog says:

      Absolutely. Maybe not perfect, but they’re the 800lb gorilla in the room when the politicians start talking gun control.

      Gallup: Despite Criticism, NRA Still Enjoys Majority Support in U.S. – http://gunl.ink/n2aqC

      NRA discussion on GunLink Forums – http://gunl.ink/ZUXit

      As an aside, SAF really gets stuff done behind the scenes too. A lot of other organizations are good, but are often a lot of hot air.

  • Geoff says:

    WHOA!
    50% increase in Life Membership?
    Not for me.
    Even if I live another 20 years it will only cost me $800 at the yearly rate.
    That would put me at 85.

    • GunLinkBlog says:

      The break-even point under the new rates would be 38 years. It was 29 years before the change.

      Under our discounted rates (the old ones, anyway), you could get 40 years of yearly membership for the $1000 price of a life membership.

    • Jeff says:

      It’s not really about YOU. It’s about supporting the cause.

    • Meindert Zwaagstra says:

      Paying for a life membership can be used as a way to save money in the long run. I got a life membership for other reasons. I probably won’t save money at my age either. I just wanted to give my NRA a financial boost with the up coming election. It is a critical one.

  • Jeff says:

    Not for me anymore… I feel we keep loosing the battle any ways, only a matter of time before the democrats get what they need and does not matter who is fighting for our gun rights they will push threw whatever they want. It is time for the people to letting others do their fighting for them, time for the people to rise up and fight themselves and keep their money in their pockets. Our forefathers knew this was going to happen in the future, hence the reason for the 2nd Amendment, they knew there would be a time for the people to once again pick up a gun and do whatever it takes to ensure the rights of the people shall not be infringed on like our out of control government is already doing. 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, are already under attack. With the Patriot Act, NSA, CIA, Homeland Security, FBI, and god knows who else they have violating them and more.

    The American people have become laze, and content on letting the government do whatever it likes as long as it does not effect us or it is at a minimum… Going well it does not effect me or well it is only this or that, I can live without it, before long we have what we have now, a government not of the people or by the people, but only for the elite. The white House is bought and paid for, and the elite are going to keep putting whomever they want in there as long as they do what they want, and if you don’t well they will just suicide them and put in another pet monkey. It is now up to the people to fight, stop letting someone else do it for you.

    • Randy says:

      Jeff,well said for a long winded democrat (A wolf in sheep’s clothing)

      • Harry A. Hole says:

        Doubtful he’s a Democrat. He still hasn’t mastered the use of a spell checker or finished the 8th grade.

  • Brad says:

    First let me say that I am the NRA and a Life Member. If I was asked to promote the benefits of the NRA there would be many. However, I am not sure how I could explain to someone that this new dues increase is OK. Unless I am mistaken it now means the NRA defines the membership as “until we decide to make a change and decide you must pay more than you did the first time you paid for a Life Membership…or maybe Life Membership is only good for however long we define LIFE”
    Gun purchases are at a all time high should not new member ship also be? I used to belong to a YC that was going to eliminate their Life Membership dues break and require all the membership to pay dues. Words matter to me.

    • It's Me says:

      That just doesn’t make any sense. Theyhaven’t increased dues in over 20 years. In that time, the cost of overhead has gone up. It sucks, but costs aren’t fixed, so why would dues be fixed? Costs go up. If you got a life membership before the increase, then you got a good deal. That is the point of a life membership to lock in the current prices and save money versus yearly dues in the long run and hedge against price increases. Talk about “changing things like how long they define LIFE” is absurd and not irrelevant.

      Their charter says they can’t use membership dues for political lobbying, so most of the dues goes to publishing and distributing the magazines that come with membership and recruiting. The cost of printing the magazine has almost gone up with inflation over the past 20 or so years.

      Recruiting costs probably include the gifts members get when they sign up, guns for the big contests and stuff like that. It also includes mailing out recruiting material, magazines and the mail that gets people to donate money to NRA-ILA and NRA-PVF that IS used for 2nd amendment lobbying. The cost of all of this stuff has gone up in the last 20+ years.

      In 1991 a 1st class stamp was 29 cents. Today a 1st class stamp is 49 cents. With the volume of mail that they send (despite how some people feel about it), I’m sure they don’t pay the full rate, but if costs increase and dues don’t keep up, the organization couldn’t survive.

      • Brad says:

        I agree with you. I did not understand the NRA email and I reacted to the tag line that addressed me as a life member. It said: Life Member dues were increasing.

        If you are a life member you can UPGRADE now to the next level for $200. No follow ups needed.

    • GunLinkBlog says:

      YC?

  • JDHasty says:

    I am a Benefactor Member and my three kids are Life Members and I support the NRA in it’s firearms training and safety programs and in it’s support of shooting competition. There are FAR better places to send donations than the NRA-ILA at this time though. GOA and Second Amendment Foundationa and NAGR and CCRKBA are among them

  • Mac Macmillan says:

    I am a NRA member, as of about a year ago. I see that the NRA does a lot of good. They just provided a large grant to upgrade our local shooting range. I got a cool hat, and a magazine (the kind you read). I love supporting them. But…

    As a newly enlightened gun advocate I have a lot of expenses. Guns, ammunition, ear protection, safety glasses, targets, ect…

    As if you hadn’t realized, one of the most effective tactics of anti-gun groups is to make purchase of guns unreasonably expensive, and protracted. Gun ownership is becoming something only the rich can afford. This goes against the grain. What happened to the right to own guns being fundamental?

    The fact is gun sales are at record highs. The NRA (and its members) should be doing everything to promote gun ownership so that people have the ability to protect themselves and their families. I think this is the wrong time to make membership more expensive. We all know Bloomberg has more money. But we have community!

    I’m against the NRA fee increase. I’m for promoting gun ownership, and I am for purchasing guns and ammunition, and I am for purchasing expensive gun safes, and for participating in gun clubs and promoting safe gun practices.

    What I try to give back is to share with people who don’t own guns the benefit of gun ownership. Especially considering there are no guarantees that we will have this right in the future.

    If the NRA wants to promote gun ownership, raising their membership rates only makes participation in the gun owning community harder.

  • Been a nra member since 83. I an 73 years old and don’t know how many hunting years I have left. Just upgraded to life member because for 500.00 and payments of 25.00 per month, well you just ain’t gonna beat that deal anywhere.
    But here’s the bottom line and hard cold facts, without the NRA we Americans would not be able to own guns. Please renew your membership and encourage nonmember gun owners to join. May God continue to bless America and may America honor God.

  • Matt Bailey says:

    Maybe if they cut out some of the mailings and phone calls every month they would not have so much over head. I understand needing renewals but I got mail and phone calls even before my membership card arrived. “Don’t wait 11 months when your membership expires sent more money.”

  • Frank Martin says:

    I am on the Quarterly Payment system for Life Membership.. I still have a ways to go before it is paid to $1000. Does this mean I am subject to $500 more in membership fees?

    I will remain an NRA Member but the way the organization does its promotions makes me wonder. Two years ago they offered Life Memberships at discounted rates if paid in full.. but alas.. I was still subject to my $1000 membership fee. and I could not afford to pay the lump sum of $300 at the time.

    Because of this dues increase and other little things.. I devote my contributions to my State Organization that is outside of the NRA.

  • Bill Gaylord says:

    I would do the deal from a few years ago when they had life for $300. Was unemployed then and unemployed again now. Moneys tighter than ever. I believe the whole gotta raise money deal especially when you see the fancy buildings and the big events that NRA supports. NRA never did anything for Washington state when Proposition 594 got on the ballot and we lost to the Bloomberg groups.

  • Chris Flory says:

    I’m confused. I thought when I paid the dues to become a life member that I no longer needed to pay dues.That’s the whole idea, right? Is that not the case? If not, I won’t pay the $1500 to keep my membership and will join a state organization instead.

    • GunLinkBlog says:

      If you have a life membership already, you have the life membership. For people who buy a new life membership, starting now they will pay the new prices.

    • GunLinkBlog says:

      Chris – If you have already signed up for a lifetime membership at an agreed price, then that should be your price without any changes. If you’ve already paid up completely for the membership, no more payments. If you’re doing the easy-pay option and still making payments, your payments should remain the same as the ones that you agreed to and for the same duration (totaling the amount that you agreed to when you signed up. If someone were to purchase a new Life Membership now (after the increase), they would pay the new increased prices.

      We recruiters have been authorized to continue offering the same discounted prices we have been “until further notice.”

      Keith – I am at SHOT and NRA is here too with their recruitment team. I will stop by tomorrow and clarify, but I am certain that the dues increases only apply to new memberships and renewals that are purchased after the increase. If you bought a 5-year for $125 on December 31, then you would get the full 5 years at that price. If you bought it on January 1, it would be the $140 price for the 5-year term. Same deal for other membership duration, including Life.

  • Dennis says:

    I was questioning the reason for dues increase, stumbled across this site…will return tomorrow to read what your reply is. Thank you GunLink.

  • Larry Carr says:

    What is the current costs for Endowment, Patron, and Benefactor member, I can’t find them anywhere on NRA website.
    I am a current Life member.

  • GunLinkBlog says:

    Clarification directly from NRA at SHOT Show 2016:

    I did get the chance to go to the NRA booth and speak with some of their staff during SHOT Show 2016. It could be that some of the literature they sent out was unclear but, as I suspected and mention above, the dues increase applies only to new memberships – including annual, 3- and 5- year memberships, and life memberships. If you already have a life membership, whether you have already paid it in full or if you are making Easy Pay payments, the price you agreed to is the price you pay. If you were done paying, you are still done paying. If you’re making payments, those payments wont go up and you wont be making any additional payments than what you agreed to.

    Additionally – as I noticed on the membership page but wasn’t going to make any noise about – despite the much-publicized January 1st date for dues increases, the date for the dues increase has been postponed. The NRA rep with whom I spoke said that this was due to the current political climate calling for as many 2nd Amendment patriots and NRA members as we can get and the fact that they don’t want to make it any harder than it has to be to get more members. Currently, the dues increase has been postponed through February.

    Even once the Dues increase does happen, NRA recruiters such as the GunLink team will still be able to offer our current discounted rates “for the foreseeable future.” You can renew online for yearly memberships or contact us directly regarding discounted rates for longer terms as described above.

    I hope that this settles some of your concerns!

  • j a garza says:

    on the last magazine i got (2/2016 ) it had an extra front cover with message ” avoid price increase ” i took it off and lost it (old and decrepit ) could you please e mail me and tell me what i did’nt get to read. thanks , ps i really appreciate what you do and enjoy the mag , again thanks jag

    • GunLinkBlog says:

      J A Garza:

      We sent you an email with this info as well, in addition to sign-up info. Hope this helps!

      I found our latest February 2016 issue with the cover you describe. The front of the cover reads “Beat the Dues Increase!” and the inside of that front half-cover reads “On March 1, 2016, NRA dues will increase for the first time in more than 20 years. Whether you’re an Annual member, Life member, Endowment, Patron or Benefactor member, NRA has special discounts and special gifts reserved in your name when you extend or upgrade your membership before March 1st!”

      The back cover also indicates that this deadline for the increase will not be extended again as it was at the beginning of the year.

  • andy Z. says:

    The wording from NRA is confusing. They say if you are a life member, you can take advantage of discounts to upgrade. I’m a life member, now retired and disabled. Fixed income and can’t work. Always proud to be a NRA life member. Are you sure that long paid off life members don’t now have to pay more?

    • GunLinkBlog says:

      100%. The discounts you could get are for upgrades to the “special” life memberships like “Distinguished Life”. The cost of those upgrades are going up with the increase.

  • Mike Knepper says:

    I am 71 yrs old, living on a fixed ,declining income. I just upped my membership to Benefactor ! It is not about what the NRA can do for me, BUT what they will do for my grandchildren. I believe!

    • GunLinkBlog says:

      “It is not about what the NRA can do for me, BUT what they will do for my grandchildren”

      Well said, Mr. Knepper!

      • Hey gun owners, here is the bottom line. Without the NRA Americans would not be able to own guns today. I am 73 yrs old and living on Social Secuirty but I will financely support the NRA as much as I possibly can.

  • Mike Knepper says:

    The NRA does more for the gun owner of America than any organization I can think of. They are the first line of defense for gun owners

  • Randy726w says:

    They haven’t done much in California or New York. If that type of control happen in those places with an active NRA then you can expect to see it happen elsewhere.

    • Bobby Knickerbocker says:

      Hey Randy wake up. If there were no NRA there would not be (ANY) guns in America.

  • James Marshall says:

    I’m looking at it from the outside. Have you seen what wayne lapierres salary is?? $930,000

  • Jerry Hemby says:

    I am a Benefactor Life member and have been for years. If you are a life member you will not have to pay more.

    My amateur radio call sign is W1NRA……..THAT’S W1-NRA MY VANITY CALL AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS, I’M HERE TO STAY

  • Terry Dominick says:

    what is the cost of insurance for carry a concealed gun

    • GunLinkBlog says:

      Terry: What type of insurance are you looking for? If you mean loss against theft/damage/etc., that would likely be covered by your regular homeowners/renters insurance or a rider on that policy if the policy doesn’t already cover it.

      If you mean insurance to help you with any costs and fees of defending yourself against legal action should you ever have to use your CCW (or any firearm) in a self-defense situation, there are a number of options. One of the most popular is probably the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA). http://gunl.ink/USCCA

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