Rule 1-7.3 - MEMBERSHIP FEES(a) Membership Fees Requirement. On or before July 1 of each year, every member of The Florida Bar must pay annual membership fees to The Florida Bar in the amount of $265 per annum, except those members who have retired, resigned, been revoked or disbarred, or been classified as inactive members due to incapacity under chapter 3. Every member of The Florida Bar must pay the membership fee and concurrently file a fee statement with any information the board of governors requires.(b) Prorated Membership Fees. Membership fees will be prorated for anyone admitted to The Florida Bar after July 1 of any fiscal year. The prorated amount will be based on the number of full calendar months remaining in the fiscal year at the time of admission. Unpaid prorated membership fees will be added to the next annual membership fees bill with no penalty to the member. The Florida Bar must receive the combined prorated and annual membership fees payment on or before August 15 of the first full year fees are due unless the member elects to pay by installment.
(c) Installment Payment of Membership Fees. Members of The Florida Bar may elect to pay annual membership fees in 3 equal installments as follows: (1) in the second and third year of their admission to The Florida Bar;(2) if the member is employed by a federal, state, or local government in a non-elected position that requires the individual to maintain membership in good standing within The Florida Bar; or(3) if the member is experiencing an undue hardship. A member must notify The Florida Bar of the intention to pay membership fees in installments. The first installment payment must be postmarked no later than August 15. The second and third installment payments must be postmarked no later than November 1 and February 1, respectively.
Second and third installment payments postmarked after their respective due dates are subject to a one-time late charge of $50. The late charge must accompany the final payment. The executive director, with concurrence of the executive committee, may adjust the late charge.
The Florida Bar will send written notice to the last official bar address of each member who has not paid membership fees and late fees by February 1. Written notice may be by registered or certified mail, or by return receipt electronic mail. The member will be a delinquent member if membership fees and late charges are not paid by March 15. The executive director, with concurrence of the executive committee, may adjust these fees or due date for good cause.
Each member who elects to pay annual membership fees in installments may be charged an additional administrative fee set by the board of governors to defray the costs of this activity.
(d) Election of Inactive Membership. A member in good standing may elect to be classified as an inactive member. This election must be indicated on the annual membership fees statement and received by The Florida Bar by August 15. If the annual membership fees statement is received after August 15, the member's right to inactive status is waived until the next fiscal year. Inactive classification will continue from fiscal year to fiscal year until the member is reinstated as a member in good standing who is eligible to practice law in Florida. The election of inactive status is subject to the restrictions and limitations provided elsewhere in these rules. Membership fees for inactive members are $175 per annum.
(e) Late Payment of Membership Fees. Payment of annual membership fees must be postmarked no later than August 15. Membership fees payments postmarked after August 15 must be accompanied by a late charge of $50. The Florida Bar will send written notice to the last official bar address of each member whose membership fees have not been paid by August 15. Written notice may be by registered or certified mail, or by return receipt electronic mail. The member is considered a delinquent member on failure to pay membership fees and any late charges by September 30, unless adjusted by the executive director with concurrence of the executive committee.(f) Membership Fees Exemption for Activated Reserve Members of the Armed Services. Members of The Florida Bar engaged in reserve military service in the Armed Forces of the United States who are called to active duty for 30 days or more during the bar's fiscal year are exempt from the payment of membership fees. The Armed Forces of the United States includes the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, as well as the Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, the Air National Guard of the United States, the Air Force Reserve, and the Coast Guard Reserve. Requests for an exemption must be made within 15 days before the date that membership fees are due each year or within 15 days of activation to duty of a reserve member. To the extent membership fees were paid despite qualifying for this exemption, the membership fee will be reimbursed by The Florida Bar within 30 days of receipt of a member's request for exemption. Within 30 days of leaving active duty status, the member must report to The Florida Bar that the member is no longer on active duty status in the United States Armed Forces.Amended March 30, 1989, effective 3/31/1989 (541 So.2d 110); 6/8/1989 (544 So.2d 193); 6/14/1990 (562 So.2d 343); 7/23/1992, effective 1/1/1993 (605 So.2d 252); 2/17/1994 (632 So.2d 597); 6/27/1996, effective 7/1/1996 (677 So.2d 272); 7/17/1997 (697 So.2d 115); 9/24/1998, effective 10/1/1998 (718 So.2d 1179); 2/8/2001 (795 So.2d 1); 6/4/2001 (797 So.2d 550); 5/20/2004 (875 So.2d 448),10/6/2005, effective 1/1/2006 (916 So.2d 655); 12/20/2007, effective 3/1/2008 (978 So.2d 91); amended May 29, 2014, effective 6/1/2014 (140 So.3d 541); amended March 3, 2022, effective 5/2/2022 (SC20-1467); amended May 9, 2024, effective 7/8/2024 (SC2024-0030).