Corporate and Noncorporate Membership

ICMA has two types of membership: Corporate and noncorporate. Corporate membership is also known as Full or voting membership. The Affiliate category is noncorporate.

Full membership is for local government managers whose scope of responsibility meets these six criteria: appointment, policy formulation, budget, appointing authority, organizational relationships, and qualifications; or assistants who have significant administrative duties and report to a CAO position that meets the job criteria for joining. In addition to voting privileges, Corporate members are eligible to serve on the ICMA Executive Board and qualify for service awards.

Affiliate membership is for everyone else, including local government employees who are neither managers nor assistants. Full-time students, academics, and individuals in the private sector or federal/state government also fall into this category. Affiliates are nonvoting members.

See Frequently Asked Questions about Joining ICMA for more information.

Retired and Life Membership

Upon retirement from all full-time employment, members who are 60 years or older are eligible to maintain their ties to the profession through retired member status.

Retired member status carries all of the benefits of active membership, including continued receipt of member publications, access to online services, and member discounts for the annual conference. Retired Corporate members retain voting privileges.

Complimentary Life e-membership is extended to those members who are 65 years or older and have completed 15 years of Corporate membership while in active service to local government; or less than 65 years old and have completed 25 years of Corporate membership while in active service to local government. Life members who opt to receive the print editions of member publications pay a reduced annual dues rate.

To find out if you are eligible for retired or Life member status, contact membership@icma.org or call 202/962-3680.

Student and Intern Membership

Student membership is available to full-time U.S. students. (Full-time employees of local government or other organizations are not eligible.)

Intern membership is extended to full-time local government interns and fellows in U.S. local governments, where the position/employment has a defined end date. Student and intern members receive a complete range of online benefits, including free e-subscriptions to member publications, as well as networking opportunities with local government managers.