Do I need a USBC membership to bowl in a league, and what does it cost?
Rule- USA
- USBC
- Tenpin bowling
- Adult league
- Recreational league
- USBC Playing Rules
- 2026-27 rules
- Players
Yes. Every bowler in a USBC-certified league, including substitutes, must hold a current USBC membership. The USBC season runs August 1 to July 31.
Adult Standard membership (annual):
- $15 national dues
- plus state dues, up to a maximum of $5
- plus local association dues, set by the local membership
You pay national dues only once a season, even if you bowl in several associations.
Adult Basic membership: $10 per league, for short-season leagues of 16 sessions or fewer. You can pay extra to upgrade to state or Standard membership.
Summer leagues (starting after March 15 and before August 1): if the schedule runs past October 1, every member must have paid the new season's dues by October 1. A team using a bowler who hasn't paid risks having those games forfeited.
Youth bowlers in adult leagues: an adult league that includes USBC Youth members must be certified as an adult/youth league. Prizes must follow USBC's youth prize rules, and every member 18 or older must complete U.S. Center for SafeSport training.
Added 21 Oct 2026