Membership FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

On-line Membership Issues:

Contact

Postal mail:

Member Services Office
Society for Creative Anachronism
P.O. Box 360789
Milpitas, CA 95036-0789

Telephone: (800) 789-7486; (408) 263-9305

Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9 am - 4 pm Pacific Time

Fax: (408) 263-0641

available 24 hours/day, except after 12:00pm on the last working day of the month, for the month-end close.

E-mail: membership@sca.org

Please check the FAQ below before e-mailing questions. E-mail is read during office hours. Please allow 48 hours for a response.

General Membership FAQ's:

I moved - how can I update my mailing address?

You can either change your address on-line, or by writing to Member Services (please include your full name, and old and new addresses).

How do I update my membership information?

Member Services does not make changes over the phone; requests for changes to your membership need to be submitted in writing, via:

1. online member services (for change of address),
2. Postal mail, Fax, or e-mail
   • use a membership form to submit updates to your modern/SCA names or address, or to correct subscriptions.
     or
   • send a note with the requested change. Please include your legal name and address.

I need proof of membership returned immediately, before my membership card arrives.

If you paid for your membership on-line, see below. Otherwise, mail a self-addressed stamped postcard to the Member Services Office (no index cards, please. They don't meet the size requirements for the US Post Office.) You can include the postcard when you mail in your membership form.

I need a replacement membership card.

Contact the Member Services Office via Postal Service, Fax, or e-mail to request a replacement card. Please be sure to include your legal name and address.

I received / I have a white membership card - how do I get a blue card?

Where can I get a waiver form?

A white membership card indicates that the Member Service Office does not have a signed waiver on file for you.

Fill out a waiver form and mail or Fax it to the Member Services Office. You will be sent a blue membership card.

Where can I get a paper membership application form?

The Membership Forms page has hardcopy forms you can print off for US and International memberships. People without computer access can request a form by mail from the Member Services Office.

On-line Membership Purchase FAQ's:

My purchase failed with an AVS error.

The Address Verification System is a security precaution that verifies that the billing address known to your credit card company matches the billing address you entered as part of the sale. AVS errors most often happen when you have moved but your credit card company still has the old address on file. Some banks are also picky about exact address matches, down to whether you've entered all 9 digits of your zip code, if that's what they have on file. It can also occur if you mistype the expiration date, if your card is over its limit or expired, or if the sale failed because we could not reach the credit card company's computer.

In all these cases, the transaction does not go through. Your account may have a temporary "hold" on the funds that would have been charged, but that hold will automatically release within a few days. Please contact the Member Services Office for help in proceeding with AVS processing.

How do I print my proof of membership?

These on-line letters are only available if you purchased your membership on-line. Go to the Document Reprint page, and enter the Credit Card transaction ID you were given at the conclusion of your online membership purchase, starting with the US or IN prefix. (This is not your membership number.) If you do not have the transaction ID, you can enter your first and last names and postal code.

A proof of membership letter will list your name and type of membership, the date you purchased your membership and how long it runs, and whether you electronically signed the waiver.

If you are unable to retrieve a proof of membership letter, you can send a self-addressed stamped postcard to Member Services (see above) for proof of membership. Members who are looking to replace missing cards can follow the instructions above.

I need to fix information that was entered incorrectly.

If you need to correct any of the information that you entered when you purchased an on-line membership, please mail or Fax the updates to the Member Services Office. You may use a membership form or simply write a note. Please include the legal name and address you entered online.

How do I add Family members on-line?

Family Memberships cost $10 each (with a $30 total family cap). They can only be purchased on-line at the same time as a Sustaining or International Membership. To add Family members to an existing Sustaining or International membership, contact Member Services.

On the page where you choose your membership type, you can specify the number of Family Memberships needed. On the next page, you will be asked for names and membership numbers (if known) for all family members.

If you attempt to add a Family Membership while you are purchasing an Associate Membership, the primary membership will be automatically upgraded to Sustaining (or International).