Applying For Membership
​If you believe you are directly related to an individual who supported the cause of American Independence during the Revolutionary War, and you wish to honor their patriotic service by preserving their story and becoming a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, you have come to the right place!​​
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Who Can Apply?
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"Any male shall be eligible for membership in the Society being a citizen of good repute in the community, is the lineal descendant of an ancestor who was at all times unfailing in loyalty to, and rendered active service in the cause of American Independence either as an officer, soldier, seaman, marine, militiaman or minuteman, in the armed forces of the Continental Congress of any one of the several Colonies or States, as a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as a member of a Committee of Safety or Correspondence, as a member of any Continental, Provincial, or Colonial Congress or Legislature, as a foreign national of, but not limited to, France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden or Switzerland who rendered service in the cause of American Independence or as a recognized patriot who performed actual service by overt acts of resistance to the authority of Great Britain, provided, however, that no person advocating the overthrow of the Government of the United States by use of force or violence shall be eligible for membership in the Society." NSSAR Genealogy Committee Policies 04 June 2025
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How To Apply?
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Step 1: Contact our Chapter Registrar and let him know you are interested and ask any questions you may have via at: the Contact Us page.
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Step 2: Download a copy of the SAR Application worksheet and the Application Preparation Guide (APG) provided below. This will be a working document. Please primarily concern yourself with only page 1 (e.g., names, dates, and places). Fill in as much information as you can.
Step 3: Begin gathering documents. Typically, the applicant is required to provide valid documentation proving birth, marriage, and death for the first three generations of the lineage. We do not require certified copies but copies of valid documents are required. Beyond generation three, please provide as much evidence that you have and the Registrar can aid you with the rest. If you have a relative who was in the SAR/DAR please let the Registrar know. This may greatly reduce the amount of documentation and research hours devoted to finalizing your application.
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It is important to stay in regular contact with the Registrar once your application process begins. Every application is different and comes with its own unique set of challenges. We do not do in-depth research for prospective members; however, our experienced genealogy team should be able to help you out with any especially difficult generations in your lineage.
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Step 4: Once your worksheet is complete, the Registrar will prepare your official application by printing it on watermark paper provided by the Chapter. After you sign your official application, the Registrar will mail it along with a fee to the Genealogist General at NSSAR Headquarters located in Louisville, Kentucky. He and the department of Staff Genealogists will review your application and make the final determination for acceptance.
"Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it." John Adams 1777