There are six categories of USPTA membership: applicant, certified Professional, Recreational Coach, corporate, honorary and retired.

Applicant Click for more information

Certified membership Click for more information

Recreational Coach Click for more information

Corporate membership Click for more information

Honorary membership Click for more information

Retired membership Click for more information

Applicant
A provisional teaching category that leads to being a certified member, pending successful completion of the USPTA Certification Exam.

This category allows a professional to receive correspondence, certain benefits and magazine subscriptions from USPTA World Headquarters, while he or she studies to take the exam for certified membership.

The applicant member pays dues and receives certain benefits, including on-court liability insurance. Upon passing the exam and becoming a certified member, the professional receives the full benefit schedule.

The ADD program is open to tennis instructors that have a socioeconomic disadvantage and cannot afford to attain USPTA certification. Each ADD applicant's socioeconomic position is determined through a short-answer questionnaire that includes questions about income, community involvement and future plans once certified as a USPTA Professional.

For more information on this program, please contact your division president.

Click here for applicant benefits.
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Certified membership
A teaching category requiring successful completion of the USPTA Certification Exam, leading to a certification rating of Professional 3, 2 or 1.

Click here for certified member benefits.

Certification is intended for those at least 18 years old who derive or intend to derive a major portion of income from teaching tennis. To qualify for certified membership, a professional must meet all application, exam and experience requirements, and must agree to abide by the USPTA Code of Ethics.

Non-U.S. citizens who cannot legally work in the United States, but do meet all other requirements for certified membership, may join the Association as International Division members. International members will not receive Tennis Week magazine, nor are they covered by the protection of USPTA's on-court liability insurance policy. However, non-U.S. membership does not imply that USPTA sponsors these members to immigrate to the United States to work as tennis-teaching professionals. U.S. labor certification laws apply in these cases.

In order for USPTA to send mail to noncitizens at a U.S. address, the World Headquarters must receive a copy of either the alien registration card (green card) or a student or work visa.

Wheelchair certification
USPTA is committed to quality teaching of all players and understands the need to fill the void in the wheelchair certification area. This program opens up new teaching opportunities for professionals and encourages the growth of wheelchair tennis.

The wheelchair certification allows USPTA pros to teach wheelchair players and teach other teachers about this sport. The certification is also available to teachers who are not USPTA members.

The certification includes a course and written exam. Current USPTA members need only pay a fee for the certification; there are no additional annual dues. Nonmembers pay an application fee and annual dues.
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USPTA Recreational Coach
The USPTA Recreational Coach category is designed for people who may already be teaching tennis - as high school coaches, at recreational facilities or in other part-time situations - but are not immediate candidates for careers as full-time teaching professionals. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to apply for this category. To become a Recreational Coach, applicants will learn the basic standards of tennis teaching during workshops led by the USTA.

USPTA sets the standard for the industry with its professional-level certification. Coaches working deep in the grassroots will benefit from the experience of USPTA professionals and the unique mentoring approach of this program. As the quality of teaching improves, the value of the tennis teachers' contribution to the industry will increase.

Click here for Recreational Coach benefits.
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Corporate
A nonteaching category for which the Certification Exam is not required.

For all public and private tennis facilities, companies or people who have a full-time commitment to tennis in an executive, administrative or commercial capacity. This membership must be listed in the corporation or club's name. Corporate members are entitled to most privileges and subject to most obligations of active membership, but may not vote, hold office, compete in USPTA national or divisional tournaments, and are not covered by USPTA's on-court liability insurance policy. A corporate membership must be listed in the name of the company. The company shall not use the USPTA logo or USPTA name to imply company or product endorsement.

Any club that applies for USPTA membership must assure USPTA that admission to membership in the club is open to all people regardless of race, color, age, creed, gender, national origin, religion or physical handicap.
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Honorary membership
A category that honors those people who, as voted by the USPTA Executive Committee, have made an outstanding contribution to tennis or USPTA. The Certification Exam is not required for this category.

Honorary members who previously were certified members are entitled to all privileges and subject to all obligations of certified membership, but do not have to pay yearly dues. Honorary members who were not previously certified members may not vote, hold office, compete in the USPTA national tournaments, or be covered by USPTA's on-court liability insurance policy.
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Retired membership
A category for former tennis teachers who are now retired.

To qualify, members must be 65 or older and no longer teaching on a full- or part-time basis. These members are charged one-half the usual dues. They are not covered by the on-court liability insurance, as they no longer teach. Members must submit a statement that they no longer teach on a full- or part-time basis, and a copy of an official document showing that they receive retirement benefits.

For more information, contact the USPTA membership department at membership@uspta.org.
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