This setup charges new members a one-time Initiation Fee on top of the regular Membership dues, both at a flat rate. Returning members only see the membership dues.
What You'll Build
Membership product: flat-rate annual dues (Fee Type: Membership Fee) for every account that should pay dues.
Initiation Fee product: a flat, one-time fee (Fee Type: Initiation Fee) required only for new-member accounts that haven't paid yet.
Example: Family Membership $600 for everyone + Initiation Fee $500 for new members only. A new family pays $1,100; a returning family pays $600.
Before You Begin
Have an account type for new members (for example New Member or Offered Membership). Account types are managed in Settings > Members > Account Types.
Both fee types already exist by default: Membership Fee ("Annual dues") and Initiation Fee ("One-time fees due upon joining"). See Start Here: Fee Types.
Step 1: Create the Membership Product
Go to Finances > Products and click Add New.
Enter the Product Name (for example "2026 Family Membership"). Members see this on their bill.
In the Fee Type box, select Membership Fee.
In Flat Rate Pricing, enter the amount in Price (no dollar sign), for example 600. Leave the other pricing sections blank.
In Show / Hide / Require Rules, turn on Apply Rules, set Rule Action to Require, and add an Account Type rule with Is Any Of and the account types that pay these dues (include your new-member type).
Click Publish.
Note: Paying a Membership Fee product is what marks the account as Paid. An account can only buy one Membership Fee product.
Step 2: Create the Initiation Fee Product
Go to Finances > Products and click Add New.
Enter the Product Name (for example "Initiation Fee").
In the Fee Type box, select Initiation Fee.
In Flat Rate Pricing, enter the amount in Price, for example 500. Leave the other pricing sections blank.
Step 3: Require the Initiation Fee for New Members Only
On the Initiation Fee product, scroll to Show / Hide / Require Rules and turn on Apply Rules.
Set Rule Action to Require.
Click Add Rule, choose Account Type, set Comparison to Is, and select your new-member account type. Set Next Rule Relationship to And.
Click Add Rule, choose Account Payment Status, set Comparison to Is, and select Unpaid. Leave Next Rule Relationship blank.
Click Publish.
Result: the Initiation Fee is pre-selected at checkout only for accounts that are the new-member type and Unpaid.
Optional: to show the Initiation Fee only after the member picks a membership, add a Selected Product rule (Is Any Of your membership products). See How to Require an Initiation Fee Product.
Note: A rule with no value selected is ignored. The products list shows an Issues badge until you fix it.
Step 4: Test Before Going Live
Go to Membership > Accounts, click the ... next to a test account set to your new-member type and Unpaid, and choose Switch to.
Go to Make a Payment and check that both the membership and the Initiation Fee appear with the right prices.
Repeat with a test account set to a returning account type. Only the membership should appear.
Use Switch back to return to admin view. See How to Test Membership Products.
After New Members Join
Once a new member pays, move the account to your regular account type (for example with Bulk Actions > Change Account Type on Membership > Accounts).
This matters at the start of the next season: when accounts are set back to Unpaid, any account still on the new-member type would be required to pay the Initiation Fee again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will returning members see the Initiation Fee?
No, as long as they are not on the new-member account type.
Does paying the Initiation Fee mark the account as Paid?
No. Only a Membership Fee product changes the account's payment status to Paid.
Can I offer different membership prices (for example Family and Single)?
Yes. Create one Membership Fee product per tier and use Show / Hide / Require Rules to control which accounts see each one. The Initiation Fee setup stays the same.
Can I charge the Initiation Fee in installments?
Yes, using account tags to track payments. See Installment and Full Bond Products.
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