Membership Application
To apply for AAPL membership, please click here to download a form. (You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view the application.)
*Please allow for 7-10 business days to process your membership application.

Member Type Upgrade
To apply for an upgrade to Active membership from Associate, please click here to download a form.

Membership Types
According to the AAPL bylaws the membership types are defined as follows:
ACTIVE:
1. New Applicants. All new applicants for Active Member status on or after May15, 2008, shall be required to meet the following minimum objective standards:

• Practicing Land Professional. The applicant shall be a land professional as defined below and have successfully completed all requirements for a 4-year degree from an accredited college or university or have been continuously engaged as a Land Professional for 4 or more years.
• Sponsorship. The application must be sponsored by two (2) Active Members of AAPL. The sponsor(s) shall have actual knowledge of the applicant's experience in Landwork.
• Employment Classification. The applicant shall be classified either as an "exempt" employee by the applicant's employer in accordance with regulations of the National Labor Relations Board or as an independent contractor. In the absence of an actual classification, an applicant for Active Member status shall be clearly classifiable as either an "exempt" employee or as an independent contractor.
• Ethical Conduct and Standards of Practice. The applicant must execute such documentation as AAPL may require affirming the applicant's willingness to be bound by and abide within the AAPL Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Any applicant who has ever been convicted of a criminal offense classified as a felony shall be admitted as an Active Member only upon the recommendation of the Ethics Committee and by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of those officers and directors present and voting at a regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting.

2. Renewals of Active Membership. Any Active Member may renew as an Active Member as long as annual membership fees are timely paid, and the member is not removed from Active Member status as a result of an ethics proceeding.
3. Senior Membership. Senior Membership may be conferred, upon application to and approval by the Board of Directors, on any Active Member who is at least 65 years of age, has at least 15 years active experience in Landwork and has been an Active Member for the fifteen (15) consecutive years immediately preceding the submission of the application for Senior Membership status. Senior Members will pay a reduced amount of dues, as prescribed by the Board of Directors, and shall enjoy all the privileges of an Active Member.
4. Life Membership. Life Membership may be conferred on an Active Member who chooses to make a one-time dues payment of $2,500 and thereafter be exempt from annual dues.
5. Golden Lease Membership. Golden Lease Membership shall be conferred for life on those persons who have served the AAPL as its President. Golden Lease Members shall be exempt from paying annual dues and shall have all privileges of an Active Member.
6. Rights of Active Members. Only Active Members may vote in affairs of the AAPL, sponsor membership applications, or serve as a director of the AAPL.

ASSOCIATE:
1. New Applicants. All new applicants for Associate Member status shall be required to meet the following minimum objective standards:

• Available to those who are associated with Landwork or supervise such Landwork, relating to the mineral or energy industries, or Landmen who do not qualify for Active Membership.
• Sponsorship. The application must be sponsored by two (2) Active Members of AAPL. The sponsor(s) shall have actual knowledge of the applicant's experience in Landwork.
• Ethical Conduct and Standards of Practice. The applicant must execute such documentation as AAPL may require affirming the applicant's willingness to be bound by and abide within the AAPL Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Any applicant who has ever been convicted of a criminal offense classified as a felony shall be admitted as an Associate Member only upon the recommendation of the Ethics Committee and by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of those officers and directors present and voting at a regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting.

2. Renewals of Associate Membership. Any Associate Member as of May 31, 1999, may renew as an Associate Member as long as annual membership fees are timely paid, and the member is not removed from Associate Member status as a result of an ethics proceeding.
3. Life Membership. Life Membership may be conferred on an Associate Member who chooses to make a one-time dues payment of $2,500 and thereafter be exempt from annual dues.

STUDENT:
1. Student Membership is available to those who are enrolled in a degree program specifically for education of Land Professionals at an accredited college or university.

HONORARY:
1. Honorary Membership status may be conferred by the Board of Directors to any person closely associated with the mineral and/or energy industries who has rendered an outstanding service or whose contribution to the industry is so noteworthy and of such magnitude as to be deserving of this honor.

DEFINITIONS:
"Landwork" shall mean the actual performance or supervision of any one or more of the following functions:
A. Negotiating for the acquisition or divestiture of mineral rights.
B. Negotiating business agreements that provide for the exploration for and/or development of minerals.
C. Determining ownership in minerals through the research of public and private records.
D. Reviewing the status of title, curing title defects, and otherwise reducing title risk associated with ownership in minerals.
E. Managing rights and/or obligations derived from ownership of interests in minerals.
F. Unitizing or pooling of interests in minerals.
“Land Professional" shall mean a person who derives a significant portion of his income as a result of performing Landwork.
“Landman" shall mean a Land Professional who has been primarily engaged in negotiating for the acquisition or divestiture of mineral rights and/or negotiating business agreements that provide for the exploration for and/or development of minerals.