Join the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists

This is the new member application page. If you are a renewing member, please click here.

First, you should know that you will actually be joining two related organizations. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) was founded in 1909 and is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization. National SPJ is best-known for its Code of Ethics, which is continually updated to give journalists practical ways to cope with changing technology and a changing society.

The New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists (NJ-SPJ) is the “NJ Pro Chapter” of SPJ, but in many ways we function separately, with our own activities, budget and programs.  Created in 1959, NJ-SPJ was the prime mover in creating NJ’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) and continues to be the first line of defense for journalists in the Garden State. In cooperation with others, NJ-SPJ is one of two statewide organizations that issues NJ Press Identification Cards.

If you are already a member seeking to renew your membership and order press ID cards, click here.

Application for Membership in the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists

In the form below, you can apply for membership and pay for order Press ID Cards and vehicle placards.

Your card order will be processed after your membership application is reviewed and approved. You can pay by major credit or debit card, or online options such as Venmo. Our transactions are processed securely by Stripe. Fields marked with a red asterisk are required fields.

Name
Please provide your working title as you want it to appear on your Press ID Card
Please provide the news organization name as you want it to appear on your press ID card and vehicle card
Address
Please provide your personal mailing address so SPJ can keep in touch with you.
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload
Please upload a high-resolution JPEG passport-style photo of your head and shoulders, full-face, against a neutral background. No hats or hoodies, no selfies or heads cropped from a party photo. Have someone make the photo of you if you don't already have a professional headshot.
Declaration
I certify that I have read the SPJ Code of Ethics. I further certify that I have read and will abide by the Terms & Conditions.
Please only insert URLs here. If you only have clips of your stories, you can upload them as PDFs below.
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload
If you don't have URLs or links to online versions of your news stories, you can upload them as PDFs here.

Choose Membership Level (Check only one)

Here are the current membership levels. Press ID Card bundles are available for Professional (Full); Associate; and Student/Retiree.

  • Professional: You spend more than half of your time working as a journalist or j-educator. $90 annually.
  • Associate (SPJ Supporter): You support efforts to protect the First Amendment, freedom of press, media credibility and the public’s access to information. Or you are a high school student with an interest in journalism, potentially as a career path. $50 annually.
  • College Student: Any college student. $50 for 1 year.
  • Post Grad: Through three years after college graduation. Any newly joining Post Grad member, including current SPJ college members that are graduating, can sign up today and receive three years for just $110.
  • Retired: You are retired and 62 or older. $50 annually.
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Press ID Card Items
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Shipping and handling $7.44 for one item, $16.29 for more than one item.
Complete your order securely using Stripe.
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