All Board Members must submit an application to join the Board. Before you can submit your application, you will be asked to create an account. Once you have created your account you will be directed to the page that allows you to view the application.

Complete the application and click the submit and pay button. You will be redirected to our Stripe payment page. After submitting your application and paid your application fee the Board will verify the information you provided in your application.

When a Board receives your application the application committee will review the information you provided for accuracy. During this time you will be vetted by the application committee and if the committee feels you are a fit, they will send your application to be reviewed by the Board; at the next stated meeting.

At the next stated meeting a committee Officer will present your application to the Board. The Board will then decide on your fitness to advance to the voting phase.

In some cases the decision to advance your application to the next level may be delayed by the following: 

1) Holiday
2) Out of season
3) Error found in your application
4) Discrepancies with your application
5) Failure to secure the necessary number of voters  

Out of season, your application may take 4-6 weeks to process. If there is a delay in processing your application the Board will continue to take your application up for review. In cases where the delay is caused by something you can help with, the Board will contact you immediately.

If the Board sees that the delay will exceed 6 weeks time since you submitted your application, the Board will contact you to explain the new time frame to complete your application process.

The Board may reject your application for the following reasons:

1) Non-payment
2) Your application is incomplete
3) You are caught lying on your application
4) You are found to be unfit for duty

If everything looks good, the Board will either vote there, on the spot, or schedule a time to vote. This usually happens at the next stated meeting.

A minimum of 7 Board members will then cast votes to approve your application.

Next, you will go through the verification phase. In this phase you will undergo a background check and the Board will vote to approve your application to move on to the final phase.

An ethical assessment is essentially a background check. You will be contacted by our vendor, ClearChecks. An Ethical Assessment can take up to 7 days to complete.

It is important to note that paying the expedited application fee only speeds up the decision to accept your application. In addition, paying the expedited application fee will not change the Board's decision on the ethical assessment's policy. Currently the policy is that you will not be accepted into the Board if you fail the ethical assessment.

If everything looks good with your ethical assessment, the Board will make a decision on your application and vote to move it to the final phase, or the Decision Phase.

In some cases you may fail your Ethical Assessment. Here are some of the reasons you may fail:

• We were unable to verify your SSN
• You are on the National database of criminal records
• You are on the Global watchlists
• You are on the US watchlists
• You are on a State watchlist
• Your Address history does not match
• We were unable to verify your DOB
• You are on the National Sex offender list
• We were unable to verify your degree information
• We were unable to verify your Employment information

After you pass your Ethical Assessment the Board will contact you and let you know your application was approved. You will either be assigned a membership type or be given the choice to select the membership you are most comfortable with.

There are 2-times you pay to enter the Board. Once, for your Board application, and a second time, when you are appointed or select your membership type.

After being notified, the Board will require payment for your membership.

Note, this fee must be paid before you are allowed to swear in.

If selected to join and after you pay your one-time membership fee, you will be asked to attend a ceremony. This may be done in person or remotely. This ceremony is a time-honored tradition and is extremely special for both you and the Board.

You will be given the bylaws and you will be instructed on what is expected of you in your new position as a Board member of the American Board of Design & Research.

You may swear in immediately after your ceremony or you may swear in at a later date, depending on the current Board schedule. Take a look at our oath by clicking the link below.

The Board opens application season up December 1st of every calendar year. Applications are considered late, after the last week of January. Early application season is from October to December.

The Board reviews all applications in February. All application decisions will be delivered in March.

Applicants who submit their applications after the deadline are considered late or out of season. Late applicants are required to pay the late application fee.

Late applications are reviewed as needed and usually take 4-6 weeks to review.

Applicants may pay a fee to expedite their applications if needed. Expedited applications usually take no more than 3 days to process.