Frequently asked questions regarding the MSBA membership renewal process
1.) What’s the easiest way to renew my MSBA membership?
The easiest and fastest way to renew your MSBA membership is online at MSBA.org/RENEW using a credit card. By renewing online, you can more easily adjust your sections, upgrade to Passport, and make corrections to your online profile.
When renewing online, you also have the option to select “autopay” which will automatically renew your membership each year on your designated renewal date.
2.) When is the due date for renewal payments and what time period does my renewal cover?
Most members are on a standard renewal cycle that begins on July 1 and concludes on June 30th each year. Your dues pay for one a year membership to the MSBA during this time period, typically referred to as the Bar year. We are currently renewing for the 2022-23 Bar Year, which runs from July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023.
In some cases, a member may have an “off-cycle” renewal date based on the day they first joined the MSBA. You can find your specific renewal date at the top, right hand corner of the website once you are logged into the website. Your dues pay for a one year membership to the MSBA starting on your specific renewal date and ending 1-year from the date listed on the website.
3.) I see MSBA Membership now includes a complimentary section of my choice, how do I redeem this?
To redeem your complimentary section when renewing online, simply follow the renewal prompts and choose at least one of the available section options. The discount will automatically be applied at check out to the highest valued section membership you choose.
4.) MSBA Membership also includes complimentary digital CLE of 90 minutes or less, how do I redeem this?
That’s right – the MSBA is pleased to include digital CLE of 90 minutes or less with your MSBA membership (limited exclusions apply).
To access your complimentary digital CLE, simply log into your account and visit the CLE catalog. Search and select programs from our OnDemand catalog or access upcoming live webinars. If your membership is active and up to date, your selected CLE will automatically be discounted to “$0” at check out, as long as it fits the parameters outlined and is not excluded.
5.) How do I upgrade to a Passport Membership?
The MSBA now offers a Passport Membership that allows you to access everything the MSBA has to offer, with minimal exceptions, for one low price.. This includes unlimited in person and digital CLE, a ticket to MSBA Legal Excellence Week ($349+ value), a ticket to the MSBA’s Legal Summit & Annual Meeting ($399+) value, two complimentary sections, and more. To upgrade, please renew online at MSBA.org/RENEW, and follow the prompts to change your membership to Passport.
6.) What payment methods are accepted by the MSBA?
The MSBA encourages members to pay online with a credit card. All major credit cards are accepted. See FAQ #7 for more information on how to renew online.
In addition to credit card payments, the MSBA also accepts check payment. Check payments must be mailed with your invoice and the your ID# found on the invoice must appear in the “memo” section of your check. Invoices and your check should be mailed to the address below:
Maryland State Bar Association, Inc. – Membership Dues, P.O. Box 79505, Baltimore, MD 21279-0505
For more information on how to pay by check, please see FAQ #9.
7.) How do I renew my membership online?
You can easily renew your membership online at: MSBA.org/RENEW. Once logged into the website, please follow the prompts and instructions, and finalize your renewal at check out.
8.) How do a receive a paper invoice?
The MSBA encourages members to pay online with a credit card for their dues. Doing so allows for faster processing. As such, your first few renewal notices will be sent by email.
In addition to email reminders, the MSBA will mail you an invoice around July 1 each year if you are on the typical renewal cycle. For members with an “off-cycle” renewal schedule, paper invoices will be mailed within 45 days prior to or after your renewal date.
Email us at membership@msba.org with the Subject Line “MSBA Invoice Request” to request a digital invoice to be emailed to you.
9.) I need to pay by check, how do I do that?
The MSBA strongly recommends online payments; however, check payments are also accepted. To pay by check, follow these steps:
Review your paper invoice (see FAQ #8 on how to acquire a paper invoice) for accuracy and make any needed corrections to your section choices
Optional: Add a donation to the Maryland Bar Foundation
Add the value of your memberships, sections, and donations to finalize your total
Add your Member ID listed in the upper right corner of your invoice to the memo section of your check (failing to do so will slow down the processing of your check and renewal)
Mail your check to the appropriate address: Maryland State Bar Association, Inc. – Membership Dues, P.O. Box 79505, Baltimore, MD 21279-0505
Please note that check payments may take 7-10 business days to process once received. We recommend allowing up to 14 business days due to postal delays.
10.) I need to renew the membership for someone else, how can I do that?
To renew the membership of another individual online, you will need to login as that user. This can only be accomplished if you have access to that individual’s email. If you do not have this access, you can pay by check following the instructions outlined in FAQ #9 above or contact our membership department to process a credit card over the phone. Please dial 410-685-7878 and follow the voice prompts to reach the appropriate individual to process the renewal over the phone.
11.) Our firm has more than five MSBA members, and we would like to renew all at once, how can we do that?
Please click here to complete a template firm renewal form. Enter the name, email address, and membership type for each member according to the instructions included on the template, along with any section choices for each member. Send the completed form to membership@msba.org with the Subject Line “Firm/Group Renewal” along with the name and email address of the person that will be issuing final payment. Our team will upload the template and create a firm renewal portal for your firm.
12.) I need a receipt for my dues payment, where can I find it?
Once your renewal is processed (this can take approximately 14 business days if paying by check), your receipt is available on the your My Orders page. Once logged in, select the down arrow next your name in the upper right corner of the website, and select “My Orders”. Find your renewal order in the list of orders and click on the associated order number.
13.) What percent of dues is non-deductible due to lobbying expenses?
For federal tax purposes, MSBA dues may be claimed as a business (not a charitable) expense; however, due to restrictions placed by Congress on certain 2022 – 2023 lobbying costs, 8% of your dues are not deductible. Charitable contributions to the Maryland Bar Foundation are fully deductible.
14.) My invoice says I have account credits, can I use these to pay my dues?
Yes. Account credits can be applied to your dues, but only after your renewal due date has passed (typically July 1). You can apply these credits at checkout when completing your dues renewal online or you can subtract your account credits from your paper invoice balance.
If you have enough credit to cover the full amount of your membership, it will automatically be applied by the MSBA on or about July 7. If you want to make any changes to your membership selections, please email us at membership@msba.org with the subject line “Membership Updates – Account Credits” by June 30, 2022.
15.) I’m currently a Passport Member, but I’d prefer renewing at the standard membership rate for this year, what do I do?
Please contact our membership team using our web chat or by emailing membership@msba.org using the subject line “Passport Conversion”. Please indicate whether you are Judge, Attorney, paralegal or other non-attorney legal professional in your message. Our team will respond to you shortly to confirm the switch to standard membership and provide a revised invoice.
16.) I’m trying to renew and received an error message stating: “Sorry, we are unable to process your payment at this time. Please retry later.”
Double check the credit card details you entered. If you selected a card already saved to your account, select “enter a new payment method” and re-enter the credit card details.
If you continue to get an error message after trying the troubleshooting methods above, please contact our membership team using our web chat or by emailing membership@msba.org with the subject line “Payment Process Error”. If possible, please include a screenshot with the error message.
17.) I’m trying to renew and received an error message stating “Your cart is empty” or “Your session has expired.”
During renewal season, we experience significant traffic on our website and payment servers, which may result in a time out error or other system error. Please retry the renewal process using any of the methods below:
Click the Renew button in the upper right hand corner
Go to the My Orders page under profile in the upper right hand corner and click “Pay” next to the pending renewal order, or
Go directly to MSBA.org/RENEW
18.) How do I know if my membership is set to auto-pay? How can I change my auto renew settings?
Click here to visit your membership subscription page. The auto renew toggle will be light blue if you are set to auto renew and it will be gray if you are set to manually renew. Click the auto renew toggle to enable or disable auto renewal. If you have multiple subscriptions listed, click “view” next to the active or on hold subscription.
To update the credit card on file, click “Change Payment”. Select the card you want to use or click “use a new payment method” and enter the new credit card details. Click “change payment method” to save the change.
To update your sections, you can renew prior to your renewal date at MSBA.org/Renew.
19.) I received a notice that my credit was charged for my MSBA Membership dues, I don’t recall processing this order.
Members that have paid by credit card in the past and have opted for Autopay, are charged for their MSBA Membership Dues each year. The MSBA sends an automated message 15 days prior to your card being charged to notify you of this upcoming charge and offer the opportunity to update your payment method and/or cancel this autopay option.
If no change is made based on this 15-day notice, MSBA Membership dues are charged on the date of renewal.
If your question is not listed above, please contact our membership team using the web chat or by email
