Subscription and renewal

The subscription year runs from 1 April to 31 March the following year.

We will send you a subscription renewal in February/March; payment is due by 1 April.

Subscription fees can be paid as a lump sum or by direct debit over 10 instalments from June to March. 

To renew your subscription, click on the button below and follow the instructions. Your username for the CIfA website will be your 'First name Last name'. If you have forgotten your password and need to reset it, please see more information below.

We do not store payment card details, nor do we share financial details with any third parties.

Online membership renewal will be available shortly

Please note: if you are planning to upgrade your accreditation, please renew your subscription at your current grade. We will request the additional amount due once you have upgraded.

For subscription fees and more information, see sections below.

Subscription fees

Subscription fees 2025/26

Current subscription fees are below for 1 April to 31 March the following year. These are based on the grade of membership.
You can choose to pay your subscription in a lump sum or by direct debit over 10 instalments from June to March the following year.

Member gradeTotal subscription (without Journal)
Non-accredited membership
Student£35.00
Affiliate£85.00
Accredited membership
PCIfA£180.00
ACIfA£250.00
MCIfA£315.00
MCIfA Upper £40,000 and up£370.00
Retired£85.00
Concessionary rates 2025/26

Concessionary rates are available to accredited members (PCIfA, ACIfA and MCIfA) who are unemployed or on a low income. 
Members can move to the ‘Retired’ category by confirming that their employment status with the HMRC is declared as retired and their tax code has been altered accordingly.

To apply please submit a concessionary request form below. If you cannot provide a tax statement or benefits allowance statement we may accept a signed letter/email explaining your circumstances. 

Please get in touch at subscriptions@archaeologists.net if you have any further questions about this.

Grade​

Earnings

 

Unemployed or <£10,000

£10,000 to £25,000

Retired

PCIfA

£35

£115

£85

ACIfA

£35

£115

£85

MCIfA

£35

£115

£85

Applying for concessionary rates

To apply for a concessionary rate your need to provide a statement in writing (via post or email) and/or a copy of your annual P60, Job Seekers allowance statement or payslip. 

You may want to apply for a concessionary rate if your income falls inside the salary ranges included on our fees table, or for example

  • if you work part-time
  • if you are on maternity leave or parental leave
  • if you are unemployed
  • if you are retired

Concessionary rate requests should be emailed to subscriptions@archaeologists.net, or posted to: Power Steele Building, Wessex Hall, Whiteknights Road, Earley, Reading, RG6 6DE.

Download the concessionary rate request form

More information

Digital membership cards

We have changed the way you can access your membership card. This gives you instant access whenever you need it and reflects our environmental policy statement. Once you have paid your subscription fees you will be able to download your most recent card from your member dashboard. We can issue physical cards on request.

Download membership card

Historic Environment Journal

There are four issues of the Historic Environment Journal per year available to CIfA members at a reduced annual subscription. If you would like to subscribe to the journal, you can opt into this when renewing. 

Three options are available

  • Print only £34.00
  • Print and online £44.00
  • Online only £17.00
Direct Debit payments

You can pay your subscription fees by direct debit over 10 instalments from 1 June to 1 March the following year. To set up a direct debit or change your details, complete the direct debit form below with a hand-written signature and return it to us.

Website password instructions

Request a new password

  1. Visit the Member login facility and choose the 'Reset your password' option above the user login boxes
  2. Enter your username or email address in the box provided and click 'Submit'
  3. If your username or email address exist in our system you should receive a password reset email within a minute or two (please check your junk/spam folders too)
  4. If you receive no email, please contact us at admin@archaeologists.net and we will be able to help you

Changing your password

  1. Log into the CIfA website and visit the Members' Area
  2. Click the 'Reset your password' button in the purple 'Member summary' panel
  3. Follow the instructions to change your password
Subscription statuses

Current

Your subscription is fully paid and up to date and you will receive all membership benefits.

Grace

During the subscription renewal period (1 February to 31 March), if we have not received your subscription payment by 1 April. This status will last for three months, before changing to ‘Suspended’ if you have not paid yet. 
If you are paying by direct debit your subscription status will change to ‘Current’ once your first payment has been processed on 1 June.

You will continue to receive all membership benefits.

Pending

We are waiting for your initial subscription payment. The pending payment will either be displayed on your dashboard ready for payment, or your employer has been invoiced and we are waiting for payment from them. You will not receive any membership benefits until we have received payment.

Suspended

Your subscription fees are overdue, so you will not receive any membership benefits until we have received payment. You will need to contact us to arrange payment and once received, your subscription status will change to ‘Current’ again.

Expired

Your subscription fees have not been paid in the required timeframe. If your subscription expired within the last 12 months, you will need to contact us and once payment is received, your subscription status will change to ‘Current’ again.

If your subscription expired more than 12 months ago you will need to complete a re-joiners form or submit a new application.

Cancelled

We have cancelled your subscription as per your request.

Change of Grade

This subscription has been closed due to a change of grade.

Claiming tax back on fees

You can claim tax relief on your subscription if you are a UK tax payer and have not claimed your CIfA subscription against income tax in any tax year for the past 4 years.

For employees

If you complete a tax self-assessment form and wish to claim your tax back for the current tax year only, you can fill in the appropriate box on the form.

If you do not complete a tax return, or wish to claim for earlier years, write to your tax office giving details of how much you paid to CIfA and when. If your records are incomplete you can contact CIfA with your membership number and grade and we can provide this for you. You also need to contact your tax office to explain why your subscription is a necessary expense; explaining that you are an archaeologist and CIfA is your professional body will suffice. Please don’t be worried that writing to your tax office will mean that you will be sent self-assessment forms in the future – the Inland Revenue has assured us that this is not the case.

For self-employed

If you wish to claim for the current year only, include your subscription under ‘business expenses’ on your tax return. If you wish to claim for earlier years, write to your tax office giving the information detailed under ‘For employees’ above

Please note

  • Missed claims can only go back 4 years.
  • This advice note is based on information given to CIfA by the Inland Revenue. More detailed advice is available from your local Tax Enquiry Centre or the GOV.UK website.
  • Always quote your tax reference number. This can be obtained from your employer or from your tax office. It helps if you can quote your National Insurance number.
  • If you have been sent a self-assessment form you may have been given a new tax reference number. This is the one to use in correspondence.
  • You will find us under ‘A’ on the HM Revenue & Customs approved list.
German members / Deutsche Mitglieder

For members living in Germany, please go to Hinweise zur Beitragszahlung for more information.