How to Become a Freemason: Requirements & Application Process

Freemasonry is the largest and oldest fraternal order in the world, crossing all religious boundaries to bring men together of all countries, sects, and opinion in peace and harmony. Its members have included major religious figures, kings, and presidents. ^{[1]
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Research source} To join the brotherhood, you must demonstrate the values that have been shared by millions of Masons for hundreds of years.

How to Become a Freemason

If you know any Masons personally, ask them to help you join (or just learn more) about your local lodge. If you don’t know any Freemasons, find your nearest lodge’s website and fill out the form on their page. Someone will contact you about next steps in 2-3 days.

Section 1 of 6:

What is Freemasonry?

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Freemasonry is a spiritual fraternal organization for men. Dating all the way back to the 14th century, Freemasonry (or just “Masonry”) is a fraternity for men who believe in a higher power. It’s not as strict or dogmatic as a religion but not as casual as a social club. Masons attend meetings at their local “lodge” where they discuss spiritual topics, gather in friendship, and work together to grow. ^{[2]
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- Freemasons are the subject of a lot of conspiracy theories, but Masonry is basically just a semi-religious social club for men who want to be leaders in their community. There’s nothing nefarious about it.
- Freemasons do participate in rituals, but they’re not “secret” or designed to do anything nefarious. Masonry’s ceremonies are no more radical or unique than any other spiritual tradition.

Section 2 of 6:

Basic Requirements

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1
Be a man at least 18 years of age. This is the most basic requirement under most Grand Lodge (the center of authority for Freemason groups) jurisdictions. You must be a man and you must be old enough to vote.
- There are two variations of Masonry for women—the Order of Women Freemasons and the Honorable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons. These are considered “separate” from the core Freemason system, though. ^{[3]
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Note: Some jurisdictions only accept men who are 21 and over. However, exceptions are made for the sons of members, or university students.
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2
Believe in any supreme being or higher power. Freemasons do not require belief in a specific God (i.e. you do not have to be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc.). However, you must believe in a God or God-like being. You must believe in a God or deity above all others. People from all religious backgrounds are welcome as long as this holds true. ^{[4]
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- What if I’m not a practicing religious person? That’s okay! Whatever lodge you end up joining won’t poke, prod, or investigate your beliefs. You don’t have to attend a church regularly or anything like that. All you need to do is believe in a higher power in your heart.
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3
Be of good moral character. This may be the most important quality to have as a potential Freemason. The fraternity's motto is, "Better men make a better world," and honor, personal integrity, and responsibility are essential. You must be able to demonstrate that you are a man with good character.
- Some lodges require you to have a good reputation. They may ask someone to vouch for your character.
- Some chapters need you to be a good family member who has the means to support your family (if you have one).
- Some lodges actually run background checks, but this seems more common in the UK and Australia.
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4
Have a pure motivation for joining the Masons. Many people seek to enter the fraternity because they heard about it in movies, books, and mainstream media. Freemasonry is often portrayed as a secret society that is trying to take over the world. The truth is that Freemasonry is just an organization for regular men who strive to support each other in fellowship, friendship, and good citizenship. ^{[5]
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- If you do join expecting to get let into some secret society conspiracy meeting, you’re going to be very disappointed. There are rituals, but they’re mostly symbolic. Most lodge meetings consist of mundane business and educational activities. ^{[6]
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Section 3 of 6:

Why become a Freemason?

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1
You’ll find camaraderie and friendship in a tight-knit community. Being a Mason grants you entrance to the monthly gatherings at Freemason lodges, where you commune with fellow Masons. Here, you’ll engage with the teachings on the history of Freemasonry. You’ll also participate in the ancient rites of Freemasonry, such as the handshake, rituals of initiation, and free use of the Masonic square and compass symbol. All of this takes place among a community of men who care about one another.
- If you feel a little “lost” and you think you’d benefit from more actionable direction and community support, Freemasonry might be right for you.
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Freemasons pride themselves on being the best possible versions of themselves, and your lodge’s community will challenge you to push yourself. Whether it’s checking in to make sure you’re not resting on your laurels professionally or pushing you to take the leap and sign up for that master’s degree, your fellow Masons will help you become the best you.
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3
You get to grow spiritually without the rigors of organized religion. Freemasonry isn’t an organized religion in the traditional sense, but it is a spiritual organization. If you want to worship and grow in your spiritual life but you don’t want the dogma and rigidity of a formal religion, this is the perfect organization for you.
- A lot of the rituals and events you’ll attend at the lodge are informed by religious traditions or ancient spiritual traditions, but the “religious” element isn’t emphasized if that makes sense. Your spiritual experiences are likely to be very unique to you and won’t be a huge point of public discussion.
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4
You will grow as a person, friend, and family member. If you’re interested in becoming the best possible man you can be, Freemasonry will help you. Through the guidance of other men, the network of Masons, and the wisdom of lodge elders, you’ll have no lack of support on your side. If you want to be the most ambitious, productive, and happy version of yourself, your brothers at the lodge will help.
- Masons are notorious for keeping their fellow community members accountable. If you want someone to hold you to a higher standard, you’re sure to find one at your local lodge.
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Famous freemasons include George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Mozart, Jonathan Swift, Booker T. Washington, Thurgood Marshall, Henry Ford, and Simón Bolívar. ^{[7]
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Research source} If you are drawn to organizations that produce community leaders, innovators, and leaders, Freemasonry may be for you.

Section 4 of 6:

How to Apply to Become a Freemason

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1
Ask a Freemason you already know, if you know any. The traditional way of joining Freemasonry is to ask someone who is already a member for information about joining. ^{[8]
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Research source} If you know someone who's a member, let him know that you're interested in joining, and tell him you'd like to petition for membership. He should direct you to the appropriate venue to issue your petition; you'll have to answer some questions about why you want to become a member. If you don't know someone who's a member, there are a few things you can try:
- Look for a "2B1Ask1" sign. You'll see this on bumper stickers, shirts, hats, and other items displayed by Freemasons who want to welcome new members.
- Look for the Masonic square and compass symbol. This is a bit harder to spot, but you may see someone wearing it on a t-shirt or another item. Masons often put a square and compass on their car’s bumper.
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2
Find your local lodge’s website and express your interest. Look up your local Freemason lodge. Find their website and look for a “how to join” or “I’m interested” button. Click that and fill out the form. Someone from that lodge will reach out to you with specific information on how to join your local chapter.
- Can’t find your local lodge? Use the Freemason’s lookup tool to find the closest lodge to you.
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3
Interview with the Freemason who contacts you. After you've submitted your petition to a particular lodge, the Freemasons there will review it and decide whether to invite you in for an interview with an investigative committee. ^{[9]
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Research source} If they wish to call you in, a date and time will be arranged. During the interview, you can expect the following:
- You'll be asked questions about why you want to become a Freemason, and you'll be asked to describe your life story and your own character.
- You'll get the opportunity to ask them questions about how things work at the Lodge.
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After the interview, the Freemasons will conduct an investigation into your life. Most of the time, this is no big deal. They’ll just confirm you live where you live and that you are who you say you are. In fringe cases, they may call someone you know to verify that you have a high moral character. They may also conduct a background check to determine whether you've had issues with crime, drugs, or alcohol.
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Once the investigative committee has made their decision, you'll receive a call and an official invitation to join the fraternity. You'll receive further instructions about meetings.

Section 5 of 6:

Joining the Fraternity & Advancing

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1
Start as an Entered Apprentice. This is the first stage of initiation, and you'll learn the basic principles of Freemasonry After you gain enough knowledge and put in some time, you'll work your way up through two more symbolic degrees. ^{[10]
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- Before you can advance to the next degree, you must demonstrate proficiency in understanding the degree work you experienced.
Note: Throughout the apprenticeship period, you must continue to demonstrate good character.
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You'll delve deeper into the teachings of Freemasonry, especially as they pertain to the arts and sciences. To complete this degree, you'll be tested on your knowledge about everything you've learned so far. ^{[11]
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This is the highest level you can achieve, and it usually takes several months to get there. To get the degree, you must demonstrate proficiency in the values of Freemasonry. Your completion of the degree will be celebrated with a ceremony. ^{[12]
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Section 6 of 6:

Frequently Asked Questions

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No, Freemasonry is not a religion, although its members are religious. Most Masons also attend a church or worship separately in their own time. You must believe in some kind of God or supreme being to become a Mason, but you won’t discuss your religion or engage in religious practices.
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Freemasonry began in England around 1717. The original lodge was founded by stoneworkers, carpenters, and other tradesmen looking for fraternal kinship (this is where the “masons” part of “Freemason” comes from). They designed the organization based on old chivalrous codes and fraternities. ^{[13]
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The degrees refer to the seniority of a member. A member may study Freemasonry’s rituals, history, and community codes to partake in initiation ceremonies that increase their degree. This process is meant to emulate the journeyman system in masonry trades where you start off as an apprentice, become a journeyman, and then get promoted to a master over time as your expertise and knowledge grows. ^{[14]
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The Masonic symbols and ceremonies borrow from trade iconography and language, Hermetic magick, Christianity, and social clubs of the past that would seem extremely out of place in contemporary society if they existed today. As a result, Freemasonry has a lot of fascinating and unique symbology that you just don’t find anywhere else. ^{[15]
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Do I get paid for joining the Freemasons?

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No, you do not get paid for joining Freemasons. In fact, you pay them to be in the fraternity.

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Can people in Tanzania become Freemasons?

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Yes, if there's a Lodge in proximity where you can inquire, than men of Tanzania can become Freemasons.

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I am a Kenyan and I have been told to send 9000ksh in order to join the Freemasons. Then I will get a car of my choice, a house and £6000 in my account. How true is this?

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It is absolutely false, as in it is not true and it is a scam. Do not fall for anyone saying such things, they are after your money and you'll never see them or your money ever again.

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You don't have to be rich to join. While initiation fees vary, annual dues usually range from about $40 to $300/year. You don't get a salary for being a Freemason.

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Whilst Freemasonry is an all-male fraternity, there are some comparable organizations that allow the admission of females: Order of the Eastern Star, Jobs Daughters and the irregular Co-Masonry.

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How to Become a Freemason: Requirements & Application Process