Join Us

Joining the 501st Legion

What is required to join?

Members must be 18 years of age or older and own a high-quality costume representing any of the characters conforming to our character approval statement. You can find a list of currently recognized costumes in the Costume Reference Library section of the site.

There are no fees and the only requirements pertain to age and costume quality. The 501st is simply a fun, all-volunteer group of fans representing characters from the Star Wars saga. For more information on the goals of the club, read the Mission Statement.

If you are under 18, please check out the Galactic Academy, a group created for our younger cadets. If you are looking to create a Jedi, X-wing pilot or other hero character visit the Rebel Legion.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more answers to common questions please see the FAQ page 501st FAQ

How do I get a costume?

Generally speaking, our members make their own costumes. To make it easier to get help with your desired project, the 501st has formed detachments focused on particular costumes. Joining a Detachment forum is strongly recommended as a part of the costume building process. Our Detachments focus on individual costume categories and offer the best information available for constructing your own detailed costume. Visit our Detachments page to find the right group for you! It is also highly encouraged that you contact your local unit before you apply to be able to get hands on help. Often, local units hold costume building parties regularly, and you can click on our Units Listings Page to find your local unit. Once you've settled on a character it's just a matter of heading over to your Detachment and Unit forums, signing up, and getting help from the experts!

NOTE: Star Wars costumes that are commercially available in stores or online may not be acceptable for membership! It is recommended that you contact your Garrison Membership Liaison before purchasing a retail costume to find out if it is accepted or what modifications might be required.

I've got my costume, now what?

Once you have your costume finished, you need to prepare your photos and submit your application.

Preparing your photographs

Your local Garrison Membership Liaison (GML) will need to verify your qualifications, which include costume ownership. To do this, they will need to see pictures of you in your costume for validation. See the 501st Legion unit listings to identify your local GML for picture submission.

The following tips will help make sure that you get the right photos to the GML on your first try:

• Make sure to submit pictures of you in your costume against a plain or non-busy background (no convention photos, please).
• We will need photos with your helmet/mask on and off (if applicable).
• You must include full-length views of your costume from the front, back and both sides.
• Be sure to take your photos with adequate lighting and at a high-resolution to help us inspect the details.
• Ensure there are no extra filters applied when taking the photos!
• Do not wear any non-canon accessories or addons, including jewelry, sunglasses, earrings, (unit patches, extra weapons, pauldrons when not part of the canon costume etc...)
• If you include any weapons such as a blaster or lightsaber, please ensure that they conform to the weapons policy.
• Be prepared to take more photos during the application process if asked, as we may wish to see closer details or verify individual ownership of the costume. As costumes are individual to the member, joint ownership isn't recognized.

Submitting your application

Once your GML confirms that your suit is complete and valid for membership, fill out the online application.

When your application is approved, you will receive confirmation via e-mail. Your Legion ID will be assigned and your record marked as "ACTIVE" in the 501st Legion member database. Please note that the 501st is an all-volunteer organization and the application may take several weeks to review.

If for some reason you are not validated for membership, your local GML will work with you and provide recommendations and resources that can assist you in modifying your costume to meet Legion requirements.

Start Trooping!

Congratulations! You've made it to the fun part: Trooping!

We strongly recommend that you take some time and read the Trooper Survival Guide. This is the definitive guide to being a 501st member, and should help you get familiar with all the things you need to know.

If you haven't already, get to know your fellow Garrison members, join your local 501st unit message board and register on 501st.com so you can get out there and help bring order to the galaxy!

You can also join our public social media groups on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.