Membership Information 2021
Full, Associate, Day & Honorary Membership, Secondary Tour, DRA Fee, PDPA Membership Document Downloads
If you are looking to join the PDPA in 2021, you must go to the PDC Q-School page to enter, these are now available, see below.
This area is to show what all stages/costs that PDPA Membership are:
PDC Rule 1.1 Paragraph 1 All players must be a member of the Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA) to feature in the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) Order of Merit. Membership is defined as either having been awarded an Honorary Membership, or being in one of the below listed categories:
- Full PDPA Membership (Tour Card Holders & ‘PDC’ TV Event participants)
- Associate PDPA Membership (Q-School Participants who didn’t get a Tour Card)
- PDPA Day Membership (European Tour Membership)
- Secondary Tour Member (Challenge Tour & Development Tour)
Full PDPA Membership:
Full PDPA Membership costs £500 annually and is for players who have a current PDC Tour Card ‘A Tour Card Holder’ You will be entitled to full voting rights after a full 2 years of full membership and use of all PDPA benefits and partners deals immediately.
Your DRA Sanction fee of £50 is also required see bottom of page. Full PDPA Membership inclusive of full voting rights and PDPA benefits and partner deals is also given to Non-Playing Full Members i.e. Honorary or Directors.
Players who play in any PDC TV event are required as per rule 1.2 to pay the full PDPA Membership, but their status is categorised by their Tour Card or Associate Membership (Whichever is applicable) not because they have paid the full membership.
PDC Rule 1.2 Paragraph 1 All players who participate in the televised stages of the following events must be a full member of the PDPA: World Championship, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam (excluding BDO qualifiers) UK Open (excluding Amateur Qualifiers), European Championship, Players Championship Finals, Masters, World Series Finals, Premier League, Champions League
Paragraph 2 In the event of a non-PDPA member qualifying for or being invited into an event through an Order of Merit, a World Championship qualifier, or PDC Board invitation they must join the PDPA prior to participation in the event.
PDC Rule 1.3 All Full Members must sign and accept the PDC Player Contract and the PDPA Constitution and Code of Conduct and agree to abide by the Rules of the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) and pay any appropriate Sanction Fees to the DRA before being allowed to participate in any PDC organised event.
Honorary Membership:
Is FREE but to play in any PDC qualifier i.e. UK Open Regional or World Darts Championship qualifier, you must have registered and played in the PDC Q-School in 2020 and have an up to date PDC playing contract. To play as a Tour Card holder you would firstly have had to qualify through Q-School, then have an up to date PDC playing contract.
Original Honorary Members of the PDPA: Bob Anderson, Keith Deller, Peter Evison, Ritchie Gardner, Rod Harrington, Jamie Harvey, Cliff Lazarenko, John Lowe, Denis Priestley, Kevin Spiolek, Phil Taylor, Alan Warriner.
Additions to the original Honorary Members: Peter Manley, John Part.
Associate PDPA Membership:
Any player who enters and plays in the 2021 PDC Q-School, but does not gain a Tour Card will be an Associate Member of the PDPA. And can play on the Challenge Tour, European Tour Associate Members Qualifiers & UK Open Amatuer Qualifiers (Eligibility Criteria Applies)
PDC Rule 1.2 Paragraph 3 An Associate Member is defined as a player who has joined the PDPA but does not hold a Tour Card (for example a player who attempted to win a Tour Card through Q School or non-UK national who is a paid-up PDPA member).
Events you can play in as an Associate Member:
- PDC Challenge Tour Events
- UK Open Finals 2021 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers, if not in CTOoM top 8 from 2020.
- PDC Development Tour 2021 – age restrictions Apply.
- European Tour Associate Members Qualifiers
- Players Championship Event ‘Top Ups for the 128’ will come from the CTOoM Table at the time of the deadline for that event.
NOTE: Associate Members are ineligible to play in these qualifiers: GSoD, WS & PDPA WC as these are for Tour card Holders only.
Secondary Tour Members:
PDC Rule 1.1 Paragraph 6 A Secondary Tour Member is defined as a player who is only permitted to play on the Challenge/Development Tour events. For the avoidance of doubt, they are not permitted to play in qualifiers for Premier or ProTour events.
Day PDPA Membership:
Non PDPA Members can play as Day Members in European & Host Nation Qualifiers at European Darts Tour events only with the payment of a PDPA supplement as part of their entry fee (some restrictions apply).
PDC Rule 1.1 Paragraph 5 A Day Member is defined as a non-UK national who pays a supplement to his entry fee for non-UK ProTour events or European Tour events, or relevant qualifying events.
The Associate Members and Host Nation Qualifiers for 2020 European Tour events will be open to non-PDPA members for up to two events. Entry to three or more events will only be available to players who competed at Qualifying School.
Q-School entrants who did not play at Q-School:
If you entered Q-School but did not play you will NOT be classed as a PDPA Member.
Free Membership:
Any player who wins a 2 year Tour Card by virtue of an invitation via the Challenge Tour or Development Tour must be aware that your first year ONLY is FREE with only your DRA Sanction Fee required in both years, the second year of your Tour Card full PDPA membership is required by the required deadline date.
Age Restriction:
Applicants must be aged 16 or over to be a Member of the Professional Dart Players Association. ID may be asked to verify age. See PDPA constitution. However players under 18 must be aware of the UK licensing laws in the venues we use and must adhere to these.
Honorary Members Fee No annual fee, however a current PDC playing contract must be signed to play in any PDC event and players will need to register and play at the PDC Q-School at the start of the season to be eligible to play during the season. You can play in any amateur qualifiers which take place for the UK Open if you have not played at Q-School and are therefore not a current playing Member.
Full Members Fee:
You are a Full PDPA Member if you are invited onto the PDC Pro-Tour i.e. you are in the Top 64 on the PDC Order of Merit as of the cut off date (Following the conclusion of the 2020/21 World Championship) OR are an invite and you fulfil the criteria, OR you qualify via the PDC Q-School.
NOTE: If you qualify for a 2 year PDC Tour Card at Q-School you will be required to pay an Upgrade Fee of £100 after Q-School to bring your total fees paid to £550
DRA Sanction Fee:
All PDPA Members are required to pay a DRA Sanction Fee supplement of £50 per player. This is added to any Q-School entry fee or World Championship deduction for your convenience, All other payments must be made Full Details of this sanction fee is on your PDPA Website and will also be sent to you.
Managers/Agents Licence:
The DRA launched the Managers and Agents Licence in 2016 and this still continues, you will not be eligible to compete in DRA sanctioned events if your Manager/Agent does not have a licence. As a player you are obliged to forward this on to any person acting as your manager or agent.
It is your responsibility to make sure your agent/manager is registered. These licence fees are there to protect everyone and will be strictly adhered to, any player/manager who does not conform to this licence will be referred to the DRA and risk serious sanctions.
Associate Member Fee:
(Q-School Entry Fee) £450 You are an Associate Member if you did not qualify for the pro-tour but played in the Q-School. This category is also for players who join during the season via a TV Event, or Non-UK Based members without a Tour Card.
Membership Entry Deadlines are as follows:
- All Full PDPA Membership subscriptions are required by 4th January 2021 2pm
- European & UK Q-School Entries are required by 18th January 2020 2pm
If you qualify for a Tour Card at the UK or European Q-School you will have a further 7 days from the conclusion of Q-School (Tuesday 23rd February 2021 at 2pm) to register your Full Membership (i.e. acceptance of the Card and your place on the Main Tour) otherwise your place may be offered to another player on the QSOoM Table.
Termination of PDPA Membership:
If you decide to not participate in any further PDC events in 2020, that is your choice, The PDPA will not provide you or anyone else with any resignation letters or confirmations of Membership. A full list of current members will be shown on the website for reference or confirmation of status.
Payments in 2021:
Full PDPA Membership is £500 & £50 DRA Sanction Fee.
To pay your Full PDPA Membership £500 click at bottom of page, for your DRA Sanction Fee of £50 also click at bottom of page and follow the instructions. You do not need to pay any of these fees if you have qualified for the William Hill World Darts Championship as your membership and sanction fee is automatically deducted from any prize money earned.
Q-School:
Is a set fee of £400 & £50 DRA Sanction Fee (£450)
DRA Sanction Fee is £50:
This is for players who have won or earned a FREE Q-School entry or FREE Membership. To pay your DRA Sanction Fee £50 click below and follow the PayPal instructions.
Tour Card Upgrade £100:
If you win a Tour Card at Q-School, you are required to upgrade to Full Membership.