Lodges have the authority to elect Honorary Members, recognizing Brothers of good standing for their significant contributions to the Craft or the Lodge. Election requires a motion placed on the summons and a ballot vote, which passes unless three or more black balls are cast against it. Honorary Members are exempt from Lodge fees and can attend meetings but cannot propose, vote on propositions, or hold office unless they transition to subscribing members per Rules 163 and 164. They are not subject to Grand Lodge dues as outlined in Rules 83, 84, and 270, and their names are treated differently in membership returns under Rules 146 and 151. Notably, Past Masters granted Honorary Membership retain the right to propose or second candidates if they were subscribing members. The amended Rule 167 applies across various jurisdictions, including Bedfordshire, Essex, and Hong Kong, until further direction from the Board of General Purposes.
December 4th, 2025
February 10th, 2026
boc constitutional
constitutional documents
A Lodge shall have power, after notice placed on the summons, to elect as an Honorary Member any Brother of good standing and worthy of such distinction by reason of his services to the Craft, or to the particular Lodge, who is, or within the previous year has been, a subscribing member of a regular Lodge. The motion for his election shall be voted on by ballot and declared carried unless three or more black balls appear against it. Such Honorary Member, who shall not be liable for any fees payable to the Lodge, shall possess the right of attending the meetings of the Lodge, but not, unless he ceases to be an Honorary Member by becoming a subscribing member of the Lodge in accordance with Rules 163 and 164, of making or voting upon any proposition or holding any office in the Lodge. The Grand Lodge and Metropolitan, Provincial or District Grand Lodge dues under Rules 83, 84 and 270 shall not be paid in respect of an Honorary Member, and his name shall not be included in the list of subscribing members returned to the Grand Lodge in accordance with Rule 146 or the return required by Rule 151. Where, however, the distinction of Honorary Membership has been conferred upon a Past Master because of the services he has rendered to the Lodge, he shall, if he has been a subscribing member thereof, be entitled to propose or second candidates for admission to the Lodge. *Until the Board of General Purposes has given a direction in relation to any particular area, the current Rule (above) will continue to apply. Rule 167 (Amended): A Lodge shall have power, after notice placed on the summons, to elect as an Honorary Member any Brother of good standing and worthy of such distinction by reason of his services to the Craft, or to the particular Lodge, who is, or within the previous year has been, a subscribing member of a regular Lodge. The motion for his election shall be voted on by ballot and declared carried unless three or more black balls appear against it. Such Honorary Member, who shall not be liable for any fees payable to the Lodge, shall possess the right of attending the meetings of the Lodge, but not, unless he ceases to be an Honorary Member by becoming a subscribing member of the Lodge in accordance with Rules 163 and 164, of making or voting upon any proposition or holding any office in the Lodge. The Grand Lodge and Metropolitan, Provincial or District Grand Lodge dues under Rules 83, 84 and 270 shall not be paid in respect of an Honorary Member, but his name shall be included in the list of members returned to the Grand Lodge in accordance with Rule 146; his name shall not be included in the return required by Rule 151. Where, however, the distinction of Honorary Membership has been conferred upon a Past Master because of the services he has rendered to the Lodge, he shall, if he has been a subscribing member thereof, be entitled to propose or second candidates for admission to the Lodge. *The above and amended Rule has been applied to the following area(s): Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumberland and Westmorland, Cyprus, Derbyshire, Dorset, Eastern Archipelago, Essex, Gloucestershire, Guernsey and Alderney, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Hong Kong and the Far East, Isle of Man, Jersey, Leicestershire and Rutland, Lincolnshire, Middlesex, Monmouthshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, South Wales, Suffolk, Warwickshire, West Wales and Wiltshire.