IKCA Membership Information

A Bit of History

IKCA Membership Information: Since 2017, we’ve had many, many requests to bring back our IKCA Membership Programs. We listened. It just took a bit to make it all happen.

Membership Information: 1990-2017

Pictured here is the “old school” personal membership package that used to be shipped to you from IKCA Headquarters.

This is 2022 – times have changed, and the way we did it for 30 years doesn’t line up with how our members – past, present, and future – are using the web, watching media, and interacting.

So we went back to the drawing board. Some of this we kept, and some of it we have evolved making our website and our Distance Learning Program truly interactive – which was a goal of ours since 1990.

So … let’s talk about the updates…

Membership Information: 2022 and into the Future of the IKCA

Here is the NEW IKCA Membership Package. Memberships have now gone digital through our newly designed website which you’ve already found. They’re priced similarly to how they were in the past, but now provide SO MUCH more value.

One of the questions we’ve had a lot – “I have a Lifetime Membership that:

1) I bought when they were offered from 2002 – 2016. or

2) Was given to me by SGM Chuck with my IKCA Black Belt from 2017 – 2021.”

We provided free access to the website from July 2022-September 2025. Effective 9/1/2025 the free membership level has been sunset. Anyone holding a lifetime membership from one of the above mentioned situations please fill out a contact form and speak with David Ghigliotty about what we can do for you moving forward. From this point forward all users require one of the current membership account levels to access content.

Do I have to become an IKCA Member with one of the new Membership options?

An active IKCAkenpo.com Individual, Black Belt, or Certified Instructor Membership is required for students to study our coursework and be recognized by HQ with official IKCA Diplomas & Promotion packages.

Providing all of the content available now and in the future is not a free endeavor, so the additional benefit to our organization is part of the annual memberships cover all costs associated with hosting and running our fabulous website.

You said “More Value”…

That’s right, we did. Let’s be clear – signing up for one of the current membership levels is entirely your choice. We believe after you review everything you get with the IKCA Memberships, you’ll see what we mean. This info is for you.

You STILL get the membership package shipped to you with your first year’s membership, and you can still get a renewal package shipped to you each year you renew by request. There are multiple tiers of paid memberships for our different level members – as truly each of these levels is a recognition of advancement and responsibility. With all of the current membership tiers – you’ll get:

IKCA Membership Certificate that are serialized like our diplomas.
IKCA Member ID card.
First Year: IKCA Membership Patch.
Access to our private Members Only sections of our website – there’s sections for the Black Belts, and our Certified Instructors too!
Access to Members Only products at IKCAStore.com.

We’ve tried to simplify it as much as possible.

If you’re just starting out or you’re already an IKCA Colored Belt of any level below Black Belt, you’re qualified for the IKCA Individual Membership. Our friends who aren’t studying our materials regularly but want to be a member to attend DigiCons and receive discounts on Events and Seminars – this is for you too.

IKCA Black Belts have completed the base syllabus and we open up the Tips & Tricks section as well as a whole new product section. Black Belts who are not yet fully Certified Instructors – the Black Belt Membership is for you.

IKCA Certified Instructors get access to ordering diplomas as well as everything Black Belts and Individual Members have available to them. If you hold an IKCA Certified Instructor credential and wish it to remain active so you can order IKCA diplomas, you need to register with the Certified Instructor Membership.

Here’s the Quick Registration Page.

Here’s the page with a bit more info on all the levels: Membership Levels.

I still have questions. Who can I talk to?

David Ghigliotty is our Director – Distance Learning Program & Public Relations. He’s on Facebook, he can be reached through our Contact Forms. He’s your man to answer any questions you have.

What if I have trouble with the website?

Again – hit the contact forms, but send this one to Steve Zalazowski.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: If I get an Individual Membership at the (belt color) level, and then take a test, do I have to pay a new $50 membership fee?
- A: Absolutely not, our membership fees are annual.
- Example: Let’s say you bought the $50 membership, and went from purple belt to blue belt. We would adjust your access level to the coursework on the back end as part of your promotion package.
- Example 2: Let’s say you are a brown belt and you bought the Individual $50 membership. Then you took your Black Belt test and passed it during that year. At that point you can keep your Individual Membership, but you won’t get access to the new materials we open up for you with the Black Belt Membership. That’s the point you would want to Upgrade to the Black Belt Membership – and the cost is prorated to upgrade automatically by the system.