CHECKLIST FOR ACA MEMBER CLUBS TO USE ACA’S LICENSE FOR EVENTS

Holding an AKC/ACA Event for Your Club in Conjunction with an All-Breed Show

Download Application Process in pdf format – updated 5/31/26

1. The member club’s show chair, which AKC requires to be a current member, must obtain the ACA Member Club Regional/Supported/Sweeps application form, which is available on the ACA website or from the ACA Corresponding Secretary.

2. Member club dues need to be paid through the year of the specialty/supported event.

3. The ACA show application form and AKC show/trial application must be sent to the ACA Corresponding Secretary six (6) months prior to the show’s closing date. These may be mailed to the ACA Corresponding Secretary or e-mailed to aca-c-secretary@akitaclub.org.

4. The requesting member club must send the ACA Corresponding Secretary a copy of their Certificate of Liability Insurance showing ACA as an additional insured under the member club’s insurance policy. If the insurance policy will expire prior to the specialty/supported event, then a current Certificate of Liability Insurance must be provided at the time the show documents are submitted and another Certificate of Liability Insurance provided after renewal of the insurance, verifying that ACA is covered by the member club’s insurance for the time of the specialty/supported event.

5. ACA Corresponding Secretary will review the documents submitted by the requesting member club to verify that they are complete and correct, make a motion to the Board to allow the requesting member club to use ACA’s license for the event, then sign where needed. AKC show application needs to be signed by ACA Corresponding Secretary, not by the requesting member club officer. Once the Board has approved and Corresponding Secretary has signed the AKC event application, it will be returned to the show chair of the requesting club.

6. ACA Board members have 5 days in which to vote on the motion; after which the ACA Recording Secretary advises the board as to the status of the motion, either passed or failed.

7. If the motion passes, ACA Corresponding Secretary sends the AKC event application to the show chair and the show chair submits all documents and payment to AKC Event Plans. Documents may be mailed to AKC or be emailed with payment made via check. If the requesting club uses a credit card, that club will be responsible for calling AKC with the correct credit card information. The requesting club will be advised by the ACA Recording Secretary if the motion fails.

8. Any issues sent to the ACA Corresponding Secretary as a pending event notice from the AKC will be forwarded to and resolved by the requesting member club.

Stumbling Blocks to Avoid

1. Show Chair is not a current ACA member.

2. ACA dues have not been paid in advance up to and including the event year.

3. Insurance certificate naming ACA as additional insured missing, incorrect, or not completed.

4. Forms submitted to ACA Corresponding Secretary late.

Download the fillable application form here: REGIONAL APPLICATION FORM

Due Dates

AKC must receive all event documents at least 18 weeks prior to the show closing date. Documents are requested 6 months in advance to allow time for processing documents, especially when they may be incomplete or incorrect, and for the Board to vote on the motion to approve the show.

Late Fees

Requesting member clubs are liable for AKC late fees due to late submission and/or incomplete/incorrect documents. AKC fines $50 for late applications and $10 per week. The same AKC late fine amounts apply for judges panel forms and are in addition to the show/trial late charges. (Rules Applying to Dog Shows, Chapter 2, Sections 4 & 9)

Mailing

Please use Delivery Confirmation with anything sent through the U.S. Postal Service. Time sensitive material should be sent Priority Mail.

Independent Clubs

Every three years the ACA Corresponding Secretary requests a current list of independent Akita clubs and the blanket approval form letter from AKC Event Plans. ACA Corresponding Secretary makes a motion to the Board requesting a three-year blanket approval for all active independent clubs on AKC’s list. After the motion is voted on and passed, ACA Corresponding Secretary completes and signs the blanket approval form letter, sends it to AKC Event Plans, and sends copies to the independent Akita clubs for their records.