Program Requirements

Policy on Judges Licensing as of Dec 1, 2025

 LICENSES: There is one type of license:  General License (which includes Bantam Chickens and Ducks)

 APPLICATION:  Candidate must have been a member of the ABA in good standing for five consecutive years at the time of application and be at least 21 years of age. A non-refundable fee must be sent to the ABA Secretary.  Secretary will then forward an application to the applicant if needed.  Applicant is to complete form and send it back to the Secretary of the ABA. This can be downloaded from this website, copied from the annual yearbook or sent to candidate on request.

 FEES:  General License $300.  Fee must be sent to the ABA Secretary with the completed application or can be paid online at www.bantamclub.com - Item: Judges Licensing Fee.

 STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM:  The two-year stewardship program includes stewarding with an ABA Licensed Judge with five or more years tenure at a minimum of eight different ABA Sanctioned shows under eight different licensed ABA judges who are not judging at that said show. The apprentice will arrange stewardship with the judge and spend at least 4 hours with said judge reviewing all seven bantam classes. Each candidate will provide a stamped envelope addressed to the Judges Licensing Committee Chairman along with a stewardship form to the ABA Licensed Judge whom you are stewarding with. The ABA Licensed judge will complete and send the form to the Chairman. The Applicant must also judge two junior shows of at least 100 bantams which will be evaluated by an ABA Licensed judge with five or more years of tenure before taking the show room and final written examination.

 EXAMINATIONS:  After successful completion of the stewardship program, the applicant will have one year to take the showroom practical examination and written examination under a licensed ABA judge who has been licensed for at least five years.  The examing judge will be appointed by Chairman of the Licensing Committee.  The examining judge will report his confidential findings when returning the written examination for grading and will be paid $50.00.

 Passing grade for the showroom examination is 90% and for the written examination is 80%.  Should the applicant fail any of the examinations, he or she must retake the examination within 6-12 months and paying a refilling fee of $150.   Examing Judge is paid to give exams as per above.

 An applicant who has passed both the showroom and the written examinations will be issued a license number by the ABA Secretary.  Grades are not sent to the candidate.   Effective March 2005, all newly licensed judges are required to participate in the Judge’s Continuing Education Program.

 Candidates who do not take the written exam within two years after being eligible to take it, will be dropped from the program.  They may be re-admitted after completing a new application, payment of the general license fee ($300) and approval of all three members of the committee.

 MISCELLANEOUS:  Any licensed ABA judge in arrears of annual dues for 90 days or more will have his or her license revoked.  To be re-instated, the judge must pay up the dues and a fine of $25.00.  If the ABA judge fails to renew before a year has elapsed, a new written exam based on the current BANTAM STANDARD and the fee for taking exam will be the same as those for retake, with the examining judge paid $50.

 Should a General Licensed APA judge wish an ABA judging license, all provisions listed earlier must be met except for the 2-year stewardship program.  The APA judge in question must be a member of the ABA for five consecutive years and have been licensed for at least two years.

 Any Licensed Canadian judge wishing an ABA judging license, all provisions listed earlier must be met except for the stewardship program.  The Licensed Canadian judge in question must be a member of the ABA for five consecutive years and have been licensed for at least two years.

 All tests given will be based on the latest edition of the Bantam Standard.  All judges are required to have the latest Bantam Standard.

 Effective December 1, 2025