Individual membership at CBOT enables the member to trade CBOT products at discounted rates in the division of membership held.
To be an individual member of CBOT, you must be an adult with adequate financial resources to assume the responsibilities and privileges of membership and possess good moral character, a good reputation, and business integrity.
CME, CBOT, NYMEX, and COMEX memberships are entirely separate from one another and offer access to different products at different rates. To trade specific products at discounted rates, you must be a member of the Exchange on which they trade.
To find out which products trade on CBOT:
There are five levels of individual CBOT memberships. Each type determines eligibility for trading certain products at reduced rates and provides access to trading on the CME Group trading floor.
(B-1) Full Members (FULL)
Trades: All financial and Agricultural futures and options contracts
(B-2) Associate Members (AM)
Trades: All financial futures and options and Agricultural options only
(B-3) Government, Instruments Market (GIM) Members
Trades: Financial instrument futures
(B-4) Index, Debt and Energy Market (IDEM) Members
Trades: Fed Fund and index futures
(B-5) Commodity Options Market (COM) Members
Trades: Options
Lease Prices
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LoadingOnce you have decided a CBOT Individual memberhsip is right for you, apply for membership.
Each of the individual CBOT memberships involve the same application process.
To apply for CBOT membership you must submit:
- A typewritten electronic application for membership, including answers to questions concerning educational, employment & residential history as well as disciplinary history and completion of a financial statement
- A $2,000 wire for the non-refundable application fee
- A signed letter of intent
- A copy of the applicants current trading account statement or if trading for a proprietary firm a signed letter of confirmation from the firm
- A copy of the applicant's unexpired passport
- Please refer to the Membership Application Instructions & Checklist posted on the Membership forms pages
Notes:
- The membership application forms can be found on the Membership Forms pages
- All membership documents must be submitted electronically
During the application process, we list the name of each applicant in our Weekly Special Executive Report.
If we approve your membership application, you have 30 days to acquire a membership.
You can acquire a membership via:
- Purchase
- Lease from a current member
- Firm transfer
You may submit a bid to purchase a membership at any time e.g., before you submit your application for membership, while your application is being processed, or after your application is approved.
You may also submit a lease agreement or transfer forms once you are approved for membership. You may lease a membership by paying a monthly rent to an owner of a membership.
You can find a member to lease from through your clearing firm or through a list of lessors posted on the Membership Pricing page.
Listed here are forms customers may need to process or understand their membership needs and requirements.
- Membership Application Instructions & Checklist
- Short Form Application Instructions & Checklist
- CME Group Membership Application Long Form (Paper Version)
- CME Group Membership Application Long Form (DocuSign)
- CME Group Membership Application Short Form (Paper Version)
- CME Group Membership Application Short Form (DocuSign)
- Electronic Access Form (Expedited Rates Form)
- Non-Member Investor Single Owner (Paper Version)
- Non-Member Investor Single Owner (DocuSign)
- Non-Member Investor Multiple Owners (Paper Version)
- Automated Trading System (“ATS”) Orders Questionnaire (Paper Version)
- CME Group Seat Market Procedures & Instructions
- Bid to Purchase Membership Interest Form (Paper version)
- Bid to Purchase Membership Interest Form (DocuSign version)
- Bid to Purchase Membership Interest Change Form (Paper version)
- Bid to Purchase Membership Interest Change Form (DocuSign version)
- Offer to Sell Membership Interest Form (Paper version)
- Offer to Sell Membership Interest Form (DocuSign version)
- Offer to Sell Membership Interest Change Form (Paper version)
- Offer to Sell Membership Interest Change Form (DocuSign version)
- Agreement of Purchase of Membership/Guarantee by an Exchange Clearing Firm (Paper version)
- Agreement of Purchase of Membership/Guarantee by an Exchange Clearing Firm (DocuSign version)
- Swap Bid
- Swap Offer
- W-9 Form
- W-8 BEN (Individual)
- Special Indemnification
- Swap Indemnification Letter
- Rule 106A-B Form (Paper version)
- Rule 106A-B Form (DocuSign version)
- Rule 106.C: Family Transfer (Paper Version)
- Rule 106 C: Family Transfer (DocuSign)
- Rule 106.D Form and Trading Authorization (Paper Version)
- Rule 106.D Form and Trading Authorization (DocuSign)
- Rule 106.D Form Pursuant to Corporate Member (Paper version)
- Rule 106.D Form Pursuant to Corporate Member (DocuSign Version
- Rule 106E: Bona Fide Gift of Membership Interest (Paper Version)
- Rule 106E: Bona Fide Gift of Membership Interest (DocuSign)
- Rule 106E: Unconditional Bequest (Paper Version)
- Rule 106E: Unconditional Bequest (DocuSign)
- Rule 106F: Clearing Member Transfer (Paper Version)
- Rule 106.F Clearing Member Transfer (DocuSign)
- Rule 106H: Trading Member Firm Transfer (Paper Version)
- Rule 106H: Trading Member Firm Transfer (DocuSign)
- Rule 106I: Affiliate Member Firm Transfer (Paper Version)
- Rule 106I: Affiliate Member Firm Trader (DocuSign)
- Rule 106J: Equity Member Firm Transfer (Paper Version)
- Rule 106.J Equity Member Firm Transfer (DocuSign)
- Rule 106K: Transfer to a Trust (Paper Version)
- Rule 106K: Transfer to a Trust (DocuSign)
- Transfer from Trust Form
- Rule 106M: Transfer to Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship
- Rule 106P: Transfer to a Family Limited Partnership
- CME/CBOT Lease Information Form (Paper Version)
- CME/CBOT Lease Information Form (DocuSign)
- Release of Qualified Member Form (Paper Version)
- Release of Qualified Member Form (DocuSign)
- Electronic Qualification Form (Paper Version)
- Electronic Qualification Form (DocuSign)
- Reinstatement Form (Paper Version)
- Reinstatement Form (DocuSign)
- Parker Form (Paper Version)
- Parker Form (DocuSign)
- Rule 110 Indemnification Form (Paper Version)
- Rule 110 Indemnification Form (DocuSign)
- Rule 110 Special Indemnification Form for Transfer to Trust (Paper version)
- Rule 110 Special Indemnification Form for Transfer to Trust (DocuSign version)
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