1. Membership types
You can achieve YHA membership by purchasing a (non-refundable) YHA New Zealand membership:
Adult membership 18 years and over:
If you are a New Zealand resident, you can purchase a membership for a term of one-year. On occasion two year and Gold memberships will be on offer for New Zealand residents. You will become a Senior Financial Member of YHA New Zealand.
If you are an international traveller, you can purchase a one-year membership only.
Youth membership under 18 years:
If you are under 18 years of age you are not required to show a YHA membership card but at check-in we may request proof of your age.
Youth membership cards may be useful when travelling overseas as some Hostelling International national associations may require you to present a youth membership card. You can request a card via YHA Customer Services. email: membership@yha.co.nz.
Group membership:
We do not require Endorsed Group membership for groups when you stay at our hostels within New Zealand.
For New Zealand groups wanting to travel overseas, YHA Endorsed Group membership is useful, as some Hostelling International national associations require this group membership status.
YHA Endorsed Group membership is available to valid New Zealand based organisations, such as schools, recreational, community or youth groups, etc. and participants must be New Zealand residents. All group members are covered by a single group membership and there must be ten or more members travelling together.
To either enquire or apply for this membership status, please email membership@yha.co.nz. We may ask to see your organisation documentation to confirm the eligibility of your group.
We will accept valid group membership of other Hostelling International national associations, provided the membership is current.
2. Membership Card
We issue all new members with a digital membership card. This card shall remain the property of YHA New Zealand.
From December 2022 we supply digital cards as default for all membership types. YHA members will be able to access the membership portal to update profile details and view membership discounts and benefits.
3. Becoming a member
Any person may become a member of YHA New Zealand by :
- Signing up through the YHA New Zealand Membership Portal.
- Agreeing to abide by YHA’s values, rules and regulations.
- Agreeing to comply with the laws of countries in which you travel as a YHA member.
- Paying the appropriate subscription fee.
4. What we expect of you
- You must not act in a way that is prejudicial to the interests or reputation of YHA or contrary to YHA’s values, rules and regulations.
- As a YHA member, you are bound by YHA’s Constitution.
- You agree to abide by the YHA New Zealand Hostel Regulations
5. Privacy statement:
Please refer to our Website Privacy Statement for guidance on what information is collected from you and why, and how it is used and stored. In addition and specific to your membership:
You may request your details are deleted at any time; however any such request will effectively terminate your membership.
By purchasing a YHA digital membership card you accept that your first name, last name, email address and membership number will be passed to Tomahawk trading as Audience, who run the YHA New Zealand Membership Portal, in order to activate your digital card member discount.
6. Further information
- You must pay your membership fee in full at the time of application.
- Fees are quoted in New Zealand dollars.
- Your membership will commence on the day we receive your application and it will continue until the relevant end period.
- Your membership is non-transferable to anyone else.
- The National Board may refuse membership to any person. The National Board is not required to state the reason for such refusal.
- You may resign your membership at any time by writing to or emailing YHA Customer services. We will not provide you with a refund.
- Your Membership gives you discounts on stays at YHA New Zealand and HI’s abroad. This discount applies to bookings made directly through the YHA Website or when booking directly with the YHA property.
- Member rates cannot be applied for past stays.
