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How to get press credentials in the USA

In the US, press credentials come from whoever controls access – your outlet, an event organizer, a city or a government body. There is no national press card. To get credentialed you usually need three things: proof that you publish (clips or broadcasts), proof that someone has assigned you (an assignment letter) and an ID that shows who you are.

This guide walks through the steps that work for staff reporters, freelancers and online journalists, from your first assignment letter to city press cards and federal galleries.

Apply for the FJA press card All US credentials

At a glance

National press card: None – each agency, organizer and outlet credentials separately
What organizers want: Assignment letter + recent published work
New York City: Free MOME press card, 6 works in 24 months required
Los Angeles: LAPD Media ID, $73 for a first card
FJA card: Photo ID with QR verification, £82 (about $110) for 12 months – not an official US credential

What “press credentials” means in the US

“Press credentials” covers several different things, and it helps to know which one you need:

Outlet credentials: the ID or letter your newsroom gives you. Traditionally, US news organizations have issued their own press IDs.
Event credentials: passes issued by a team, league, festival, conference or venue for one event or a season.
Government credentials: city press cards (for example New York City or the LAPD Media ID), state legislature credentials, the congressional press galleries and the White House hard pass.
Membership press passes: issued by organizations to their members, such as the National Writers Union press pass.

None of these is a national card, and each body recognizes its own. An event organizer will not let you in because you hold an NYC press card, and a city will not let you cross police lines because you hold a festival pass.

Step 1: Build proof that you publish

Almost every credentialing body asks for recent published or broadcast work. The thresholds are concrete:

New York City (MOME): at least six works published or broadcast in the last 24 months, showing in-person coverage on at least six separate days of events in public places in the five boroughs.
LAPD Media ID: freelancers need three assignment letters, or three work samples from the last six months that required access beyond police or fire lines.
National Writers Union press pass: three published pieces in the last two years, three audio or video pieces (or one 15-minute broadcast feature), or a book from a non-vanity publisher in the last five years.

Keep a simple portfolio page with dated links, bylines and screenshots. Organizers want to see that you report regularly, not that you once wrote a viral post.

Step 2: Get an assignment letter

For events, the assignment letter usually matters more than any card. It is a short note on the outlet’s letterhead (or from an editor’s work email) confirming that you are covering a named event for that outlet, with the editor’s contact details.

Many sports organizations will not credential freelancers without one. The Washington Commanders’ 2026 media access policy, for example, states that credentials will not be issued to freelance writers or photographers without a specific written assignment from the assigning organization.

A good assignment letter includes: your name, the outlet, the event and date, what you will produce (story, photos, video), where it will run, and a direct contact for the editor.

Step 3: Apply to the right body – early

Once you know which access you need, apply to the body that controls it:

Events and sports: the team’s or organizer’s media relations office, usually via an online media request form. Deadlines are often weeks before the event, and space is limited.
Concerts and tours: typically the artist’s publicist or the venue’s press office. Send your assignment letter and a link to past coverage.
Police and fire lines in New York: the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) issues the city press card free of charge; see our NYC press card guide.
Los Angeles: the LAPD Media ID is for staff and self-employed journalists who regularly cover events behind police or fire lines; it requires a California DOJ fingerprint check and costs $73 for a first card (from October 20, 2025).
Congress: the press galleries accredit full-time paid correspondents based in the Washington area; the White House hard pass is issued by the White House Press Office after a Secret Service background check.

Read the credential terms before you sign. In October 2025 the NPPA warned photographers about “rights-grab” clauses in some credential agreements that claim rights to your images.

Step 4: Carry ID that identifies you as press

When you arrive, you will be asked who you are and who you work for. Staff journalists carry their outlet ID. Freelancers and independent online journalists often have nothing comparable – which is where a membership pass or a verifiable press ID helps.

Options include a membership press pass (for example the NWU pass at $59 domestic or $99 international for members, valid two years) or a chapter ID such as NJ-SPJ’s press ID card for its members. The FJA press card is another option: a photo ID that anyone can verify through its QR code, posted to the US.

Be clear about what any of these do: they help you prove identity and professional activity. They do not replace an event credential, a city press card or an assignment letter, and no card guarantees access.

Where the FJA card fits for US journalists

The FJA card is aimed at freelancers, photographers and online journalists who do not have a newsroom ID. It costs £82 for 12 months (about $110 – you pay in pounds sterling and your bank converts), £130 for 24 months or £156 for 36 months, with no membership fee.

After payment you receive a digital card; the printed card is checked and produced within 14–18 working days and posted to the US for £5.99, which usually takes up to 14 working days.

What it is not: it is not issued by any US government body, it does not let you cross police or fire lines, and it does not replace NYC, LAPD, congressional or league credentials. Treat it as a professional ID that supports your applications, not as an access pass.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a national press card in the US?

No. Press credentials are issued by individual organizations, organizers and government bodies, and each recognizes only its own.

Can freelancers get press credentials?

Yes, but most bodies want proof of assignment. Get a written assignment from an editor and keep a portfolio of recent, dated work. Some sports teams do not credential freelancers without a written assignment.

How much do press credentials cost?

Many are free, including the New York City press card. The LAPD Media ID costs $73 for a first card. Membership passes cost membership dues plus a fee, for example the NWU press pass at $59 (domestic) for members.

Do I need a press pass to photograph in public?

No. Federal appeals courts in most circuits have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police in public places. A credential matters for restricted areas, not for public spaces. See journalist rights in the USA.

Does the FJA card work as a US press credential?

It works as a verifiable professional ID that you can show alongside your assignment letter. It is not an official US credential and does not grant access anywhere on its own.

Sources and last review

NYC MOME – Press Credentials Office FAQ (March 2025) – eligibility, validity, fees
LAPD – Press pass policy – Media ID eligibility
LAPD – Media card fee from October 20, 2025
National Writers Union – Press passes – price, validity, requirements
Senate Daily Press Gallery – Rules
WHCA – Covering the White House – hard pass
PetaPixel – NPPA warning on credential agreements (Oct 2025)
Columbia Journalism Review – US press credentials

Written and reviewed by the FJA editorial team. Last review: 23 October 2026. Laws, fees and procedures change – check the linked sources before you rely on a detail.

How to get press credentials in the USA

What “press credentials” means in the US

Step 1: Build proof that you publish

Step 2: Get an assignment letter

Step 3: Apply to the right body – early

Step 4: Carry ID that identifies you as press

Where the FJA card fits for US journalists

Frequently asked questions

Sources and last review

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