Goals of the Lighthouse Passport Program
1. Provide a vehicle for participating locations to obtain donations to continue their preservation, restoration and educational efforts. To this end, we suggest a minimum donation of $2 for each stamp you receive.
2. Act as a fun way to chronical lighthouse visits and learn more about the important role they have played in American maritime history.
Passport entries/stamps that qualify for Passport Achievement Awards
Stamps for the USLHS Passport Program are primarily available for lighthouses. However, stamps for USCG stations or vessels, life-saving stations, maritime museums and Fresnel lenses are also part of the program. Any reference to “lighthouses” in our policies includes all of these types of locations. 60 different entries (photos or stamps) in a passport are required for an award level. An entry in one passport cannot be duplicated in another passport submitted for a different award. Only passports with all stamps qualify for the All Stamp Flag.
Acceptable entries
1. Any stamp listed on the USLHS Passport Club website. (uslhs.org/fun/passport-club).
(a) An image and name of the lighthouse.
(b) Only an image and you write the name under the stamp and indicate where you obtained it.
2. A photo you took of a listed lighthouse.
3. Special series stamps issued by USLHS (e.g. Lost Lights Series and Holiday Ornament Series), Society tour stamps and the Passport Club stamp.
*Entries that are not acceptable
1. Photos of international lighthouses that are not listed.
2. National Park cancellation stamps. These are part of a separate program sponsored by the National Park Service.
3. Lighthouse stamps obtained from a location not listed on the website.
4. Stickers, unless otherwise noted.
*Any stamps acceptable under previous policies will be counted toward awards until 12/31/2021. After that you may leave non qualifying stamps in your passport but it will be necessary to include additional stamps in order to achieve the 60 entries required for awards.
Participating location hours/days of opening
Many participating locations are only open seasonally. In addition, the days and hours of the week they are open may be limited by the availability of volunteers. It is strongly suggested that you call or check the location’s website to determine their current hours.
Obtaining stamp images via mail
If a stamp is unavailable when you visit or you visited it before you started collecting stamps, some locations are willing to provide you with a copy of the stamp via mail. This normally requires a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) and a donation (suggested amount $2) for each stamp requested. Additionally, some locations require more proof of your visit (e.g. a photo). Requirements are clearly identified for each site on the website along with their mailing instructions.
Stamps available on Lighthouse Cruises & Excursions
Some stamps are available from companies that provide cruises or excursions to one or more lighthouses. Most require that you participate in the cruise in order to obtain the stamp. In many cases a stamp with a different design for the same lighthouses is available at another location.
Obtaining your achievement awards (Patches, Wings & All Stamp Flags)
In order to obtain your achievement awards and be listed in our Hall of Fame, each Passport must contain 60 acceptable entries. If you are not able to fit four stamps on each page, use the blank pages in the back of the book to complete this requirement.
To receive your award in the mail, scan or take photos of your Passport pages and send them in an email to: passportclub@uslhs.org
Please do not send the Passport itself.
Note: If you have any questions regarding your completed passport or the status of your award request, please do not call the office. Send your inquiry to: passportclub@uslhs.org
