Welcome trooper (or potential trooper)! There's a lot of information to take in at 501st.com and it can be hard to find what you need. We've put together this list of frequently asked questions to try to make it easier for you to get what you need. If you don't see your answer here, please contact us directly.
Troop on!
How do I join the 501st?
Visit the recruiting page for all the info you need on signing up!
Can I join if I am under 18?
Unfortunately no. We require that all members be at least 18 years of age.However there is a group created by our founder for costumers under 18: Galactic Academy
How can I get in touch with my local garrison?
Take a look at the garrison, detachment and outpost listing page to find the unit nearest you.
Can you tell me where to buy a costume?
The 501st cannot provide recommendations for or against any costume makers or products. Generally speaking, our members make their own costumes. To make it easier to get help with your desired project, the 501st has formed detachments focused on particular costumes. Joining a Detachment forum is strongly recommended as a part of the costume building process. Our Detachments focus on individual costume categories and offer the best information available for constructing your own detailed costume. Visit our Detachments page to find the right group for you!
How much do your costumes cost?
That depends on what costume you choose and what skills you bring to the project. If you can sew, an officer costume would be be relatively easy, but if you can't sew you'd need to hire a tailor. In general, our costumes range from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand depending on the character.
If I can't buy one online, how do I get a costume?
In general, most members either build the costumes themselves or get their costumes from other members with extra parts / unused costumes. How to tackle a costume depends on the costume: A tusken raider is very different to build than Darth Vader! Visit the Detachments Page to find the specialized discussion website for the costume you are interested in. You can also take a look at our ever growing costume reference library to get some ideas.
How are costuming standards defined?
Vist our CRL and New Costumes Guide for useful information on this.
Do you accept custom Star Wars characters?
While there are many amazing custom costumes out there, the 501st only accepts costumes with come sort of canon visual reference. Please take a look at our character approval guidelines for more information.
Is the Rubies stormtrooper/Vader/Boba Fett acceptable for membership?
Unfortunately no, at least not without a LOT of work. In most cases you will spend more money upgrading the costumes than you would have building your own suit. Definitely check with the relevant detachment before you buy! The Rubies Darth Vader can be made into a workable ROTS Vader with a lot of work. Visit the Sith Lords Detachment to find out more. Similarly the Rubies Stormtrooper can be made to work as a Return of the Jedi style stormtrooper. There's a lot to do, but the First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment can show you how. To date we have not seen anyone successfully upgrade the Boba Fett costume to Legion standards. The Bounty Hunters Guild would be the place to go to discuss.
What do I do if there are no pictures of the character I'm looking for in the CRL?
If you have one of the costumes that is missing photos, head to your detachment and talk to your detachment leader about getting included in the CRL.
Can I make a costume not in your list of CRLs?
Absolutely, so long as it meets the character approval guidelines. New to the Legion costumes happen all the time... that's how the CRLs get there in the first place! Please see the New to the Legion documentation for an explanation of the process.
Do you have a weapons policy?
The 501st is an organization that spans many parts of the world, each with its own unique policies on replica weapons. Please visit the official 501st weapons policy for a description of the club requirements.