Do I need to be a Master Mason before joining the Scottish Rite?
Yes. The Scottish Rite is not where Freemasonry begins. You must first be a Master Mason in good standing in a lodge recognized by the Conference of Grand Masters in North America. In Georgia, that means a lodge under the Grand Lodge of Georgia.
Once you are a Master Mason, joining the Scottish Rite of Georgia takes three steps. Submit a petition with the required fee to a Georgia Valley. Be accepted by that Valley. Then attend a Reunion, where the degrees are conferred.
If you are not yet a Mason, the path starts with the Grand Lodge of Georgia, not with us. We are glad to share information, but Freemasonry comes first.
Grand Lodge of Georgia
Valleys of Georgia
How long does it take to receive the 33rd degree?
The 33rd degree is an honor conferred by the Supreme Council on a small number of members for sustained, distinguished service to the Rite and to their communities. Under the Statutes of the Supreme Council, it is never requested, and if it is requested, it is refused. There is no timeline, because it is recognition, not a rank earned by attendance.
What is the difference between the Scottish Rite and the York Rite?
Both are paths a Master Mason can take after the Blue Lodge, and neither ranks above the other. They are different routes, not different tiers.
The Scottish Rite confers the degrees from the 4th through the 32nd in one connected progression built around philosophy, history, and moral instruction. The York Rite is a grouping of three separate bodies: the Royal Arch Chapter, the Council of Royal and Select Masters, and the Commandery of Knights Templar.
A Mason may belong to both. One practical distinction: the York Rite’s Commandery is Christian in its orders, while the Scottish Rite asks only for the belief in a Supreme Being already required of every Master Mason.
What is the point of the Scottish Rite if I am already a Freemason?
The Blue Lodge gives you the foundation. The Scottish Rite builds on it. Through the degrees from the 4th to the 32nd, it expands on the lessons of the first three, using ritual, history, and philosophy to sharpen how a man thinks, leads, and serves.
It also widens your fellowship across the state and connects your membership to visible charitable work, including RiteCare and scholarships through the Scottish Rite Foundation of Georgia. For many members the value is straightforward. More Masonic light, stronger friendships, and a clear way to put principle into action.
Can women join the Scottish Rite?
In the Southern Jurisdiction, which includes Georgia, the Scottish Rite is for men who are Master Masons. Membership follows the Blue Lodge, and the Grand Lodge of Georgia confers the first three degrees on men.
Women who want to share in Masonic fellowship and service have related organizations open to them, such as the Order of the Eastern Star. The Scottish Rite values that wider Masonic family and the work it does.
Do I need a religious background to join?
You do not need to belong to any particular faith, and the Scottish Rite is not a religion. Freemasonry asks one thing here: a belief in a Supreme Being. That requirement comes from the Blue Lodge, where every Mason begins, and the Scottish Rite carries it forward.
Men of many faiths sit together in our Valleys. What unites them is shared principle, not shared doctrine.
If you are a Master Mason in Georgia and want to know more, reach out to a Valley near you. If you are not yet a Mason, the Grand Lodge of Georgia is the place to start. We are glad to share information. We do not solicit membership.