How Do I Get an AA Chip?

Members who join Alcoholics Anonymous are working every day to maintain their sobriety and to live a better life. It is a day by day process and it is not easy. Those who maintain sobriety should be proud of their accomplishment. However, many need a reminder of what they are doing and how far they have come. For many, an AA chip fills this role. However, newcomers might beg the question “How do I get an AA chip?” From the milestones to the actual process of receiving the chip, there is more to know then you may think.

AA Chips are earned by members of alcoholics anonymous who achieve certain time periods of sobriety. These are recognized by members as a reminder of their personal length of sobriety or of the achievement they have made. These chips start with a newcomer picking up a chip for 24 hours of sobriety all the way to veteran memberships that have been sober for decades through the program of alcoholics anonymous. The following is a specific timeline that is used to distribute these chips and to mark each milestone and what the coins look like.

1. 1. Silver Chip – 24 hours of sobriety
   2. Red Chip – 30 days/1 month of sobriety
   3. Gold Chip – 60 days/2 months of sobriety
   4. Green Chip – 90 days/3 months of sobriety
   5. Purple Chip – 4 months of sobriety
   6. Pink Chip – 5 months of sobriety
   7. Dark Blue Chip – 6 months of sobriety
   8. Copper Chip – 7 months of sobriety
   9. Red Chip – 8 months of sobriety
   10. Purple Chip – 9 months of sobriety
   11. Gold Chip – 10 months of sobriety
   12. Green Chip – 11 months of sobriety
   13. Bronze Chip – 1 year of sobriety.

After 1 year sober, chips are given out yearly. This means members get a chip at 1 year sober, 2 years sober, 3 years sober, and so on. These milestones are generally the ones recognized in all AA groups, but some groups provide chips for additional milestones. They may be every month for the first year, or even longer. 8-month and 18-month chips are not unheard of. It is really up to the individual chapter to provide these chips at the milestones they choose.

Receiving my AA Chip

In order to receive an AA chip, you must attend AA meetings. At these meetings, members are encouraged to share that they have reached a milestone, and the group leader will present them with the appropriate chip.

Unless you are on parole, there is no one following you and making sure that you aren’t drinking or drugging. It is up to the individual to be honest about their substance use. If you relapse, you are asked to turn in your chips and to start back at day 1. If you lie about this, you are only hurting yourself. The group cannot provide proper support if you aren’t’ honest, and the chips mean nothing if they are representing real milestones achieved.

Author: Find Recovery Editorial Team

The Find Recovery Editorial Team includes content experts that contribute to this online publication. Editors and recovery experts review our blogs carefully for accuracy and relevance. We refer to authority organizations such as SAMHSA and NIDA for the latest research, data, and news to provide our readers with the most up-to-date addiction and recovery-related content. View all posts by Find Recovery Editorial Team