What Are SAG-AFTRA Vouchers?

SAG-AFTRA Vouchers are original paystubs confirming that you’ve worked as an actor on a union-covered production. These official documents serve as proof that your role fell under SAG-AFTRA’s jurisdiction—and that you were paid accordingly.

More than just paperwork, these vouchers carry serious weight for actors working toward union membership. They validate your professional experience and are often essential when applying to join SAG-AFTRA. Most performers become eligible after earning three vouchers through qualified union jobs.

In short, SAG-AFTRA vouchers are a vital part of the actor’s journey. They document your union-standard work, mark your progress toward membership, and open the door to the rights, protections, and opportunities that come with it.

[Read also: 6 Super Practical Tips for Foreign Actors Who Want to Work in the USA]

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: We carefully curate our ads and links to match our recommendations. We sometimes receive a small commission at no cost to you when you click through the affiliate links or ads on our website. Click here to check our detailed privacy policy.

Understanding SAG-AFTRA Vouchers

Understanding SAG-AFTRA Vouchers means knowing how to use your paystubs to your advantage—not just for union purposes, but for your overall career organization and financial tracking.

These vouchers can help you:

– stay on top of your earnings and job history
– keep accurate records of your acting work
– report income correctly during tax season
– track payments from production companies
– file for unemployment, if eligible
– verify income for various personal or professional needs

Typically, about two weeks after your shoot wraps, you’ll receive a check in the mail—along with your voucher or paystub. This is often a pink paper slip, but with digital payments on the rise, the format may vary depending on the production.

📬 [For up-to-date info, visit your local SAG-AFTRA website.]

When do I get a voucher?

You will receive a voucher at wrapping if your acting work is:

• as a principal actor (speaking lines),
• or as a background actor or “extra” (no lines and not always clearly identifiable),
• as a featured background or “featured extra” (no lines but identifiable).

[Read also: SAG-AFTRA: When Should You Join?]

The Taft-Hartley Act: A Pathway to Union Membership

The Taft-Hartley Act allows you to work under union conditions before you join a union. On a SAG-AFTRA production set, there are regular payment vouchers, and “Taft-Hartley Vouchers” (also known as “SAG-AFTRA Vouchers” or “Union Vouchers”).

An actor will receive a SAG-AFTRA voucher instead of a regular voucher at wrapping when:

• the actor is not a SAG-AFTRA member but played a speaking role;
• or the actor is identifiable on camera (featured background);
• the actor received an “upgrade” on set from background to principal.

Receiving ONE union voucher as a principal actor makes you eligible to join SAG-AFTRA. When you work a speaking role, SAG-AFTRA may send you an invitation letter to join soon after.

Receiving THREE union vouchers as a background actor also makes you eligible to join SAG-AFTRA. You don’t always receive a union invitation to join in that case, so you have to contact the union and present them with a copy of your vouchers.

Taft-Hartley is a common way non-union actors choose to try and join the union.

[Read also: How to Get Upgraded on Set]

What Are SAG-AFTRA Vouchers Used For?

Having a SAG-AFTRA voucher is especially beneficial for professional actors. Being an actor is a business, and the vouchers serve as:

• record of income;
• proof of union affiliation,
• a track record of money you earned, a record of taxes you paid.

Moreover, SAG-AFTRA vouchers allow you to:

• seek healthcare,
• join a union pension plan, and
• collect residual payments.

Ultimately, a SAG-AFTRA voucher is an invaluable tool for union actors to prove they have worked as an actor and received the payments associated with the job.

[Read also: Special Skills: Acting in Spanish]  

When Extras Get a SAG-AFTRA Voucher

Background work, unfortunately, is not considered “serious acting.” However, being an extra actor is not all bad. As a background, you have the opportunity to:

• meet people, which can lead to future contacts and opportunities,
• build your “on-set” experience, 
• learn about the industry and the craft of acting,
• maybe receive an upgrade and a SAG-AFTRA voucher (or 3!).

Being a background actor may not make you a superstar overnight, but with persistence and a little luck, you can transition from the background into the spotlight.

[Read also: Can Background Acting Ruin My Career?]

Receiving a SAG-AFTRA Voucher On Set

Receiving a Taft-Hartlley voucher at wrapping typically means you received an “upgraded”  role, also known as a “bump.” There is no formula for getting this kind of upgrade, although many actors chase vouchers as a way to join the union. As a rule, upgrades happen on set as production needs them. It is a matter of luck.

“I have only seen it happen a few times,” says actress Luciana Lambert. “I was working on the set of an Adam Sandler movie once when he randomly pointed at an extra among at least another three hundred others and asked them to say a line. That person received a SAG-AFTRA voucher and a standing ovation from fellow extras at wrapping. After all, it is like winning the lottery.”

Nonetheless, that actor would need to get lucky at least two other times to get enough SAG-AFTRA vouchers to join the union. “People tell me I was very lucky,” says Katia Kieling, who worked at a different big-budget film. “I got twelve vouchers from standing next to the main cast as a waitress for twelve production days.”

“It took me about two years to receive five SAG-AFTRA vouchers (when) I was doing background work in L.A.,” says actor Randy Masters on Reddit. It is important to consider that cities with an abundance of productions like Los Angeles always will have opportunities for background actors. Equally important is to keep in mind that being “extra” in productions sometimes hinders your opportunities in your long-term acting career. Being busy as a background actor means you have less time to audition for bigger roles and may also become someone productions start getting familiar with – for background work.

[Read also: Casting Websites: Which Ones To Pay For?]

Asking For a Voucher

Productions always have vouchers that they choose to give out. One way to get a union voucher is to ask a production assistant to give you one. The challenge is knowing who to ask. There are typically so many producers and assistants on set that figuring out who handles the vouchers may be a guessing game. Once you know who to ask, you still may get a negative answer. Again, it is a matter of luck – and in this case, of daring.

A more certain way to join is to be invited by the union rather than chasing SAG-AFTRA vouchers. After all, chasing vouchers means:

• an extra task when you are working on set;
• a frustrating ask with great chances of getting a no response;
• there are no guarantees of getting a voucher on set, no matter how hard you try.

[Read also: Never Ever Ever Lie On Your Acting Resume]

Other Ways Of Joining SAG-AFTRA

Another way to join the union it to book SAG-AFTRA roles before joining. After auditioning and booking that role, you will become eligible to join the union under Taft-Hartley. That means, you already know that the voucher you will receive at wrapping is a SAG-AFTRA voucher.

But wait… Can you audition for union jobs when you are not a union member yet?

Yes, you can. The way to do that is mostly through an agent or manager. Union jobs are not always easy to find on your own, although Casting Directors sometimes use Actors Access to find a specific type of actor for a union job. Keep in mind that casting directors prefer to use agents’ client lists to find actors for union jobs. Opening self-submissions on Actors Access is their last resort, which they do when they need someone with a very specific skill like fluency in a second language, for example.

State Laws

Another thing to keep in mind is your state laws about unions. In some states, you become a “must-join” for SAG-AFTRA after you have declined the union’s invitation to join a handful of times, which you received from your “Taft-Hartley” status. That means you can only continue to work union jobs in those states once you join SAG-AFTRA. The time between when you qualify to join SAG-AFTRA and you decide to do so is known as the “SAG-Eligible” stage. Casting websites categorize it as “SAG-E.” Being eligible to join the union might make it easier to be considered for SAG-AFTRA projects even when you have not yet joined the union.

[Read also: How to Be a SAG-AFTRA Actor in a Right-to-Work State]

Is it Worth Chasing SAG-AFTRA Vouchers?

The answer is up to you. As we stated before, you would have to “get lucky” and receive an upgrade on set enough times (at least three) to get sufficient union vouchers. 

All that said, it is a perfectly valid way of becoming a union actor. 

[Read also: 7 Mind-Blowing Reasons You Will Not Find a Good Audition On Casting Websites]

Does anyone look down on actors who join the union via vouchers?

No. There is no difference whether you join the union via SAG-AFTRA vouchers or Taft-Hartley. Once you become a union actor, no one cares how you became one.
In some states like California, being a SAG-AFTRA actor adds great value to your resume and may play an important part in getting representation. In other states like Florida and Atlanta, which are considered “right-to-work” states, union status is up to the actor.

Some actors consider it important to join the union due to the protections they receive. SAG-AFTRA is always negotiating with producers. Their goal is to make film and TV sets safe and get actors fair pay for their work. Other actors prefer to wait until they must join the union to accept a specific job that may be their big break. They may also discuss with their agent when it is the best time to join the union in their case.

[Read also: 7 Excellent Reasons to Stop Worrying About Joining SAG-AFTRA]

Conclusion

Chasing SAG-AFTRA vouchers is a personal path—and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. If the process starts to distract you from growing as an actor, it might be worth shifting your focus back to training, building credits, and delivering strong performances. Those steps can naturally lead you to the right agent and, eventually, union membership when the time is right.

That said, if hustling for those vouchers fuels your fire, go for it. Own your journey, whatever shape it takes.

What truly matters is that you keep moving forward. Whether you join SAG-AFTRA through vouchers, a Taft-Hartley, or an agent submission—your path is yours. And it’s valid.

👉 [For more details on SAG-AFTRA Vouchers and SAG-AFTRA eligibility, check your local SAG-AFTRA website.]

[Read also: SAG Voucher Tips: How to Get 3 Vouchers!]

Leave a Comment!

Have you pursued SAG-AFTRA vouchers or navigated the Taft-Hartley process? Share your journey or ask questions below—we’d love to hear from you!

How to support us

 

At Teacup of Wisdom, we share knowledge and insights about the entertainment industry from the actor’s point of view to inspire and empower your acting journey.