There is a printable PDF form and a fillable PDF form.
The printable form may be downloaded, printed, and filled out manually. It may then mailed to the Registrar or scanned and emailed to the Registrar.
The fillable PDF may be downloaded and saved as a re-useable file. It may be opened and filled out electronically using Adobe Reader, saved for each registration, and emailed to the Registrar.
To download the printable PDF single page Registration form click here:  Printable Single Page Iris Registration Form
To download the fillable PDF single page Registration form click here: AIS Fillable PDF Single page Iris Registration Form
To download the Registration Form Instructions click here: Instructions
To download a printable PDF add-on parentage tree page click here: Printable Additional Tree Page
To download a fillable PDF add-on parentage tree page click here: Fillable Additional Tree Page
(It is advisable to download the Registration Form Instructions along with the form you want to use.)The above files are provided as downloadable Adobe Acrobat PDF type files. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or fill-in the fillable files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is free software for viewing and printing Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files on all major hardware and operating system platforms. It is a very useful add on program that many people already have installed on their computer. If you need to get the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program use this link. Click here Adobe Reader

Completed Registration Forms are sent to:

Registrar-Recorder:
Janis Shackelford, PO Box 21827, El Cajon, CA 92021
Phone: (619) 561-6323 | Email: 

Registrants are encouraged to review the AIS publications: 10 year Check Lists and annual Registrations and Introductions booklets for names prior to submitting a name for reservation or registration. Alternatively, you may subscribe to the online registrations database irisregister.com and search electronically for names. For more information go to the Check Lists page on this website.

Associate Registrars

Australia: Iris Society of Australia — Helen Reid, 3 Crawford Way, Sunbury, VIC 3429, Australia. Email:
China — Dr. Xiaoying Bi, Associate Professor, Dept of Ornamental Horticulture, College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University. Email: ;
Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and Lithuania: Middle-European Iris Society — Zdeněk Seidl, Vinohradská 57, 748 01 Hlučín, Czech Republic. Email:
France: Societe Francaise des Iris et Plantes Bulbeuses — Loïc Tasquier, Debonkelaar 34, 6691PC, Gendt, Netherlands. Email:
Germany: Gesellschaft der Staudenfreunde E. V. — Beate Ssuschke, Am Wald 21, 09669 Frankenberg, Germany. Email:  beate@bbssuschke.de
Great Britain: British Iris Society — Rachel Wilcox, 10 Highfield Close, Amersham, Bucks HP6 6HG, England, U.K. Email:
Italy: Societá Italiana dell’Iris —Maria Carla Monaco – c/o Società Italiana dell’Iris, Via Bolognese, 17 – 50139 Firenze. Email:
New Zealand Iris Society —Ms. Lyn Chappell, 10 Normanby Street, Kawerau, Bay of Plenty, 3127 New Zealand. Email:
Russian Iris Society — Fetisov Andrey Vladimirovich, P. O. Box 76, 127473 Moscow, Russia. Email:
Ukrainian Iris Society — Viktor Karpenko, P.O.B. 505 Uman, Cherkasy Region, 20305, Ukraine. EMAIL: 

Reserving Names

Reserving a name for an iris is easy. Select a name as you would if you were going to register an iris, send the name along with the reservation fee to the Registrar/Recorder(s). The fee for reserving a name is the same as, and also functions as, the registration fee. Once the reserve fee is paid, there is no further fee for registration for an iris with that name as long as the registration is made before the reserve expires. The name reservation is valid for rest of the current registration year (to November 30) plus the next three years before it expires. Example: A reservation that is made on July 14, 2023 expires November 30, 2026. Once a reservation has expired another fee must be paid to reserve the name or register an iris with that name.

Once the name is approved the Registrar will send a “Reserved Name” form to you. The form looks just like the Registration form except the fee is lined out and marked ‘Paid” and the name and reservation/registration number filled in. It is advisable to submit alternative names with the application. The Registrar will communicate with you in the most expeditious manner to resolve any problems with the names submitted. The Registrar will not “Pre-approve” names prior to receiving payment of the fee.

If a reservation expires the name goes back into the pool of available names until someone either reserves the name or registers an iris with that name.

Registration and Instructions/Regulations

1. For all classes of irises EXCEPT bulbous irises, request registration application from Registrar-Recorder. (or download the Registration Form from the above link)

2. Remit registration fee – payable to the American Iris Society – $15.00 for each iris. The cost to register and transfer a name from a previous registration is $15.00.

3. Select a name which has not previously been used and submit it for approval when requesting application. Refer to ten year Check Lists (1939, 1949, etc.) and annual registration supplements issued after the latest Check List. (Please also submit alternate names.) A name is not registered until the registration application has been filed and a certificate of registration returned to you.

4. Names should follow the rules established by the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants. The following names will NOT be permitted:
a) Names of living persons without their written consent, or names of recently deceased (within past ten years) persons without permission of next of kin or other authority.
b) A person’s name including the following forms of address or equivalent in another language: Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms.
c) Names including symbols, numerals, non-essential punctuation, or abbreviations.
d) Names beginning with the articles “a” or “the” or their equivalent in other languages unless required by linguistic custom.
e) Names in Latin or in latinized form.
f) Slight variation of a previously registered name.
g) Names in excess of four words, or thirty letters.
h) Names containing the word “iris” or “flag” or the species name of any recognized species of Iris, or formed wholly by recombining parts of the parental species’ names.
i) Names containing the hybridizer’s name in possessive form. (Green Pastures acceptable; Green’s Pastures not.)
j) Names which exaggerate or may become inaccurate (e.g. Heaviest Lace, Tallest Black), or which are composed solely of adjectives which could be construed as a simple description of a non-registered iris (e.g. Late Pink, Pale Blue, Ruffled).
k) Names translated from the original language. (They should be transliterated as necessary instead.)

5. Previously registered names may be re-used if (a) the originally registered iris has not been introduced or distributed by name, (b) does not appear by name in parentage registrations, and (c) a release is obtained from the original registrant.

6. Names will not be released as obsolete unless no stock now exists and the iris was not listed as a parent in registrations.

Introduction

Introduction is the offering for sale to the public. Catalogs, printed lists, and advertisements in the American Iris Society Bulletin are acceptable means of introduction. Irises must be recorded as introduced before they become eligible for awards of the Society higher than High Commendation. It is the responsibility of the hybridizer to send by first-class mail to the Registrar-Recorder a copy of the catalog, list, advertisement or printed copy of website (and URL) showing introduction.

Abbreviations
AB Arilbred
AR Aril
BB Border Bearded
CA Californicae (Pacific Coast Native Irises)
F. Falls (sepals)
IB Intermediate Bearded
JI Japanese
LA Louisiana
MDB Miniature Dwarf Bearded
MTB Miniature Tall Bearded
RE Remontant (reblooming)
S. Standards (erect petals)
SDB Standard Dwarf Bearded
Sdlg. Seedling
SIB Siberian
SPEC Species
SPEC-X Species hybrid
SPU Spuria
TB Tall Bearded

Submitting a Digital Image/Photo of a Registered Iris

AIS Image Coordinator: AIS has appointed Jean Richter as the AIS Image Coordinator. The Image Coordinator has the responsibility of creating a reference library of registered irises. Registrants are required to submit at least one image. You may submit the image(s) at any time, but no later than the registration has been accepted and confirmed. The seedling number will allow us to track the image if a name is rejected and must be changed. In the case of a name that has been reserved, please submit the image as soon as the name is converted to a registration.

Send the photos or any questions you may have to the AIS Image Coordinator, Jean Richter. Images can be emailed to the Image Coordinator, at or uploaded to a private online file (instructions below.) If you lack the capability to submit a photograph in the required format/size (see below), submit your registration to the Registrar and contact the image coordinator for help.

While the requirement is for images to be included with registrations submitted in 2018 and forward, you are also encouraged to submit images for registrations made prior to 2018

Image Requirements

The AIS requires a picture of the iris bloom and encourages additional pictures of other views such as stalks, clumps, foliage, and close-ups of any distinguishing feature, e.g., flounce or spoon.

A picture size of 1 MB is the minimum but larger is better. This is to ensure that if your image is published the print quality will be acceptable. A file size of 3-4 MB is preferable.

AIS prefers images without watermarks, names, photographer or other identifying information. If an image is not clear of that type of information it cannot be used in an AIS or Affiliate’s publication. Any image submitted will be accepted but only those that meet the specifications can be published. (See copyright information below protecting your rights)

File Types/Formats

Almost any file type is acceptable. The most common is JPG or JPEG and is preferred. Other types are PNG, TIFF and RAW. If you are having difficulty with submitting a particular file type, please contact the image coordinator at .

Preparing/Naming images for submission

So that we can manage the database of photographs, AIS needs the following information to be part of the file name for proper identification:
– Registrant
– Seedling Number
– Cultivar Name and View (e.g., bloom, stalk, clump…)
– Class
– Registration Year
– Photographer

The format should be:
< Registrant>_<seedling #>_<name-view>_<class>_<year>_<photobyCredits>

For Example:
NSmith_02B-14-A_Plumber’sDelight-bloom_LA_2018_photobyGraceKelly.jpg
MDawson_AA-34-15_RawShrimp-clump_TB_2018_photobyDorothyGale.jpg

File names should not contain spaces, forward slashes (/), or back slashes (\). Use underscores (_) or dashes(-) instead

Submitting images

Submission of photos grants AIS permission to use as outlined in the Copyright Disclaimer below including submission to the Iris Encyclopedia.

You may email your images to . However, many email programs and servers reduce the size of an emailed image using compression technology. This compression reduces the image quality. Some emails are blocked because of size limitations!

For the reasons above, the image coordinator has created a process that will enable you to easily upload your images and avoids all the email issues. Send an email to the Image Coordinator at and request a link to an upload folder. Send just a short note. (i.e., “Please send a a link to upload images for <Your Name>”)

To use this process you will need a Google account. If you do not have one, when you try to open the folder link sent to you, Google will prompt you to create an account. It is not difficult.

Once you receive a return email from the image coordinator with the link to your image folder:

1. Click on this link to open YOUR folder.
2. You can simply drag your image files/folders onto the folder page in your browser
   or
   Click on the “+NEW” button and move down and click on “file upload” then select the file(s) you wish to upload from your computer. This should look just like attaching a file to an email
3. Wait until the file(s) has uploaded before shutting down your computer, meanwhile you can work on other tasks while the upload process will continue in the background.

The image coordinator will gladly assist you personally if you need help.

About security:

Access to the file to which you upload your images is limited to the AIS Registrar (Janis Shackelford), the image coordinator (Jean Richter) and you.  If you choose to share your link with someone who works with your images that is fine.  Other registrants will not have access to your files and you will not be able to access their folders.  In other words, you are in control. Unfortunately, no-one can guarantee absolute security as we have seen, but this is a very secure system with Google.  It also seems an unlikely target for intrusion.

Detailed Copyright Disclaimer:
The registrant hereby acknowledges that by submitting a photograph of an iris cultivar registered with the Registrar-Recorder of the American Iris Society the registrant hereby grants the AIS and its agencies (Affiliates, Regions, Sections) the right to reprint or republish such photograph in the Iris Encyclopedia maintained by the AIS; in any of the newsletters or journals published by the AIS or its agencies; to publish such photograph on any website maintained by or on behalf of the AIS or any of its agencies; and to publish such photograph in any other publication published by the AIS or its agencies in the ordinary course of its educational and scientific activities.

Submission of a photograph to the AIS represents and warrants that, with respect to the photograph submitted, the hybridizer is the owner of all copyright rights other than those rights otherwise granted to the AIS herein or by law. If the photograph submitted was taken by other than the hybridizer, the hybridizer certifies that permission has been obtained from the owner of the photograph for the uses described herein. The photographer shall retain ownership of all individual copyright rights to the photograph covered by this agreement except for those rights granted to the AIS or by law. (05-07-2012JS)