Certification and annual recertification requirements for all referees.

New Referee Certification

Online Grassroots Referee Instruction
Online Grassroots Referee Test
Safe Soccer Training/Healthy and Safe Playing Environment
SafeSport Training (18 and older)
Background Check/Risk Management (18 and older)
Field Instruction Session - 4 hours

Mentoring:  After initial certification, new referees should be mentored at/after games

Grassroots Referee Recertification

Online Grassroots Referee Instruction
Online Grassroots Referee Recertification Test 
Safe Soccer Training/Healthy and Safe Playing Environment
SafeSports Training (18 and older)
Background Check/Risk Management (18 and older)

Mentoring:  Periodically, referees should be mentored at/after games
 

Upgrade To Regional Referee

Requirement:  Each Grassroots referee:

Prior to attempting the upgrade process to upgrade to Regional Referee,

-must pass a formal practical evaluation as the referee on a competitive Senior Amateur (Adult) Division 2 or above level match;
-must be 18 years of age;
-must have a minimum of three consecutive years’ experience; and
-must have 50 games as a referee and 25 games as an assistant referee at the Adult Amateur level, 11v11, two 45-minute halves (must be documented).

To complete the upgrade process to Regional Referee, Grassroots referees must pass 3 formal practical evaluations as a referee and one as an assistant referee.

Type of match:  Formal practical evaluations will only be performed on matches scheduled for two (2) full 45-minute halves, 11v11, and must be between two current affiliated USSF member teams. All matches must be played to completion in accordance with the rules of the competition.  Any match deemed to be non-competitive by the Referee Coach will be entered and marked as a Development Assessment vice an Upgrade assessment and will require an additional evaluation should that occur.  Any evaluation resulting in a not acceptable performance rating will require an additional evaluation at the same level.   The minimum match requirements are:

1.    One match as a referee on a competitive Youth U18/19 match. 
2.    One match as a referee on a competitive senior adult amateur Division 2 (D2) level match or above.  
3.    One match as a referee on a top-level, senior amateur, Division 1 or Premier-level match or above.
4.    One match as an assistant referee (position AR1) on a top-level, senior amateur, Division 1 or Premier-level match or above.

Notes:  
1.    Each match evaluation must be performed by a different Referee Coach.
2.    Referees are encouraged to accomplish the formal practical evaluations at the higher levels of competition. 
3.    Grassroots Referees seeking to upgrade to Regional Referee, before requesting an upgrade assessment, must be 18 years of age, must have a minimum of three consecutive years’ experience, and must have the following minimum game experience:  50 games as a referee and 25 games as an assistant referee at the Adult Amateur level, 11v11, two 45-minute halves (must be documented). 
4.    Other USSOCCER Regional Referee Certification and License requirements can be found in the USSOCCER Learning Center (https://learning.ussoccer.com/referee/resources).
5.    The acceptable leagues for the top-level adult and youth assessments can be found on the SRP website.

Referee Coach Level:  Any currently licensed (State Assessor), Regional Referee Coach, or National Referee Coach is qualified for this level of evaluation. 

To complete the upgrade process to Regional Referee, Grassroots referees must meet the following additional requirements.

Physical Fitness Test:

     - Male – 40-meter sprints, 6.40 seconds; 75/25-meter interval run/walk, 17/20 seconds
     - Female – 40-meter sprints, 6.6 seconds; 75/25-meter interval run/walk, 17/24 seconds

Regional Referee Course and Field Instruction (after game-count and assessment requirements have been met)

Online Regional Referee Test

Additional annual requirements:

Safe Soccer Training/Healthy and Safe Playing Environment
SafeSport Training
Background Check/Risk Management
Annual recertification instruction - 4 hours

 

Regional Referee Recertification

Online Regional Referee Test
Safe Soccer Training/Healthy and Safe Playing Environment
SafeSport Training
Background Check/Risk Management
Annual recertification instruction - 4 hours  
Formal evaluations:

1.    One match as a referee on a competitive Youth U18/19 match. 
2.    One match as a referee on a top-level, senior amateur, Division 1 or Premier-level match or above.
3.    One match as an assistant referee (position AR1) on a top-level, senior amateur, Division 1 or Premier-level match or above.

Physical Fitness Test:

     - Male – 40-meter sprints, 6.40 seconds; 75/25-meter interval run/walk, 17/20 seconds
     - Female – 40-meter sprints, 6.6 seconds; 75/25-meter interval run/walk, 17/24 seconds

Emeritus Referee Recertification

Emeritus referees will complete the online annual training for recertification. 

Futsal Referee

Futsal referee certification and recertification requirements can be found here.

Revised August 1, 2021