LAPSE OF (1 – 2) OR 3+ YEARS IN REGISTRATION 

REGISTRATION RENEWAL PROCEDURES FOR RETURNING REFEREES

All referees are required to be registered for the current year prior to officiating in any U.S. Soccer Federation affiliated match. 

• IF A REFEREE SKIPS A YEAR OR MORE OF REGISTRATION THEY ARE TO CONTACT THE STATE REGISTRAR FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT STEPS ARE NECESSARY TO COMPLETE AND FULFILL THE REGISTRATION PROCESS.

Any official who misses a registration year may be certified at the grade previously held by completing all the established criteria related to testing and assessments for the grade in question.

The following policy applies to referees who were previously certified and registered with U.S. Soccer and wants to return:

• Grade 8 referees who miss 1 consecutive years of registration can be re-registered as a grade 8 after completing a Referee Re-certification clinic.

• Grade 8 referees who miss 2 or more consecutive years must re-take the entire Entry Level Referee Training Course.

• Grade 7 Referees and Higher – Referees can only be registered at the grade they qualify for.  Referees who were Grade 7 or higher should be downgraded a minimum of one (1) grade, as per current policy (as long as they have met the criteria for that grade).  Once they retake the appropriate course as listed above for grade 8 referees and have completed all the requirements for the previously held grade, they may be upgraded.

• U.S. Soccer Federation Referee Instructors who wish to re-certify as a referee after a lapse in referee registration may be registered as a grade 8 referee upon meeting current re-certification requirements, no matter how long it has been since they last registered as a referee, if they are currently registered as a U.S. Soccer instructor and have taught, at a minimum, one entry-level referee training course in the last two years.