• General Policies
• Criteria for Certifying and Upgrading
• Physical Fitness Requirements

The following information has been extracted from the USSF Referee Administrative Handbook and recent memoranda.

Referees who are registered with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) may upgrade to the next referee grade once they have satisfied specific requirements.

Upgrading requires:

• Minimum age
• Game experience at the appropriate level
• Time in present grade
• Training courses
• Written examination
• Assessments
• Physical Fitness Test

Because of the complexity of upgrading, it is strongly recommended that you contact and work with your District Referee Coordinator, District Director of Instruction and District Director of Assessment to ensure you satisfy all requirements. Find these people in Contacts.

If you wish to upgrade to National Referee (Grade 4) from State 1 Referee (Grade 5), you must contact the State Referee Administrator, listed in Contacts, for complete information. The process is very complex, and the requirements are very demanding and difficult to achieve.

For a referee upgrading in a class (Grade 8 to 7 or from 6 to 5), there is a $5.00 administrative fee, payable to CNRA. For a referee who qualifies and wants to upgrade from Grade 7 to 6 during the year, the full fee for registering as Grade 6 would be applicable. In any case, it is critical that referees maintain current registration. Failure to maintain registration will result in the referee getting downgraded. Contact your District Referee Coordinator for more information.

After you have satisfied all requirements, gather photocopies of the required documentation. All materials must be mailed together to:

CNRA
PO Box 7416
Fremont, CA 94537-7416

Requests for upgrading that are incomplete will not be processed.

The criteria for certifying and upgrading vary according to the grade you wish to attain

• Referee Grades 9 & 12
• Referee Grades 7 & 8
• Referee Grades 5 & 6
• Referee Grades 3 & 4
• Notes and Comments

Note 1. Grade 3 referees must meet all published criteria and be recommended for grade level by the U. S. Soccer Referee Technical Committee. Grade 3 designation will be based on game assignment level (Division 1 and Division 2 Pro centers) and field evaluations at that level. Certification and re-certification for Grade 3 can only come through the referee technical committee.

Note A, Registration and Upgrading: Registration, annual renewal and requests for upgrading must be made through the appropriate State Referee Administrator. Referees who have registered as grade 8 or higher may not re-register as grade 9.

Note B, Retaking Exams (grades 9, 8, 7): If a person does not pass the written examination, the entire examination must be retaken after a minimum waiting period of one month.

Note C, Retaking Exams (grades 6, 5): If a person does not pass the written examination, the entire examination must be retaken after a minimum waiting period of three months.

Note D, Assessments: Each failed assessment requires one additional passing assessment as an offset.

Note E, Assessments for National Referee must be by a currently registered USSF National Assessor or an assessor approved by the Director of Assessment and the national office. They must be on games approved by the Referee Committee and played within the dates specified (Dec 1-November 30). The minimum acceptable score is 80. (See note J for additional information.)

Note F, Declaration: State Referees who wish to be assigned to professional games to receive assessments for upgrade to National Referee must complete the appropriate "New Candidate Declaration" form and submit it to the SRA. The SRA will forward the application to the National Office. Forms are accepted between December 1 and December 31 of the year prior to the year the referee will be a candidate.

Note G, Professional Games: The Referee Committee may approve other games to count toward the requirement for professional games. Approved games are listed on the web: www.ussoccer.com

Note H, Fast Track: Candidates for upgrading to National Referee must be acceptable to the National Referee Committee. Requirements other than age, game level, professional game counts and assessments may be waived at the discretion of the National Referee Committee.

Note I, Assessment requirements for FIFA Referees: Three (3) Professional League Division 1 matches as a referee.

Note J, National Referees who do not re-certify for personal reasons may apply to re-certify as a returning national referee the following year without penalty, provided they submit their name to the list of declared National Candidates. If two or more years are missed, the referee must apply as a New Candidate.

Assessment requirements for FIFA Assistant Referees: Three (3) Professional League Division 1 matches as an Assistant Referee.

Assessment requirements For National Referees working a minimum of five (5) Division 1 Professional League matches as a Referee: Two (2) assessments as a Referee on professional league matches and one (1) assessment as an Assistant Referee on an amateur division 1 (or higher) game.

Assessment requirements For National Referees working a minimum of five (5) Division 1 Professional League matches as an Assistant Referee: Two (2) assessments as an Assistant Referee on professional league matches and one (1) assessment as a Referee on an amateur division 1 (or higher) game.

All other grade 3 and 4 referees: See Referee Administrative Handbook chart on page 23.

A Physical Fitness Test is required for registration, annual renewal and upgrading for the referee classes shown. The test can be administered by designated United States Soccer Federation Instructors. A document signed by the individual conducting the test is required. Fitness tests must be taken within a six-month period preceding the start of a new season or the date of registration.

The referee must pass all of the events that are part of the test at the same testing session. A reasonable rest period should be allowed between events. It is recommended that the Endurance Test be run first.

Physical fitness requirements vary according to your referee grade.

• Referees — Grades 7
• State Referees — Grades 5-6
• International and National Referees — Grades 1-4
• Notes

Conducting the Test
The referee must pass all of the events that are part of the test at the same testing session. A reasonable rest period should be allowed between events. It is recommended that the Endurance Test be run first.