Certification

It is not an exaggeration to say that one of the most challenging parts of being a new official is getting certified. The process has many steps, and is not always clear in what you need to in what order. But there is good news! The certification requirements have been changing recently, and it is now becoming a more streamlined process, especially for new officials.

Before starting, it is important to understand the level system. Officials that are new start at Level 1. You can move up one level every season. Many districts follow a level based assigning system; that is to say that you can only get higher level/age games at higher officiating levels. As such, you should always move up one level until you hit the maximum level, Level 4.

It’s important to note that USA Hockey does not have any age restrictions on officiating. However, each state has their own child labor laws. Before registering with USA Hockey, please research your state’s child labor laws. A good place to start is with your state or district RIC (Referee-In-Chief).

There are six total steps needed to compete each year to be a USA Hockey Official. They may slightly vary depending upon officiating level. In general, if you are just starting out as a Level 1 and under 18, you’ll only need to complete steps 1-3.

1. REGISTER: become a member of and register with USA Hockey. Here, you will create your profile for working as an official. You will pay a USA Hockey membership fee, in addition to an affiliate fee that goes towards officiating programs in your state.
2. SEMINAR: all new and returning USA Hockey officials must attend a classroom seminar each year. Level 1 officials must attend two: one is done by the national office of USA Hockey on zoom and the second is done locally, in-person, and is a mix of classroom and on-ice. These on ice portion will teach positioning fundamentals, evaluate skating skills, and help demonstrate penalty standards.. The classroom portion will cover fundamentals and positioning as well, but will also cover all of the other info you need to get on ice for the first time as an official. You can attend a seminar wherever is best for you. Keep in mind that some locations do fill up very quickly!
3. OPEN BOOK EXAM: this is an online, at your own pace exam to test your knowledge of playing rules. Many of the questions are taken word for word from the rulebook, so you can use the rulebook to find many of the answers. For newer officials, it is best to submit the completed exam after the classroom seminar.
4. ONLINE MODULES: if you are becoming a Level 2, 3, or 4 official, you will receive instructions for the required online training portion of certification. There is a certain amount of required hours of online training for each officiating level. The online modules use a mix of videos, animation, and knowledge based testing to teach and reinforce the fundamentals of officiating.
5. SAFESPORT: Anyone who will be 18 at any point during the season will need to complete training through the US Center for SafeSport.
6. BACKGROUND CHECK: all officials 18 and older by June 1 of the current year must go through a USA Hockey sanctioned criminal background screening. The screening is valid for two seasons.

(The entire process is detailed at USA Hockey website.)

Once all of the above steps are completed and verified, USA Hockey will send out your officiating card and sweater crest (patch). Congratulations! You are now a USA Hockey Official and ready to work!