referee certification

P.O. Box 1602, Davis, CA 95617

Regional Referee

In the requirements below, the word "referee" in reference to number of games officiated means "center referee." Also, all referees are expected to have completed Safe Haven (taught separately).

U-8 OFFICIAL

(minimum age 10)

No. of Games: No minimum number of games required

Training: Complete the U-8 Official Course

Testing: Take U-8 Official Exam

Assessment: Not required

Fitness Test: Not required

Service: None required

REGIONAL REFEREE

(minimum age 12)

No. of Games: No minimum number of games required
Training: Complete the Basic Referee Course

Testing: 75% or better on the Regional Referee Exam

Assessment: Not required

Fitness Test: Not required - an introduction to the AYSO Physical Fitness Test is recommended.

Service: None required

INTERMEDIATE REFEREE

(minimum age 14)

No. of Games: 25 as referee with at least 5 in U-12 matches
Training: Complete Modules 14 through 19 (Intermediate Referee Course)

Testing: 90% or better on the Intermediate Referee Exam

Assessment: See note 3 below.

Fitness Test: Not required - practice for AYSO Physical Fitness Test is recommended

Service: None require

ADVANCED REFEREE

(minimum age 16)

No. of Games: 50 as referee (10 in U-14) and 5 as an assistant referee (in U-14)
Training: Complete Modules 20 through 24 (Advanced Referee Course)

Testing: 90% or better on the Advanced Referee Exam

Assessment: One as referee and one as assistant referee in a U-14 match

Fitness Test: Complete the AYSO Physical Fitness Test for this level.

Service: Do a minimum of five service units. See note 4 and 5 below.

NATIONAL REFEREE

(minimum age 18)

No. of Games: 100 as referee with at least 30 in U-16 and U-19 matches of which at least 15 must be in U-19, if available, and 25 as Assistant Referee with at least 10 in U-19, if available. The Section Referee Administrator may authorize substitution of U-16 for U-19, if U-19 matches are not available.
Training: Complete the National Referee Course. A pre-requisite game count of at least 80 matches as referee prior to attending the National Referee Course is required.

Testing: 90% or better on the National Referee Exam

Assessment: Two assessments as referee in U-16 or U-19 with at least one in U-19, if available, and one as assistant referee in a U-19 match, if available. The Section Referee Administrator may authorize substitution of U-16 for U-19, if U-19 matches are not available.

Fitness Test: Complete the AYSO Physical Fitness Test for this level.

Service: Do an additional five service units. See note 4 below.

AYSO/USSF Cross-Certification

Cross-certification is an agreed upon method of having certified United States Soccer Federation (USSF) referees become equivalent referees with the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). For more information and details see the AYSO/USSF Cross-Certification document.

Notes:

1.	Field assessments for level upgrades must be done in a typical AYSO match in the age group specified, using the Diagonal System of Control. Matches used for upgrade assessments must be of the duration specified for that particular age group in the AYSO National Rules and Regulations except that U-16 and U-19 matches shortened by no more than 5 minutes per half are acceptable.
2.	If requested by the referee being assessed, a higher division match or a non-AYSO match of the equivalent age division (or higher) may be used for the assessment.
3.	Applicants for Intermediate Referee level must be mentored by a Referee Mentor (or assessor) and recommended for upgrade by the Regional Referee Administrator or the Regional Director of Referee Assessment. At least one observation as a referee is required, and one as an assistant referee is recommended.
4.	Service units consist of: Observer-Friend observations Mentoring of new referees for development or upgrade Serving as a Referee Administrator, Director of Referee Instruction or as a Director of Referee Assessment Instructing Assistant Referee and U-8 Official Training Courses Instructing Referee Assessor Training Courses Assessing candidates for upgrade in referee level, if qualified Note: No more than two (2) service units may be credited by an applicant for mentoring/observing an individual referee, or one (1) service unit per instruction course or one (1) service unit per year for an administrative function
5.	The requirement for performing service units is waived in the case of candidates who are under 18 years old. Entry may be at Assistant Referee, U-8 Official or Regional Referee level but, in addition to the requirements noted above, candidates for upgrade to National Referee must have one year (min.) experience as an Advanced Referee.
6.	AYSO Application for Referee Certification forms are available on the aysohelp.org web site or may be ordered directly from the AYSO Supply Center by calling 888-243-2976.

Referee Mentor

Training: Successfully complete the Intermediate Referee Course

Module Testing: 90% or better on the Intermediate Referee Exam

Assessment: Assessed, approved and appointed as a Referee Mentor by the Regional Referee Administrator or the Regional Director of Referee Assessment.

Authorized to: Mentor Regional Referees for upgrade to Intermediate Referee

Referee Assessor

Experience: At least three (3) years of soccer experience as a referee, and must have observed or mentored referees either for improvement or upgrade and have the approval of their Regional Referee Administrator.

Training: Successfully complete the Referee Assessor Course, and 90% or better on the Advanced Referee exam, and 90% or better combined score on the three Referee Assessor Exams.

Assesment: Successful completion of two (2) practice assessments on referees officiating under 14 AYSO matches (or equivalent). These "over-the-shoulder" assessments must be mentored by a Referee Assessor or National Assessor.

Approval: Approved as a Referee Assessor by the Area Referee Administrator or the Area Director of Referee Assessment.

Authorized to: Assess Intermediate Referees for upgrade to Advanced Referee.

National Assessor

Experience: Certified as a Referee Assessor with a minimum of one (1) year in grade and performed at least ten (10) assessments/observations, with a minimum of five (5) assessments on Intermediate Referees seeking upgrade to the Advanced Referee level. The candidate must have the approval of the Section Referee Administrator or the Section Director of Assessment.

Training: Successfully complete the National Assessor Course, and 95% or better on the National Assessor exam

Assesment: Successful completion on one practice assessment on a referee officiating an under 16 AYSO match (or equivalent) and 1 practice assessment on a referee officiating an under 19 AYSO match (or equivalent). These "over-the-shoulder" assessments must be mentored by a National Assessor.

Approval: Approved as a National Assessor by the Section Referee Administrator or the Section Director of Referee Assessment.

Authorized to: Assess Intermediate Referees for upgrade to Advanced Referee, and Advanced Referees for upgrade to National Referee.