How do you become a soccer referee in the US?
You take US Soccer’s entry-level Referee course through your state referee association. Create an account on the US Soccer Learning Center, register for a new referee course in your state, finish the online modules and the safety module, attend a field session, and pass the test. If you are 18 or older you also need a background screening and SafeSport training. Then you register with your local assignor and start working games.
The rest of this guide goes through each step and the things that trip new referees up.
Who can become a referee?
- Age. US Soccer’s minimum is 13, but your state can set a higher one. Florida, for example, sets 14. Check your state association’s page before you register.
- Experience. None needed. You don’t have to have played, and many good referees didn’t.
- Fitness. The entry-level license has no fitness test. Fitness tests come with the Regional and National licenses.
Step by step
1. Find your state referee association
US Soccer issues the license, but courses, fees and assignments are run by the referee program in your state. Search for “[your state] soccer referee association”, or start from the “Find a Course” links on US Soccer’s referee pathway page. Your state page will list courses and fees, and explain anything your state does differently.
2. Create your Learning Center account
Everything is recorded on the US Soccer Learning Center: courses, background screening, SafeSport and your license. Make the account in the referee’s own name, even for a 13-year-old. Use an email address you’ll keep, not a school address that disappears at graduation.
3. Background screening and SafeSport (18 and over)
US Soccer requires every licensed official aged 18 or older to hold a valid background screening and valid SafeSport training. Start the screening first, because it can take days. Some states won’t let you enroll in a course, or attend the field session, until the screening has cleared. The screening is valid for two years, so plan to renew it.
4. The online course
The course is self-paced, and the total time depends on your state. It covers the Laws of the Game, positioning and signals, and the paperwork side of the job. Everyone, at every age, also completes the “Introduction to Safe and Healthy Playing Environments” module.
Take the Laws part seriously. Law 12 (fouls and misconduct) is where most new referees struggle in their first games. Our Laws of the Game guide explains each Law in plain language, and the USSF misconduct codes are worth learning before your first caution.
5. The field session
This is a practical session with an instructor, usually a few hours on a field. You practise signals, the whistle and positioning, and you can ask the questions the online course didn’t answer. Bring a whistle, a watch and clothes you can run in.
6. Pay and register
There is an annual US Soccer registration fee and usually a state course fee. Both vary by state and change each year, so the state page is the only reliable source. Some state youth associations refund them for new referees who finish their first season, so it’s worth asking.
7. Get your first games
A license doesn’t put you on a field: an assignor does. Your state association will tell you which system local assignors use (Assignr, GameOfficials and Arbiter are common) and how to sign up. Your first games will probably be small-sided youth matches, or work as an assistant referee next to an experienced referee. Say yes to them, and ask for feedback afterwards.
What to bring to your first game
- Two whistles, a coin, a notebook or cards for recording, and two pencils.
- A yellow and a red card, even at youth level.
- A watch you trust. Many referees wear two, one running the match clock and one as a backup. If you referee with an Apple Watch, this checklist covers battery, settings and fit.
- Your uniform, if your state has given you one. Ask what is expected at your level before buying.
During the match, keep a record of every goal, caution, send-off and substitution with the minute it happened. You’ll need it for the match report. Halfline does this on an Apple Watch: you tap the incident, add the misconduct code, and the report is written for you.
Keeping your license
The license is valid for one registration year. To keep refereeing you recertify every year: re-register, complete the annual Laws of the Game update, and keep your background screening and SafeSport current if you are 18 or older. Most states open recertification months before the license expires, and an expired license means no assignments, so do it early.
Can I referee high school or college games with a US Soccer license?
Not on its own. US high school soccer is played under NFHS rules, and officials register through their state high school association. College soccer follows NCAA rules and has its own registration. Both rule sets differ from the Laws of the Game in ways that matter on the field. Our high school and college differences guide lists the main ones.
Where to go from here
After a season or two you can move up: the US Soccer pathway runs from Referee to Regional, National, PRO and FIFA. Each level adds training, a fitness test and match assessments. Most referees stay at the entry level and work youth and amateur matches, and those matches need them most.