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Registration Tips & Advice

REGISTRATION TIPS & ADVICE

Since so much of the success of registration depends upon the official successfully completing the steps. The following tips will help to speed your officiating registration for the upcoming season.

If your email account is blocking emails, please add:

  • officiatingexam@usahockey.org
  • registration@usahockey.org
  • @usahockey.com
  • @usahockey.org

to your email account's approved sender list so all of the information that is sent to you is received.


Online Membership Registration

  1. Your online Membership Application must be submitted prior to completing classroom seminar registration, open book exam, and online education modules.
  2. Due to classroom sizes, we strongly recommend confirming seats are available in a seminar before submitting your membership application (the membership fee is non-refundable).
  3. Register early in the season (June or July)
  4. Returning Officials: Be sure to have your USA Hockey Officiating Number handy as it will be necessary to input in order to be able to register at the appropriate level.
  5. Apply only at the level for which you are eligible.
  6. Once you complete the online membership application, you are committed to completing registration at that level (or lower). Officials cannot register as a Level 2 and switch later to a Level 3.

Open Book Exam

  1. Complete the exam in a timely manner. You will submit your answers electronically through the online learning management system..
  2. Access to the Open Book Exam is given 24-hours after Membership Registration.
  3. Print out your online exam and answer the questions off-line. Then re-enter the online learning management system to enter your answers.
  4. Record your answers and rule references next to your printed test questions and save for future references.
  5. Use the current USA Hockey Rulebook to answer all questions (please don't guess).
  6. Answer all questions you are required to answer.
  7. You are not required by USA Hockey to complete your Open Book Exam prior to attending your seminar. In fact, officials are encouraged to bring their exam to the seminar to seek guidance from instructor staff.
  8. Please note, this exam is meant to be a learning tool and encourage officials to learn the USA Hockey Rule Book. It is in your best interest to us your rule book to complete this exam and DON'T RUSH!

Online Video Module Education

  1. Your online Membership Application must be complete for 24-hours before any official can access their online education module curriculum.
  2. Each Official Level has both Required and Elective-menu requirements. You will not receive your Card and Crest until all course category requirements are completed.
  3. Once a module is complete, the official must successfully pass a brief quiz. If the official misses too many questions, he/she will be required to complete the module again until a passing grade is received.
  4. Online education modules do not need to be completed in one session. Officials may stop/resume as many times as they want until all courses are completed.

Classroom Seminar Attendance

  1. All officials must submit their online Membership Application prior to completing classroom seminar registration, open book exams, and online education modules..
  2. All classroom seminars are scheduled and coordinated by USA Hockey local volunteers. Please forward questions to them using the appropriate links at the main Directory at the Officials section of USAHockey.com. Use directory links to find your local representatives.
  3. Register for your classroom seminar as early as possible. Some sessions do sell-out quickly.
  4. Attend your classroom seminar early in the season.
  5. Check-in with staff upon arrival at the seminar.
  6. Attend a seminar that meets the requirements for the level you are applying for (Level 4 Seminars do not satisfy L1, L2, or L3 requirements).
  7. Level 1 In-Person Classroom Seminar ice sessions require skates and a helmet. If possible, please bring a whistle.
  8. Concerns about classroom seminar attendance credit should initially be directed to the Seminar Coordinator.
  9. Generally, it takes 1 - 3 days for seminar attendance credit to be submitted.

USA Hockey SafeSport Education Program

  1. SafeSport training is required of all officials who are a 2006 Birth Year or older at the beginning of the registration season.
  2. Once completed, SafeSport training must be completed every 12 months to remain valid. No official will receive a USAH Officiating Card and Crest until the SafeSport training requirement is met.
  3. First time SafeSport Core Training generally takes about 90 minutes to complete. Refresher Training will take 20 - 30 minutes to complete.
  4. Training can be completed in one day, or the official may stop/resume as often as needed to complete training.
  5. To access training, CLICK HERE

USA Hockey Criminal Background Screen

  1.  A criminal background screen is required of all officials who are a 18 years old (or older) at the beginning of the membership registration session. No official will receive a USA Hockey Officiating Card and sweater crest until the background screen requirement is met.
  2. Once completed, the background screen remains valid for two seasons.
  3. Generally, background screens are completed within 5 - 7 days of submission. However, a person who has lived in multiple locations or internationally within the last 5 - 10 years may take longer.
  4. It is highly recommended to submit your background screen as early as possible, and complete other membership steps while the screen completes.
  5. The National Center for Safety Initiatives (our background screen vendor) may contact you for personal identification verification information during the screen in cases of common names.
  6. The National Center for Safety Initiatives may contact you for personal additional payment in cases of local fees to access local criminal records. Please note, this is not a USA Hockey fee.
  7. To submit your background screen, CLICK HERE

USA Hockey Referee Card & Sweater Crest

  1. Once all required membership registration steps have been completed, please allow 5 - 10 business days for delivery of the  referee card and sweater crest.
  2. You may check your Registration Status by using the Referee Status feature at USAHockey.com. Use the "Registration Status" link under OFFICIALS at USAHockey.com to access your USA Hockey Courses profile and check the progress of your membership registration.
  3. Your online Courses profile pulls information from your current season membership record. Therefore your registration page displays the same information as the USA Hockey Membership Services staff sees (phone calls and emails will only confirm what you already see).
  4. If you haven't received your referee card and sweater crest, check your online USA Hockey Courses profile to confirm they have been mailed. If the "Card Sent" section of your Officiating Information page indicates the date they have been mailed, and the date was 10+ business days ago, please contact the USA Hockey Office.
  5. The referee card and sweater crest will be mailed through standard USPS ground services. We cannot expedite shipping.
  6. The referee card and sweater crest will arrive in a standard letter envelope marked "Card and Crest Enclosed".