Since Officiating membership depends upon successfully completing the education steps, the following tips will help you move through the process efficiently.

If your email account is blocking emails, please add the following email addresses and domains to your email account's approved sender list so all of the information that is sent to you is received:

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

1. Your online membership application and fee must be submitted prior to completing any other step of membership registration.
2. Register early in the season (May or June)
3. New Officials: Be sure to record your registration confirmation number and USA Hockey Referee Number in a handy place (hint: inside your rulebook cover).
4. Returning Officials: Be sure to have your USA Hockey Officiating Number ready 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 submit your online membership application, you are committed to completing registration at that level. You cannot raise your membership level once your application is submitted.

All officials are required to complete a Playing Rules Exercise based on the current 2025-29 USA Hockey Playing Rules. It is strongly recommended that you use your rulebook to answer each question and complete the exercise as quickly as possible.

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. Concerns about classroom seminar attendance credit should initially be directed to the Seminar Coordinator.
8. Generally, it takes 24- 48 hours for seminar attendance credit to be submitted.

1. U.S. Center for SafeSport training is required of all officials who are a 2008 birth year or older.
2. Once completed, SafeSport training must be completed every 12 months to remain valid.
3. If an official's SafeSport training expires during the season, they become ineligible to work any USA Hockey sanctioned game until they re-certify.
4. An official can find their SafeSport expiration date on their current (or last season's) USA Hockey referee card.
5. First time SafeSport Core Training generally takes about 90 minutes to complete. Refresher Training will take 20 - 30 minutes to complete.
6. Training can be completed in one sitting, or the official may stop/resume as often as needed to complete training.
7. To access training, CLICK HERE

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

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 membership registration status by using the Membership Status feature at USAHockey.com. Use the Membership 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 database record.
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 USA Hockey Member Services.
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".