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RECERTIFICATION FAQ



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Every Massachusetts referee certified with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) must recertify every year, regardless of grade. You are required to attend a clinic in order to receive your recertification.

If you already have a certification for next year, attendance is optional. If you attend a recertification clinic, you will not be asked to submit another registration form nor be required to pay an additional fee. The style and approach of the presentation offered at a recertfication clinic is different than at an entry level course and very beneficial to all.

You do not have to attend the Recertification clinic if you intend to take either the 8 hour Grade 8 Bridge course or the 16 hour Grade 8 Entry Level course before the Spring Season begins.

Below is a list of Frequently asked questions that will help you through this process:

Q1: What is new this year?

We are now able to accept credit cards. Payment should be made during the pre-enrollment process in advance of the clinic. All pre-enrollment for recertification clinics is done through this web site, and you will be able to print your own Registration Letter directly from the web site. The Registration Letter contains all of the information you will need, and this letter must be brought with you to the clinic. If you lose your letter, you can print another one at any time prior to your attending the clinic.

Q2: Who must recertify?

Every Massachusetts referee certified with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) must recertify every year, regardless of grade. You are required to attend a clinic in order to receive your recertification. Note - if you have just taken a grade 8 course or grade 8 bridge course, please also see Question 15.

Q3: Where can I recertify?

Beginning in November of each year and running through the end of January the MSRC schedules recertification clinics held at various locations across the state. The list of clinics is typically finalized in August preceding the recertification season to allow for advanced planning. An attempt is made to minimize the distance traveled by all referees in Massachusetts in meeting their in-service training requirement.

Q4: What should I bring to the clinic?

Referees should bring: a notebook and pen or pencil for taking notes during the session, a list of questions that they would like addressed at the meeting, and an open mind. You should also bring the printed Registration Letter which is available under the MyCourses tab on the web site.

Q5: What if I have not received my recertification materials yet?

Recertification forms are no longer be mailed to you. You may print your own Registration Letter by logging onto your referee page and enrolling in a clinic. Please do not forget to bring this Registration Letter to the clinic!

Q6: I enrolled in one of the Annual Recertification clinics and haven't received a confirmation, what should I do?

E-mail confirmations should be sent immediately. If you did not receive one, you should check that any spam filtering did not mistakenly "catch" the confirmation. You should also see some confirmation message on your Main page when you are logged into the web site. If you are still concerned of your status, you can contact MSRC Support.

Q7: Do I have to attend the clinic in my area?

No. You may attend any clinic on the list. If you miss the one nearest you, you can go to any of the others. Just arrive on time, attend the entire instructional session, take the refresher test, and deliver your Registration Letter.

Q8: Can I just drop off the registration letter or have a friend bring it for me?

No. You must be there in person. The purpose of the clinic is to update you on law changes and provide advanced instruction appropriate to your level of experience. Late arrival or early departure from the clinic are grounds for not being recertified. According to the Referee Administrative Handbook, the national requirements for maintaining certification include five hours of in-service training each year.

Q9: How long will a recertification clinic be?

All clinics are expected to start at 8:30am and are expected to complete at 1pm. Arrival is encouraged at 8:15am to allow the staff to organize the sessions and get started on time. Registration Letters and checks will be collected only at the end of the clinic from those who have participated for the entire clinic.

Q10: Can I stay for part of the recertification clinic and still register at the clinic?

No. Plan your schedule accordingly. Those that arrive late or leave early will not be allowed to complete the recertification at that clinic. It is not our intent to turn referees away. Those that cannot stay for an entire clinic will have the option to participate for as much as possible but may still need to attend another clinic.

Q11: What is the fee for attending a recertification clinic?

The annual USSF registration fee should be paid in advance at the time of enrollment. The fee amount varies according to referee grade level. The following table shows the amounts due:

Referee Grade

Amount Due if registering prior to February 15

Amount Due if registering after Feb 15 (includes additional fee)

Grade 9

$40

$50

Grade 8

$40

$50

Grade 7

$45

$55

Grade 6

$75

$85

Grade 5

$75

$85

Grade 4

$100

$110

Grade 3

$100

$110

Grade 2

$100

$110

Grade 1

$100

$110

National Emeritus

$40

$55

State Emeritus

$40

$55


Q12: Can I attend a recertification clinic if I did not recertify last year?

Yes. Referees are expected to maintain their certification from year to year. If the referee does let his or her registration lapse for 1-2 years, we can re-certify them upon completion of the recertification clinic. This policy is in place to assist in cases when referees have been injured or had some other unusual occurrence. However, this is not an advisable alternative and there are some considerable drawbacks for referees when this happens. Among other things, assignors may bypass them in favor of more experienced referees. This will also have a negative effect on the referee's future career should they ever desire to upgrade, etc.

Q13: I am away in college, and cannot get to any of the clinics. What do I do?

Massachusetts referees may only renew their annual USSF registration at a designated recertification clinic to remain on the roll of active referees and lists authorized for assignors. Most other states schedule several clinics, and it may be possible for you to attend where you are going to school. If no other options exist, please see Question 14.

Q14: I still have not recertified but I want to ref, what else can I do?

If after the last recertification clinic has been conducted, a referee has not attended a clinic but feels there are extenuating circumstances, such as college, illness or military service, they may submit an appeal to be exempted from the clinic requirement. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN APPEAL. The appeal will be considered by the MSRC on a case by case basis. The referee will be notified within 60 days if the registration has been accepted or rejected. There is an additional $10 fee for processing recertification exemptions.

Q15: If I just took an entry level course in June, July, August, or September, and was given a badge for next year, do I have to go to a recertification clinic?

If you already have a certification for next year, attendance is optional. If you attend a recertification clinic, you will not be asked to submit another registration form nor be required to pay an additional fee. The style and approach of the presentation offered at a recertification clinic is different than at an entry level course and very beneficial to all.

Q16: I am a Grade 9 referee and plan to take the Grade 8 Bridge course or Grade 8 Entry Level course before the Spring season. Do I have to go to a recertification clinic?

Strictly speaking the answer is no, BUT... you are taking a significant chance by not attending recertification. Things could come up that prevent you from attending or passing the course that you planned. Additionally, the longer you wait to either take the course or complete recertification, the longer it will be before assignors can put you into games, and they need to do this before the Spring Season begins.

Q17: I recently moved to Massachusetts from another state where I was certified. What do I do to certify here in Massachusetts?

All transfers to and from State Associations are usually coordinated by the State Referee Administrator from the state which the referee is leaving, however, you may contact the Massachusetts SRA directly by e-mail.

Q18: If I have any other questions regarding recertification requirements what should I do?

If your questions have not been answered by this document, feel free to contact the MSRC by e-mail.