READ ALL OF THE DIRECTIONS BELOW

After your referee certification lapses for more than 3 years, you must recertify by completing a Referee Entry Clinic.  Your requirements for your referee certification are a combination of online lessons and an in-person field training session.  The registration and clinic fee is $85.

View Instructions Here

You will go to our Officials Management System (OMS).

1. Select “Sign in via U.S. Soccer.”  Enter your username and password.
   If you do not remember your password, select “Forgot Password.”  Your e-mail address must be your own.  Every referee must have a different e-mail for identification.
2. Select “Registration” on the Menu Bar at the top of the page.
3. Select “Register for a Clinic / Fitness Test.”
4. On the next page, update your personal information.
5. On the next page, answer the “Yes/No” question and more questions will be revealed. Select your Official Type(s) and Registration Type.  You can return to request other Official Types later. Select Referee and Recertification.
6. On the next page, select and reserve the “Referee – Entry Online PreClinic”.
7. Follow the directions to Checkout and pay the $85.00 by credit card.

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of each page to be able to select the next page.

FIRST STEP.  The first step of your referee instruction is completing the online lessons.

On your Member Information Page, to the right of your reserved clinic, click on “Online Lesson.”

ONLINE LESSONS.  There are nine online lessons:

1. Welcome Screen. (10 minutes)
2. 2026-27 Laws of the Game (10 minutes)
3. U.S. Soccer Safety Requirements (45 minutes)
4. SafeSport Verification (1 minute)
5. U.S. Soccer Entry Referee Training (4 hours 30 minutes)
6. Referee Signals  (9 minutes)
7. Assistant Referee Signals  (11 minutes)
8. Background Check Verification (1 minute)
9. Ceremonial Restarts (4 minutes)

FINAL STEP.  The final step of your referee training is completing the field training session.

Once you complete the 9 online lessons, your gray Online Lessons button will turn green.  This could take up to 24 hours after you complete the last lesson.  When it does, click on the “Pick a Clinic” button and pick a Field Training Clinic.

If you decide to change your Field Training Clinic, on your OMS Member Information Page, to the right of your reserved clinic, click on “Transfer” to select another Field Training Clinic.

FIELD TRAINING SESSION  

You need to bring your own whistle, referee flag, and flipping coin to the field session.

Dress for the weather and for mild activity on the field.  You will be outside on the field for 4 hours.  During many field training clinics you practice refereeing on a scrimmage, dress to run, and referee uniform would be helpful.

You should receive your referee badge at the end of the field training session.

REFEREE EQUIPMENT

Our State Referee Committee has an agreement with Official Sports International (OSI) for our referees to purchase their referee kits at a discount. OSI provides proper uniforms and equipment and is a sponsor of US Soccer. OSI uniforms are what you see on professional referees at US Soccer events.

If you have not purchased your referee uniform and equipment, you may procure them from OSI.
On your OMS Member Information, under the Registration drop down menu, select “Order Referee Starter Kit”.OSI has set up a store for apparel with our Metro DC-Virginia logo. Click HERE.
You can view all available OSI referee uniforms and equipment, and OSI apparel and gear also.
You can purchase your gear at OSI or any other store/website as long as it meets the USSF guidelines.

What you need:

• Referee Socks (2 stripes)
• Referee Shorts
• Referee Shirt (at least yellow, you can also purchase a pack of all colors. If you only want 1 additional shirt, we recommend green)
• Whistle
• Flags
• Cards
• Watch
• Scorecards
• Shoes: Referee shoes should be black athletic shoes. Predominantly black is usually acceptable. Manufacturer logo of a different color is acceptable. The referee shoes should not be distracting, or draw attention.

TO START.  Go to our Officials Management System (OMS):  https://mdcvasrp.omgtsys.com