USATF always has a need for, and welcomes new certified officials. See the certification requirements listed below and contact the Certification Chair serving your USATF association, as listed in the “Certification Chair Directory” below. Officials are certified for the duration of the current Olympiad and must recertify for subsequent four-year Olympiad periods. Officials are certified in specific disciplines; each discipline falls under either a set of levels or a set of grades as shown in the links below. Officials also have an overall certification level which is equal to their highest level of certification in any discipline.
Learn more about membership and how to join here. Memberships paid for in November or December are valid for the entire following year.
To apply for initial certification complete the New Official Application Form here and send the form to your Certification Chair.
The purpose of the open-book rules review is for officials to become familiar with appropriate rule books, and to gain and demonstrate knowledge about selected rules governing track and field events. Officials must complete the rules review appropriate to their certification level and discipline with at least the specified minimum passing score. Click here for Rules Reviews for all disciplines.
There is a $22.00 fee for this screening which must be accomplished once every two years. The screening provider is the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI), which conducts the following screenings:
Learn more about Background Screening and how to submit yours at this link.
The United States Olympic Committee requires all National Governing Bodies to implement the SafeSport training program throughout their organization, and this includes all USATF officials. Through education, resources, and training, members of the sport community recognize, reduce, and respond to misconduct in sport and create a healthy, supportive environment for athletes. Additional information about SafeSport is available at this link. The training is offered online and includes videos, charts & graphics, and quizzes. Completion of the core training course is required once during every four-year Olympiad period, plus a short refresher course once each calendar year starting in 2021. You can find instructions for the training online here. In order to receive completion credit, be certain to select “Official” as your primary position, specify “USA Track & Field” as your National Governing Body, and include your USATF membership number.
The Certification Fee is paid once for each four-year Olympiad and is processed through your Sport:80 Connect profile. Contact your local Certification Chair to discuss the certification fee details specific to your local Association.
The National Officials Committee expects all officials to be prepared and to conduct themselves in a professional manner. The National Officials Committee's Code of Ethics and Performance Guidelines describe the manner in which all certified officials must conduct themselves and outline several characteristics that should be demonstrated by all certified officials.
Contact your local Certification Chair to discuss any relevant training requirements specific to your local Association.
A current headshot photo must be uploaded to your USATF Sport:80 Connect Profile to complete your Officials Photo ID Badge
You must be at least 18 years old to be a USATF Certified Official. However, if you are 14-17 please inquire about the Junior Officials Program (JOP) with your Certification Chair.