Category:Referee/CrossCertification

Important note: You may cross-certify ONE TIME ONLY. It is strongly recommended that AYSO referees who wish to become USSF certified complete their AYSO Intermediate Referee certification first and then cross-certify rather than taking a USSF Referee course.

USSF/AYSO Cross-Certification

Cross-certification is available to referees of AYSO and USSF who have been certified as referees for six months or more and who are not certified with both organizations. All games officiated for AYSO or USSF may be applied toward the certification requirements of either AYSO or USSF.

In 2019, USSF restructured the entry level training for referees to effectively line up training with the type of games that referees will officiate. The reclassification of USSF’s entry level grades are as follows:

• Referees officiate in youth competitions, small-sided games, recreational and competitive youth competitions, and adult amateur competitions.
• Regional Referees officiate in competitions organized at regional or provincial level & adult games below the top division. Competitive youth and adult national competitions.

The cross-over agreement between USSF and AYSO allows:

• AYSO referees levels Intermediate or higher can cross certify over to a USSF Referee License
• USSF Referee can certify over to AYSO Regional Referee
• USSF Regional Referee or higher can cross certify over to AYSO Advanced Referee

The cross-certification agreement will transition referees back and forth to the appropriate levels. As with all referee levels in all soccer organizations, this cross-over process is the starting point for referee assignments. The referee assignors need to track and understand the experience level of their referees to make appropriate game assignments.

AYSO to USSF

If you are an AYSO referee (Intermediate or higher) who wants to become a USSF certified referee, you need to complete the following steps:

1. Fill out the AYSO/USSF cross-certification agreement
2. If you are an AYSO Intermediate or Advanced referee, have the form signed by your Area Referee Administrator. National Referees will need the form signed by the Section Referee Administrator.
3. Keep a copy of the completed cross-certification form!
4. Register with USSF as a Referee.
5. Join a local club Referee Association for game assignments.

The assignment of referees to games in USSF Youth leagues are coordinated by independent Referee Associations. You must join a Referee Association to be assigned matches.

USSF to AYSO

If you are a current USSF referee who wants to become an AYSO certified referee you need to complete the following steps:

1. Fill out the AYSO/USSF cross-certification agreement.
2. Have the cross-certification form signed by your USSF State Referee Administrator. If you mail it, you should include a self addressed stamped envelope with your mailing to expedite its return.
3. Complete your AYSO volunteer registration on your Region’s Sports Connect website.
4. Complete AYSO’s Safe Haven, CDC Concussion Training, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Online Course, SafeSport trainings available at AYSOU. Login through your volunteer account on your local portal. If you have already completed these in non-AYSO organizations, provide your certificates to your Regional Referee Administrator for credit.
5. Once you are registered as an AYSO volunteer, have your cross-certification form signed by the Regional Commissioner of the Region you registered in.
6. Keep a copy of the completed cross-certification form!
7. Submit the completed form to:

   AYSO Office
   19700 S. Vermont Ave., Suite 103
   Torrance , CA 90502
   (800) USA-AYSO (800-872-2976)
   (310) 525-1155 FAX

Contact your Regional Referee Administrator and let him or her know of your availability.