Referee Certification Frequently Asked Questions

Who can become a WFTDA Certified Referee?

Any referee regardless of league affiliation is eligible to become a WFTDA certified referee. Skaters may also apply for certification.

What level can I apply for?

If you are currently not Certified, you can apply for Level 1 or Level 2.

If you are currently Certified, you can apply for a single level higher, or renew at the same level, when your current Certification is up for renewal (12 months after your Certification date). e.g., a WFTDA referee Certified at level 2 on 7/1/2009 may apply for either Level 2 or Level 3 no sooner than 7/1/2010. However, they may not apply for Levels 4 or 5 at this time.

How long does Certification last?

Referee Certification is valid for 1 year from the date granted. After the 1 year period is up, a referee may apply to be Certified at level one above their current standing, or renew at the current level. The referee will be granted a 3 month grace period to get all of his or her required documents in prior to losing his or her Certified status.

If the referee does not turn in all of his or her documents within or prior to the grace period he or she will be eligible to re-apply at the same level for an additional 6 months. If the documents are not received by the end of the 6 months the referee will not be eligible to apply at his or her previous level and must start at levels 1/2.

How soon before the end of the month can documents be submitted to be reviewed that month?

The WFTDA Referee Certification Panel reviews applicants at the end of each month. Documents for an applicant who has not yet met the requirements to be reviewed, will be accepted until the 15th of the month. For applicants who have met the requirements, the Panel will accept documents until the day before reviews will take place.

I failed the rules test, when can I take it again?

1 month between test attempts.

I'm a referee with an aspiring WFTDA League. How can I take the test?

The rules test must be administered by a WFTDA League member who is appointed by the league or a Certified Referee. In order to take these tests a non-WFTDA affiliated official must contact the nearest WFTDA league to schedule a time to take the test with a representative of the WFTDA league.

Which games can I use when asking another league to fill out an evaluation card?

An evaluation card must be written by a WFTDA member league that participated in either a WFTDA Regulation or Sanctioned Bout:

  • A WFTDA Sanctioned Bout is a WFTDA interleague bout between two chartered teams that will count towards the leagues’ rankings.
  • A WFTDA Regulation Bout is between two WFTDA leagues that follows all current WFTDA rules but does not count towards the leagues’ rankings.
  • A bout between WFTDA Apprentice leagues or between a WFTDA League team and an Apprentice League team. Intraleague bouts between teams from the same WFTDA Member League do not count.

How do I know what region a league is in?

Please visit our Member Leagues or Regions page.
Presently all leagues not in North America will be handled by Ref Cert East.

What if this is a non-WFTDA league?

Base your decision on the region of the WFTDA Member League closest in proximity to the non-affiliated referee.

How will I know if all of my documents are turned in?

Check the Referee Certification Application Status.

What happens once all of a referee's documents are turned in?

All documents will be verified for accuracy. Once verified, the Panel Members review all documents and vote whether or not to grant Certification. An applicant must receive at least 3 out of 5 votes for certification to be granted. The Referee Certification Panel can award a lower level of Certification at their discretion.

What happens if I do not receive enough votes to become a Certified Referee?

If a referee does not receive enough votes they may reapply after 6 months.

Are there patches? All WFTDA Referees Like Patches!

Each level of WFTDA Referee Certification has a color-specific patch for it:
Level 1: Blue
Level 2: Red
Level 3: Silver
Level 4: Gold
Level 5: Pink
WFTDA Referee Certification patches can be worn with pride by WFTDA Certified Referees only. Patches must be displayed on the right uniform sleeve.

My question wasn’t answered here!

We’re happy to help answer questions that are not listed in this FAQ. Send an email to the appropriate region email with the specifics of anything not listed here.

Real. Strong. Athletic. Revolutionary.