New referees must complete the certification process prior to being assigned to matches. The process is administered by Cal South in compliance with US Soccer and must be completed by June 14th of each year. Once you are properly registered and approved by CalSouth, you are a U.S. Soccer Federation Referee for the approved registration year and are licensed to independently service any U.S. Soccer National Member Organization (except AYSO - please check with their organization if you want to work their games). If you are not on the approved CalSouth referee list, we cannot assign you to any matches.
The Cal South referee registration checklist is very helpful, especially for new first-time referees. The checklist is also available en español,
The certification process can be confusing. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need assistance.
1) Pay the 2026 USSF Referee Registration Fee of $80.
2) Take the 2026 Cal South - Online Referee Assignments course. Please note this is a 4 hour course.
3) Take the Intro to Safe & Health Playing Environments course. You will see the course listed as the second class under the phase 1 section.
4) Register to attend a Referee Preparation Training class (virtual or in-person).
5) If you are 18+ years old, complete the DOJ Background & Live Scan process.
6) If you are 18+ years old, complete the SafeSport training course. You will see the course listed as the first class under the phase 1 section.
For additional information, please visit the CalSouth referee page.
Once you have completed the certification process, you are ready to buy your uniforms. We have provided links to four websites that sell soccer referee uniforms. Here is a checklist of what you need, along with general advice for new referees.