The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association licenses sports referees in basketball, hockey, soccer, wrestling, football, volleyball, gymnastics, track & field, cross country and swimming & diving, as well as umpires for baseball and softball.
To become a licensed high school sports referee in Wisconsin, begin by going to the WIAA website. There are two ways to register:
- Complete and submit an online application and pay the registration fee using your credit card.
- Print the application, complete it and mail it to the WIAA with a check for fee payment.
The current fee is $35 plus $15 per sport. For individuals that are current or retired military, the Wisconsin officials licensing fee is waived for the first two years.
Once you submit the application, you will be mailed a rule book and other training material. New officiating candidates are required to take the NFHS rules exam and watch a training video for their sport.
WIAA Referee and Umpire Levels
There are seven grade levels of Wisconsin sports officials (L0 – Master). New officials begin at L1. As officials gain more experience, they can advance to higher levels and thereby receive better officiating opportunities. To advance to the next level, an official must also achieve the test grade required for the higher level when taking the yearly NFHS exam.
An official may advance two levels by getting the required test score and attending a WIAA approved officiating clinic. Officials that advance to the top level of Master are assigned the highest level state tournament games.
WIAA Student Officials
The WIAA allows high school students to become referees on a limited or restricted basis. Through this program, younger referees and umpires can officiate high school sports at the sub-varsity level, with the exception of ice hockey. High school student applications must be printed and mailed and must also be signed by an athletic director.
Visit the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association website for more information.
