Become a Referee

PIR referee officiating a game on the ice

Whether you’re an experienced official or thinking about trying it for the first time, there’s no better place to referee than the Palouse Ice Rink.

PIR runs officiated programs across Youth (8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 18U), Adult (A, B+, B-, C), Women’s, and Tournaments (youth & adult). We also partner with the Lewiston Ice Arena to coordinate scheduling — mostly youth games (8U–18U). If you don’t mind the drive, Spokane, Wenatchee, Yakima, and the Tri-Cities will welcome you with open arms too.

Do the math and you’ll find a few hundred local games each season that need a pair of officials. Being a college town, there’s always a need for more referees — and officiating a few games a week can easily cover your player fees for the season.

The Path to Becoming a USA Hockey Referee

  1. Register with USA Hockey
  2. Attend a 3-hour online seminar
  3. Complete online training modules (~6 hours)
  4. Complete an online, open-book exam (self-paced)
  5. Complete a background check (if 18+)
  6. Complete SafeSport training (if officiating youth games)
  7. Purchase your stripes and whistle

Register at USAHockey.com — click Officials in the top banner instead of Players & Parents. Referee registration is separate from player registration and renews each season; once you’re in the referee portal, it walks you through every step above.

2026–27 Key Dates

Date Milestone
May 1, 2026Membership applications open
Nov 20, 2026Membership applications close — no new registrations after this date
Nov 30, 2026All 2025–26 memberships expire
Dec 15, 2026Classroom seminars conclude
Dec 31, 2026Membership closes — all education requirements must be complete; no cards or crests issued after this date

Referee Levels

There are four levels, 1 (new) through 4 (experienced) — higher levels generally officiate higher-level games. All levels require SafeSport training (if born 2009 or earlier) and a current USA Hockey background screen (if 18+ as of May 1, 2026).

Level Fee To Qualify
1$75Open to all new officials
2$135Completed Level 1 within the last two seasons
3$135Completed Level 2 (or higher) the previous season
4$135Completed Level 3 or 4 the previous season

Each level also requires a level-specific classroom seminar, online education modules, and a playing rules exercise — all through the USA Hockey Officiating Membership portal.

More detail: Officiating Program Registration · Registration Rules & Policies

Once you’ve completed everything above, USA Hockey mails you a crest and ID card for the season, and our local referee coordinator will automatically be notified and start working you into games at your comfort level.

Questions? Contact us.

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