The National Officials Certification Program is administered by the USA Swimming Officials Committee. Its primary goal is to expand the education of officials through mentoring, participation and evaluation as well recognizing those officials who have demonstrated their knowledge of swim officiating at each level and position.

Certification at any level requires a combination of several things including evaluations, local participation at meets, continuing education, and the training and mentoring of other officials.

National Certification Program Mission:

"To develop officials who are competent, current and consistent from the LSC level meet to the highest level in our sport through a progressive training program based on an accumulation of experience acquired by specific meet attendance, mentoring and constructive evaluation."

LSC Certification:

Please contact your LSC Officials Chair for certification and re-certification procedures in your area.

NATIONAL CERTIFICATION LEVELS

There are two levels of National Certification – N2 and N3 – for each of 5 positions:

• Stroke and Turn Judge
• Chief Judge
• Starter
• Deck Referee
• Administrative Referee
• N2 for Administrative Official

Hoping to work at a national level meet? Please read these expectations first.

Evaluation and Certification Requirements

• N2 Evaluation and Certification Requirements
• N3 Evaluation and Certification Requirements
• N2 and N3 Re-Certification Requirements
• Guidelines for National Evaluators

Officials Qualifying Meet List and Application

• List of Approved Qualifying Meets for N2 and N3 Certification
• Officials Qualifying Meet Application - should be submitted to HQ by LSC Officials Chair

Requesting Mentoring and Evaluation

• Request for Evaluation Form
• Suggestions for How to Use the Request for Evaluation Form
• Standards for Evaluation
  • Professional Official
    • Stroke and Turn
    • Administrative Official
    • Chief Judge
    • Starter
    • Deck Referee
    • Admin Referee
  • False Start Scenarios

Mentor and Evaluator Resources

• Mentoring Webinar
• Mentoring Officials Slide Presentation
• See Standards for Evaluation above
• See Evaluation and Certification Requirements above
  
• National Mentoring and Evaluations Worksheet
  
• Characteristics of a Successful Mentor
• Listening and Providing Feedback

Evaluate the Mentor/Evaluator

We appreciate your taking the time to complete this short survey on the evaluation process. As we receive feedback on your experiences with the evaluation process, we can continue to improve it. Please be assured your identity is anonymous when completing this survey.

Click here to start the survey.

Becoming a Mentor/Evaluator

• Evaluator Appointment
• Evaluation Process for LSC Officials Chairs to Select N2/N3 Mentors/Evaluators

Obtain National Certification

Once your evaluation is entered, you should receive an email notification. Certification is not automatic. The last step to obtaining your national certification is the application. Click the link below (you must be logged in as an official) to submit an application for national certification. It will be reviewed and you will receive email updates along the way. The final update will let you know the certification has been entered in the system. You can then print your new certification card from your Deck Pass Dashboard.

If you do not see the OTS National Certification Application information below, then you are not authorized to access this feature.

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