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How to Become an NFL Referee Download Article Co-authored by wikiHow Staff
Last Updated: March 10, 2025 References
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Getting a Handle on the Game
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Fulfilling the Requirements
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Q&A
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 276,973 times. Learn more...
It is not impossible to become a National Football League referee, but it is not easy either. Whether you have refereed for a long time or are just starting out, if you want to become an NFL referee, you will need dedication, experience, and practice. An NFL referee must be accurate while millions of people judge their work. Their judgment affects teams, audience members, and the NFL’s reputation.
Steps
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Getting a Handle on the Game
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1 Play or attend games. Football is a complex sport. True, your general layperson can follow most of the ins and outs during a quarter of a game. However, as a referee, you will make the final call. Football is a game that requires physical contact. Therefore, the job of a referee is very complicated. Since the players are allowed to touch each other, you need to know how to delineate between what is permitted and what is not. You can gain the knowledge you need to make these determinations by playing or watching football as much as possible.
By playing football, you will be observing firsthand what it is like for a player. Empathy for the players will help you make fair, rational judgments.
2 Know the rules. As a referee, you will be called upon to make appropriate judgments. To do this, you must learn the rules. These rules should be on the tip of your tongue. On the field, people expect you to make a call immediately. Study football referee signals and practice them when you have the chance. Know the difference between a bad call and a good call.
The NFL rulebook is long and complex. The rulebook is supposed to make judging a game easier by analyzing different situations that you might potentially see in a game. Therefore, there are hundreds of rules in the rulebook. You should take your time and study the rules in the book.
You should make note cards of plays and rules. Try memorizing these cards every day. With practice, you will be able to rattle them off when asked.
Try watching games with your rulebook in front of you. After a call is made a referee, read up on its history in your book. This will keep you focused on the game and the regulations.
The NFL has official hand signals.[1]XResearch source You should study these when you are preparing to become a referee.
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3 Go to rules clinics. A football rules clinic will tell you about the current rules for a specific association. Generally, these clinics are mandatory in order to participate in that year’s season. This is because the rules have slight variations every year. If there are any changes, then you will learn about them in a rules clinic.These clinics will also allow you to learn more about the fundamentals of the game of football.
The type of clinic that you go to will depend on your association and purpose. If your association requires that you go to a clinic, then they will inform you of the registration process beforehand. Generally, high school clinics, for example, are free for officials. However, if you are going to a professional clinic in order to better yourself, be prepared to pay a significant amount of money. Some clinics charge participants hundreds of dollars.[2]XResearch source These more expensive clinics will often offer an online application for you to fill out.
The NFL has official football rules clinics. Generally, an official NFL Football Officiating Academy (FOA) clinic will focus on leadership, teamwork, and accountability along with the fundamentals.[3]XResearch source At these clinics, you will learn by studying football videos with fans, players, and officials.
4 Referee local football games. Learning how to judge a game properly comes from practice. You should try to referee football games in your community, if possible. Find out if there is a middle school or high school near you that needs referees.
You may want to start at a lower-level when you first begin refereeing. You don’t want to be over your head. If you start by refereeing children’s games, then you will be able to build your understanding of the game in a low pressure setting.
If you have been refereeing for a while, then you should try to referee a level higher than the level you are used to. For example, if you generally have been refereeing middle school games, then you should see if you can referee high school games. Not only will this give you more experience, but you will also be showing an upward trajectory.
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Fulfilling the Requirements
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1 Stay physically fit. Refereeing is a rigorous profession. You need to be able to keep up with the players at all times. Therefore, you must be in shape. If you find yourself short of breath when running, then you won’t be able to stay in the flow of the game. Exercise as much as possible, but don’t over-do it!
Cardio is what you should focus on. Referees need to run quickly for an entire game. Make sure you are jogging every day.
2 Become certified. The NFL requires referees to have membership in an accredited football organization. Look for local football associations in your area by attending middle school, high school, or semi-pro games and talking to the officials there. They will likely be involved with football sports associations. They can give you some information about what associations you should join. You can also try searching the internet to find accredited associations in your area.
These associations will also inform you about games that you can officiate in your area.
3 Referee college and semi-pro games. This will depend on how long you have been refereeing. You need to have at least five years of experience at the college or minor league level to be considered by the NFL.[4]XResearch source If you've just started, this is something that you should keep in mind for the future. However, if you are already refereeing at the high school level, then you should consider applying to college and semi-pro positions.
4 Work your way up. The path to becoming an NFL referee is a long one. In order to be considered for the position, referees are expected to have at least ten years of experience. [5]XResearch source This experience is usually gained by refereeing high school games, college games, and semi-pro games. Keep refereeing more minor games until you have enough experience to be considered for the NFL referee position. This is a long process; there is a reason that the average age of an NFL referee is 51.[6]XResearch source
5 Keep track of your experience. When you finally do end up applying to the NFL, you will have to supply them with a large amount of information. They will need your officiating schedule for the past three seasons. They will want to know which schools you worked at, what your position was, and the dates you worked. Therefore, you should keep detailed notes about your entire referee career.
Write down all of the games you referee, including dates and teams.
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Question What kind of education do I need? Community Answer You need to know the rule book, along with the hand signals, but there is no formal education needed to become a referee. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 27
Question Do I have to have a college degree to become an NFL referee? Community Answer You need to know the rulebook, along with the hand signals, but there is no formal education needed to become a referee. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 0 Helpful 10
Question Do I need a high school diploma or a GED to become a referee? Donagan Top Answerer There are no education requirements. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 9
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Co-authored by: wikiHow Staff wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 276,973 times. 7 votes - 71% Co-authors: 13Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 276,973 Categories: Sports Careers | FootballArticle SummaryX
To become an NFL referee, you'll need to be an expert on the rules of the game, so try to attend or play in as many football games as you can to learn the ropes. You can also study the official NFL rulebook, which is available online. To get some first-hand experience, try refereeing local football games or in a college or semi-pro league. Eventually, you can get certified as a referee and work your way up through the ranks until you have enough experience for an NFL referee position. To learn how to become certified as a referee, scroll down!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Shawn Raimey
Aug 6, 2016
"Thanks for the tip. I'm entering my second year of high school officiating, so the tips to get to college, then on to NFL, was answers I've been searching for since 2015. Now I have them. I really wished I started when I was in high school or college."..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: wikiHow Staff wikiHow Staff Writer 7 votes - 71% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 13Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 276,973
Shawn Raimey
Aug 6, 2016
"Thanks for the tip. I'm entering my second year of high school officiating, so the tips to get to college, then on to NFL, was answers I've been searching for since 2015. Now I have them. I really wished I started when I was in high school or college."..." more
Phil Garcia
Oct 27, 2017
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Co-authored by: wikiHow Staff wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 276,973 times. 7 votes - 71% Co-authors: 13 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 276,973 Categories: Sports Careers | Football Article SummaryX
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1 Play or attend games. Football is a complex sport. True, your general layperson can follow most of the ins and outs during a quarter of a game. However, as a referee, you will make the final call. Football is a game that requires physical contact. Therefore, the job of a referee is very complicated. Since the players are allowed to touch each other, you need to know how to delineate between what is permitted and what is not. You can gain the knowledge you need to make these determinations by playing or watching football as much as possible. 
2 Know the rules. As a referee, you will be called upon to make appropriate judgments. To do this, you must learn the rules. These rules should be on the tip of your tongue. On the field, people expect you to make a call immediately. Study football referee signals and practice them when you have the chance. Know the difference between a bad call and a good call. 
3 Go to rules clinics. A football rules clinic will tell you about the current rules for a specific association. Generally, these clinics are mandatory in order to participate in that year’s season. This is because the rules have slight variations every year. If there are any changes, then you will learn about them in a rules clinic.These clinics will also allow you to learn more about the fundamentals of the game of football. 
4 Referee local football games. Learning how to judge a game properly comes from practice. You should try to referee football games in your community, if possible. Find out if there is a middle school or high school near you that needs referees. 
1 Stay physically fit. Refereeing is a rigorous profession. You need to be able to keep up with the players at all times. Therefore, you must be in shape. If you find yourself short of breath when running, then you won’t be able to stay in the flow of the game. Exercise as much as possible, but don’t over-do it! 
2 Become certified. The NFL requires referees to have membership in an accredited football organization. Look for local football associations in your area by attending middle school, high school, or semi-pro games and talking to the officials there. They will likely be involved with football sports associations. They can give you some information about what associations you should join. You can also try searching the internet to find accredited associations in your area. 
3 Referee college and semi-pro games. This will depend on how long you have been refereeing. You need to have at least five years of experience at the college or minor league level to be considered by the NFL.[4] If you've just started, this is something that you should keep in mind for the future. However, if you are already refereeing at the high school level, then you should consider applying to college and semi-pro positions. 
4 Work your way up. The path to becoming an NFL referee is a long one. In order to be considered for the position, referees are expected to have at least ten years of experience. [5] This experience is usually gained by refereeing high school games, college games, and semi-pro games. Keep refereeing more minor games until you have enough experience to be considered for the NFL referee position. This is a long process; there is a reason that the average age of an NFL referee is 51.[6] 
5 Keep track of your experience. When you finally do end up applying to the NFL, you will have to supply them with a large amount of information. They will need your officiating schedule for the past three seasons. They will want to know which schools you worked at, what your position was, and the dates you worked. Therefore, you should keep detailed notes about your entire referee career. 
Community Answer You need to know the rule book, along with the hand signals, but there is no formal education needed to become a referee. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 27 
Community Answer You need to know the rulebook, along with the hand signals, but there is no formal education needed to become a referee. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 0 Helpful 10 
Donagan Top Answerer There are no education requirements. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 9 
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