Welcome to the IHSA's Official Licensing Center.  Please read these instructions carefully.

All IHSA Officials licenses are for a period of one school year, and each school year runs from July 1st through the following June 30th. Individuals can license for any sport at any time during a school year period, but an individual will need to license again when the licensing period opens for the next school year. For example, an individual who registers and licenses as a baseball official with the IHSA on February 1, 2025, is licensing for the 2024-25 school year and will need to renew that license a few months later when the licensing period opens up for the 2025-26 school year. Individuals will be reminded of this again later in the registration process when specific sports for licensing are selected.

Once an official has completed all the necessary requirements (pay registration fee, have background check completed, successful completion of the state-required concussion training program and the IHSA Hate Speech and Harassment program, view the current rules presentation for a particular sport, and successfully complete the Part 1 exam in all sports in which the person wishes to license), he/she/they will display in the IHSA Officials Directory and be eligible to officiate. Individuals who officiate a contest when they are not license subject themselves and the host school to discipline from the IHSA Office.

In this area, you may apply to become an official, which, as previously mentioned, carries with it a one-year license.

The base registration fee for the 2024-25 school year is $80. This fee allows an individual to apply for two licenses.

For individuals who register between May 1-31, an early registration discount will be applied and the fee will be $70 ($80 base registration fee minus $10 discount) for the first sport, $0 for the second sport, and $15 dollars for each additional sport).

For individuals who register between June 1-July 31, the registration fee will be $80 for the first sport, $0 for the second sport, and $15 for each additional sport.

For any individual who registers for a fall sport(s) on or after August 1, the registration fee will be $110 ($80 for registration and a $30 late fee). There will be a $0 charge for a second sport, and each additional sport will cost the individual $15 per license.

Individuals who register for a winter sport on or after October 1, 2024, will pay the fees described in the paragraph above, as will individuals who register for a spring sport on or after February 1, 2025.

Requirements and expectations for IHSA licensed officials can be found in the IHSA Officials Handbook. The current handbook can be found here and will be updated for the 2024-25 school year on or around August 1st.

If you have a question about this process, please contact the IHSA Officials Department.