The second stage is to attend a Basic Referees Course. This will involve both classroom-based and practical training sessions, followed by a written and practical examination on the Laws of the Game. At this stage you will also have to complete Safeguarding Children training and an enhanced CRB disclosure.
On passing the exams, you become a Level 9 referee, and you may officiate on local amateur ("parks") football. You will then need to complete 6 matches as a referee in 11-a-side football (or 9-a-side mini soccer with offsides) in order to complete your qualification as a referee. Upon completion of the 6 matches, you then become a Level 8 referee if you are under 16 years of age, or a Level 7 referee if you are 16 or over. You may then officiate on local amateur ("parks") football.
If you wish to become a Level 6 referee you must serve one year at Level 7 before being eligible for promotion. Promotion is usually decided through assessment, attendance at further in-service training, successful completion of a test on the Laws of the Game, and a satisfactory average club mark over 20 completed matches. The same criteria would apply for promotion to Level 5.
An assessment is when a fully qualified FA registered referee assessor watches you referee, and provides you with a constructive report on your performance. Assessors give you a mark on the report based on your performance in various categories (Application of Law, Match Control etc.) which is sent to your County FA, and the marks are collated to form a merit table of referees who have applied for promotion.
Level 5 referees may then be eligible for promotion to Senior Competitions (Level 4 rising to Level 1). This will involve refereeing on "Supply Leagues" (senior amateur leagues at County level), and being an assistant referee on "Contributory Leagues" (semi professional leagues). Further promotion would take you on to the Contributory Leagues as a referee, then the “Panel Leagues” (Conference/Football & Premier League Reserves), then on to the “National List of Referees” (Football League) - Level 1. From there, the best referees would then be promoted onto the “Select List” of referees who operate on the Premier League. From Level 4 upwards, a fitness test must be passed before each season.
The final promotion would be on to the International list where we currently have 7 referees. However, certain age limits apply, both minimum and maximum.
Age Limits: The minimum age to be registered as a referee is 14. Junior Referees aged 14-15 may only officiate in competitions where the players are under 16. Upon reaching 16 years old, referees can referee teams of any age they choose. There is now no upper age limit at any level within English football.