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2024 NIAA Registration Process
NIAA Official Release  

The NIAA has changed its official’s registration process. Officials will no longer register with the NIAA through their local association.

ALL officials will now electronically register through a newly created NIAA / ArbiterSports account. Once completed, the appropriate local association will be notified that you have joined their group.

A significant addition to the registration process, as approved recently by the NIAA Board of Control, is that officials must now consent to a background check. Another big change will be the required payment (credit/debit card only) of NIAA sport registration, NFHS Liability Insurance, and Peopletrail background check fees.

These ideas and policy changes have been discussed thoroughly in recent commissioner/president meetings. Our new Interim Executive Director, Donnie Nelson, the NIAA Board of Control as well as the leaders of our local associations, are all onboard and feel NOW is the time to move forward with these changes. Of course, we need our member officials to support the change as well. We cannot afford, as a group, to have our numbers (of registered officials) decrease. We need more officials, not fewer. Hopefully, the new registration platform helps simplify the sign-up process so we can spend more time in our meetings talking more about officiating and less about administrative items.

The cost associated with Background (BG) checks 5-7 years ago was considerable ($70-$100 or more) and felt to be TOO much for either the NIAA or the officials to absorb. At a current fee of $9.50, as quoted by Peopletrail, the fee is now at a level where the NIAA can request officials to consent to a BG check as part of the registration process. Unfortunately, the NIAA is not in a position to pick up the cost for these BG checks.

All officials will be required to consent to a BG check. The new policy mandates that all officials must consent to a BG check, so for now, officials should expect BG checks to occur every year.

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Registration Process

 

To register with the NIAA Central, please click on the link below:
NIAA Central Hub
NIAA Officials Registration Instructions  

Online registration is required for all officials.
Officials will register with the NIAA by going to the following NIAA ArbiterSports website:

 

http://niaa.arbitersports.com

Click the Registration Tab

Select the sports for which you want to register (you can return later to register for more sports as well) and click the Register button.

You will then be taken to the Registration WELCOME Page which outlines the steps each official must complete to become an NIAA registered official.

STEP 1 – Personal Information – SS# and DOB are now required information

STEP 2 – Upload a Photo (recommended but not required to complete registration)

STEP 3 – Criminal History – a single question, asking if you have been convicted of a felony

STEP 4 – Background Consent – registering official requested to provide authorization for a background check

STEP 5 – Association Selection – registering official asked to select local association they want to join

STEP 6 – Confirmation – a series of statements that official must agree to before moving to last step (payment)

STEP 7 – Payment – credit card required. Fees include NIAA per sport dues ($20), NFHS Insurance ($13) and background check fee ($9.50)

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