No athletics background required

Full training is provided by Athletics NI and UK Athletics, every step of the way. Nobody arrives already knowing how to officiate — every single person on our current list of officials started with a first course and a first nervous meeting, exactly like you're about to.

First: pick your discipline

Officials work across six main areas — Track, Field, Endurance, Timekeeping, Photo Finish, and Starter (or Starter's Assistant). Each has its own Level 1 course and its own pathway, but the first steps below are the same whichever one you choose.

Not sure which is for you? Come along and watch a local meeting first. Most of our current officials chose their discipline exactly that way — by seeing which role caught their eye on the day.

Your first steps

1. Book your Level 1 course for your chosen discipline. If you're completely new to the sport, start with the Assistant Officials Course first — it's a gentle, no-pressure introduction to how a competition actually runs, before you commit to a discipline.
2. Complete your Access NI check. This is Northern Ireland's version of a background check for anyone working around children and young people, and it's a straightforward, standard part of becoming an official — free of charge, and something every one of our officials holds. You'll find the application steps on Licensing & Renewal.
3. Complete your Safeguarding self-paced module, and your Health & Safety module where your discipline requires it. Both are done online, in your own time, through Athletics Hub — no set class times, no pressure.
4. Add your licence photo to Athletics Hub. A recent, passport-style photo, no more than three years old — this is what appears on your official's licence.
5. Get your first two practical experiences under your belt. Shadow an experienced official at two real meetings. This is genuinely where it all clicks into place — the course gives you the theory, but standing beside someone who's done it a hundred times is what makes it make sense.

What happens after Level 1?

You're now a qualified official — but this is only the beginning. From here, every discipline follows a Level 1 to Level 4 pathway, built almost entirely on real meeting experience rather than more classroom time. Head to Courses & Qualifications to see exactly what's asked of you at each level, and to Logging Your Experience to see how to record your progress as you go.

Any questions?

For questions about courses or officiating Levels 1–3: officials@athleticsni.org

For Access NI checks and licensing: see Licensing & Renewal, or contact coaching@athleticsni.org