Fla. Admin. Code R. 61K1-3.012 (2026)

(1) License.

(a) No person shall act as a referee in a match held in Florida without first having obtained a referee license.

(b) If, during the course of a match, the referee receives an injury or is unable to continue acting in his capacity as referee, the commission representative shall:

1. Select another qualified person to act as referee for the remainder of the match and program of matches; or

2. If no qualified person is available, cancel the remainder of the match and program of matches.

(c) No person who has financial or pecuniary interest in any participant shall be granted a referee license.

(d) No referee shall also be licensed as a booking agent, manager, matchmaker, participant, representative of a booking agent, second or trainer and shall not act as a booking agent, manager, matchmaker, participant, representative of a booking agent, second or trainer.

(e) No referee licensed in this state shall act as a referee at any boxing, mixed martial arts or kickboxing match in a state without a state boxing commission or similar governmental authority unless the match is supervised by a state boxing commission or similar governmental authority.

(f) No referee shall also serve as a supervisor or serve on the ratings committee or recommend boxers to the ratings committee for a sanctioning body. The applicant must have a demonstrated record and evidence that he/she has the ability to perform the duties outlined below.

(2) Applicants for a professional referee’s license will be reviewed, evaluated and processed in the following manner:

(a) Any person desiring to become licensed for the first time as a professional boxing kickboxing, or mixed martial arts referee shall submit to the commission the appropriate application using Form BPR-0009-450, entitled “Application for License” (06/23), which is incorporated in Rule 61K1-3.001, F.A.C. The form can be obtained from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Florida Athletic Commission, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1016, or at the Commission’s website at: http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/sbc/index.html.

1. All applicants for a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts referee license must first be licensed as a trailing referee by the executive director unless otherwise provided in this rule. Licensure as a trailing referee allows for the evaluation of an applicant’s knowledge, judgment, and ability to perform the duties outlined in this rule prior to the issuance of a referee license and does not authorize the holder to officiate in any official capacity during a sanctioned event.

2. Applicants for a referee license will be permitted to attend assigned programs of matches as a trailing referee at the discretion of the executive director for observation purposes. In making trailing referee assignments, the executive director shall be cognizant of the relative importance of the match, the number of scheduled rounds and any other factors that may contribute to a difficult set of circumstances for a referee early in his or her career.

3. The commission will make arrangements for trailing referees to enter the premises of assigned programs of matches free of charge. Travel and other expenses will be borne solely by the trailing referee.

4. An applicant may be issued a referee license after serving as a trailing referee for a minimum of 12 months and demonstrating during this period that he or she has the ability to perform the duties outlined in this rule.

(b) Officials from jurisdictions outside this state may be licensed by the executive director upon demonstrating an ability to perform the duties outlined in this rule. The official’s record and ability shall be verified by the executive director prior to licensure.

(3) Duties.

(a) A referee shall submit to an annual physical examination to establish physical fitness. The result of this examination shall be filed with the commission. The executive director or commission representative may require the referee to be examined by a physician immediately prior to officiating a match at his discretion.

(b) Prior to the beginning of each match, and periodically for the duration of the match, the referee shall examine the participants’ gloves, equipment, and person to ensure that no unsafe or improper condition exists. In boxing and kickboxing, before allowing a match to continue after a participant has been knocked down, the referee shall wipe clean the surface of the gloves of the participant who was knocked down.

(c) When a participant receives an injury which the referee believes may incapacitate the participant, the referee shall call time out and consult with the physician as to the advisability of allowing the match to continue. No person shall attempt to render aid to or move a participant other than what may be required to move the participant inside the ropes or to remove the mouthpiece of a participant who has been counted out during the course of a match before the physician has examined the participant. However, the referee shall remove the participant’s mouthpiece.

(d) The referee shall have the authority to:

1. Terminate a match at any time when the referee determines that one of the participants has such superior skills or ability as to make such match unreasonably dangerous to the other participant and shall be recorded as a technical knockout;

2. Disqualify a participant who commits an intentional foul and award the decision to the opponent;

3. Terminate a match and disqualify either or both participants if the referee determines that either or both participants are not competing in earnest;

4. Terminate a match if either participant has been injured and is in such condition that to continue the match might subject the participant to a debilitating or life threatening injury;

5. Temporarily or permanently halt a match if the referee believes that a significant health hazard exists, when such hazard could reasonably be anticipated to create a significant danger to the participants or the public; and,

6. Enforce discipline and the rules, as set forth herein, pertaining to the conduct and behavior of participants, managers, trainers, and seconds.

Rulemaking Authority 548.003 FS. Law Implemented 548.003(2), 548.017, 548.056, 548.057 FS. History–New 2-7-85, Amended 11-24-85, Formerly 7F-1.19, Amended 4-6-89, 1-1-90, 1-9-91, Formerly 7F-1.019, Amended 9-10-95, 4-3-00, 6-1-04, Formerly 61K1-1.019, Amended 9-7-26.

Effective: 9/7/2026.