# Change to SafeSport Certification Rules

**URL:** <https://forum.uschess.org/t/change-to-safesport-certification-rules/59476>\
**Category:** Running Chess Tournaments\
**Created:** [October 15, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/change-to-safesport-certification-rules/59476 "2025-10-15T16:37:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nolan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/nolan/32/174_2.png) [@nolan](https://forum.uschess.org/u/nolan)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/change-to-safesport-certification-rules/59476/1 "2025-10-15T16:37:09Z")

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Effective November, 1, 2025, there will be no grace period for SafeSport Certification. This is actually more consistent with how we handle TD certification, TDs must have current membership, current TD certification and now current SafeSport certification as of the ending date of the event.

We do recommend taking the next SafeSport course in the sequence fairly close to when your current SafeSport certification lapses, since the one-year certification term will start upon the completion of the next course.

Note: You **do not** have to re-take a SafeSport training course. If your SafeSport certification is lapsing/has lapsed, you need to take the next course in the sequence:

- If your most recent course was the core course, you need to take Refresher 1.

- If your most recent course was Refresher 1, you need to take Refresher 2.

- If your most recent course was Refresher 2, you need to take Refresher 3.

- If your most recent course was Refresher 3, you need to start over with the Core course.

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**Author:** ![nolan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/nolan/32/174_2.png) [@nolan](https://forum.uschess.org/u/nolan)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/change-to-safesport-certification-rules/59476/2 "2025-10-15T17:10:17Z")

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We will be sending out SafeSport renewal reminder emails later today to over 700 TDs whose SafeSport certification has either lapsed or is due to lapse in the next 60 days.

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**Author:** ![ulmont](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/ulmont/32/151_2.png) [@ulmont](https://forum.uschess.org/u/ulmont)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 5:52pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/change-to-safesport-certification-rules/59476/3 "2025-10-15T17:52:59Z")

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> [@nolan](#):
>
> Effective November, 1, 2025, there will be no grace period for SafeSport Certification.

Can you clarify this? There are two different types of grace period:

1. “Can’t submit a tournament”

2. “Loses TD status and has to start over from Club TD”

From the description, it appears you just mean the former, but I wanted to be sure.

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**Author:** ![nolan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/nolan/32/174_2.png) [@nolan](https://forum.uschess.org/u/nolan)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 7:48pm UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/change-to-safesport-certification-rules/59476/4 "2025-10-15T19:48:35Z")

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This change to SafeSport certification requirements does not affect what TD level you are certified for.

If your membership lapses for a short period, when you renew your TD certification level should not be affected. If a TD were to let their membership andTD certification lapse for, say, 10 years, then it might be prudent to require that person re-take the exam before they can be recertified as a TD. (NTD certification is for life, but I think it would be interesting to have a bunch of NTDs take the senior exam and see how they do.)

And just to beat on my favorite dead horse, I still think it would be a good idea to use some kind of Keller Plan for TD training/testing. Maybe after we’re up and running smoothly on Leago, and I can pretty much retire from maintaining the US Chess ratings server, I can work on that. 🙂

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**Author:** ![jwiewel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.uschess.org/jwiewel/32/104_2.png) [@jwiewel](https://forum.uschess.org/u/jwiewel)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 11:15am UTC](https://forum.uschess.org/t/change-to-safesport-certification-rules/59476/5 "2025-10-17T11:15:08Z")

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Lack of current Safe Sport certification keeps a TD from being listed on a rating report. It does not affect the certification level.

If a TD’s membership has lapsed for six months then the TD certification is expired (one way to lose NTD certification). For levels below NTD certification can be lost due to lack of enough activity.