International Referees and Linespersons are licensed in the categories A, B and/or C specified as follows:

• ‘A’ Licence: Top IIHF Championship competitions of Men, Women, Men under 20, Men under 18 and Women under 18, (WM, WW, WM20 and WM18, WW18) Olympic Winter Games Final Qualifications,  Olympic Winter Games, Euro Hockey Tour, or any other international competition as specified by the IIHF.
• ‘B’ Licence:  All other IIHF Championships or competitions, Olympic Winter Games Preliminary Qualifications and all international games involving a national team in the categories of Men, Women, Men under 20, Men under 18 and Women under 18.
• ‘C’ Licence:  All senior international club team games and all international games involving national teams not specified above.

Licences are requested annually by national ice hockey associations and reviewed by the IIHF Officiating Committee, which has the right to adjust the licence application according to the career path, previous evaluations and supervisor reports, and are eventually approved by the IIHF Council.

The maximum age of IIHF referees and linesperson is 50 years of age as of the application deadline of 31 July.

From the list of licensed on-ice officials the IIHF Officiating Committee proposes the referees and linesperson for the respective IIHF competitions for approval by the IIHF Council. These nominations must be unanimously approved by the participating national ice hockey associations of each IIHF competition.