Event Sanctions

The online process for requesting an event sanction or recognition follows the same initial process as adding an event to the USMS Calendar of Events: You will indicate that you want to request a sanction or recognition and that request will be routed to the appropriate LMSC Sanctions Coordinator for review.

All event-related information, including the meet announcement and other documents, should be submitted online. USMS no longer charges a sanction fee. If the LMSC charges a recognition fee, payment must be submitted separately per instructions you will receive at the end of the submissions process.

SanctionED vs RecogniZED

All competitors in sanctioned events must be a member of USMS or another World Aquatics member organization for Masters Swimming. This requirement is necessary for the safety and enjoyment of the swimmers, for participant accident, general liability, and excess liability insurance coverage to be in force, and for times and records to be considered official. Times achieved at sanctioned events conducted in strict compliance with all mandatory swimming rules in Part 1 of the USMS Rule Book shall be considered for USMS national records, USMS Top 10 times, and World Aquatics world records (SCM and LCM only).

In recognized events, swimmers are not required to be USMS members and these events are not covered by USMS insurance. Times achieved at recognized events may be considered for USMS national records and USMS Top 10 times (SCM and LCM only) if the event has been granted recognition and a designated USMS observer is present and verifies in writing that the conduct of the competition conforms to the relevant USMS swimming rules and administrative regulations. World records can be set only in World Aquatics sanctioned or USMS sanctioned competitions, not recognized events.

sanction fees & subsidies

USMS no longer charges event sanction fees — excepting a $3 per swimmer surcharge for national championship events — but does charge a $100 fee for recognized pool meets. The New England LMSC will, at its discretion, subsidize 50% of the USMS recognition fee for NELMSC-recognized meets with at least 20 USMS registrants.

All swimmers in each sanctioned race must be a current USMS standard member ($75 per year), USMS+ member ($249 per year), or USMS one-event member ($20 per event) if offered for that event. NELMSC policy allows event directors the option to offer one-event memberships for sanctioned open water events but does not allow one-event memberships for pool meets. Other LMSCs may have have different policies. The one-event membership fee is $20.

USMS membership questions should be directed to the NELMSC Membership Coordinator Douglas Sayles.

Pool Sanctions

Please review the following information, including a Meet Director To-Do List and rules that governs USMS pool sanctions and event management:

1. If the pool meets the pool-length certification requirements but is a bulkhead pool, a Pool Length Certification Form needs to be completed following each session of the meet and submitted with the meet results. If the pool does not meet the pool length certification requirements, entry forms and programs must reflect that times swum will not be submitted for Top 10 or record consideration.

2. The sanction is issued under the condition that the event complies with all USMS rules and regulations and local rules and regulations. There must be at least two officials. The referee shall be certified as a stroke and turn judge, starter, or referee by USA Swimming, YMCA, or any other USMS-approved certifying body.

3. USMS rules are listed in the USMS Rule Book. It is a condition of this sanction that the rule book shall be available at the meet.

4. This sanction is not transferable.

5. If this event is a competition, the results and required facility certifications shall be submitted within 14 days of the conclusion of the event in the proper format to NELMSC Top Ten Recorder Jason Eaddy.

Please direct all pool sanction inquiries to Doug Deville, NELMSC Pool Sanctions Coordinator.

Open Water Events

Swimmer safety is of primary inportance to USMS and the New England LMSC. A USMS sanction signals that your open water event is adequately insured and adheres to rigorous safety requirements.

When planning your event and preparing your sanction application, please carefully read the following guidance from the USMS Open Water Event Management webpage and familiarize yourself with the Open Water Sanction Benefits.

Here is a breakdown of sanction fees (current as of 8/8/2026):

• One Event Fee (OEVT) – ALL competitors in sanctioned events who are not registered USMS members must pay an OEVT fee to participate so that all swimmers will be covered by USMS liability and excess personal accident insurance during the event. The amount your event must pay the New England LMSC will equal $20 multiplied by the # of OEVT swimmers, even if the event is canceled. If the director of a USMS-sanctioned event chooses to offer the OEVT membership option, they must incorporate the $20 OEVT fee into the registration process for all adult event registrants who are not already USMS members.

A USMS sanction will only cover adults 18+ who are USMS members or have paid the OEVT fee. If your event includes swimmers under age 18, they must swim in a separate wave covered by separate, non-USMS insurance — unless they are all USA Swimming members and the event is also USA Swimming-sanctioned, in which case minors who are USA Swimming members can swim in the same wave with USMS members and are covered by the USA Swimming insurance policy.

If your event offers multiple distances, (e.g., 1K, 5K, 10K), includes minors, and is not USA Swimming-sanctioned, you could, for example, opt to USMS-sanction the longer 5K and 10K distances and leave the shorter 1K distance open for non-USMS members and minors covered by separate (non-USMS) liability and accident insurance. For more insurance information, click here.

If you choose not to seek a USMS sanction, you may still request that your open water event be added to the New England LMSC Event Calendar. But, with a few exceptions, unsanctioned events cannot be added to the USMS Calendar of Events. Unsanctioned events are ineligible for USMS insurance protection.

ONLINE OPEN-WATER SANCTION APPLICATION

Open Water sanction applications must be submitted through the USMS online sanction system. Please have the following documents ready to upload (in Word or PDF format):

1. Your event entry form/website

2. Safety Plan Application

For guidance on submitting a sanction request online, click here.

Once submitted, the system will notify the NE LMSC Open Water Sanctions Chair, who will conduct the first-line review of your application and contact you if additional information is required. Once approved at the LMSC level, the application goes to the USMS Open Water Compliance Coordinator for final review and assignment of a sanction number.

Please direct all open water sanction inquiries to Gary Girolimon, NELMSC Open Water Sanctions Coordinator.