FIDE Arbiter

A FIDE Arbiter, abbreviated FA, is a person who has earned the first international arbiter title of the International Chess Federation, FIDE. An arbiter applies competition rules, handles disputes and irregularities, and helps the event run correctly. The FA title certifies a FIDE-recognized qualification; it does not merely mean that someone has officiated at a chess event.

The current regulations require documented training and practical experience. An arbiter norm is a certificate evaluating an arbiter's work in a qualifying activity. An FA application must contain four norms: one from a FIDE Arbiter seminar and three from qualifying tournaments. The applicant must be at least 19 years old and normally must have held national-arbiter registration for at least one year; the regulations provide an alternative based on additional experience in a FIDE-rated tournament.

FA is the entry level of FIDE's two international arbiter titles. The advanced title is International Arbiter. Under the current regulations, both titles are valid for life from the date they are awarded or registered.