1. Officials of the NSOA shall bear a great responsibility for engendering public confidence in athletic contests.
2. Officials of the NSOA shall be free of obligation to any interest other than the impartial and fair judging of sports competitions.
3. Officials of the NSOA shall hold and maintain basic tenets of officiating which include history, integrity, neutrality, respect, sensitivity, professionalism, discretion and tactfulness.
4. Officials of the NSOA shall master both rules of the game and the mechanics necessary to enforce the rules, and shall exercise authority in an impartial, firm and controlled manner.
5. Officials of the NSOA shall uphold the honor and dignity of the profession of officiating in all interactions with student-athletes, coaches, school administrators, colleagues, and the public.
6. Officials of the NSOA shall display and execute superior communications with the association, athletic directors, coaches, players and colleagues.
7. Officials of the NSOA shall recognize that anything which may lead to a conflict of interest, either real, apparent, or perceived, must be avoided. Gifts, favors, special treatment, privileges, employment, or a personal relationship with a school or team which can compromise the perceived impartiality of officiating must be avoided.
8. Officials of the NSOA shall prepare themselves both physically and mentally, shall dress neatly and appropriately, and shall comport themselves in a manner consistent with the high standards of the profession.
9. Officials of the NSOA shall not be party to actions designed to unfairly limit or restrain access to officiating, officiating assignments or to association membership. This includes selection for positions of leadership based on economic factors, race, creed, color, age, sex, physical handicap, country or national origin.
10. Officials of the NSOA shall be punctual and professional in the fulfillment of all contractual obligations.
11. Officials of the NSOA shall work with each other and the governing body of the association in a constructive and cooperative manner.
12. Officials of the NSOA shall resist every temptation and outside pressure to use one’s position as an official to benefit oneself.
13. Officials of the NSOA shall never participate in any form of illegal gambling on sports contests, may never gamble on any sporting event in which they have either a direct or indirect involvement, and may never gamble on events involving high school athletics.
14. Officials of the NSOA shall not make false or misleading statements regarding their qualifications, rating, credentials, experience, training or competence.
15. Officials of the NSOA shall never accept an assignment for any contest for which the official has not met the minimum mandatory requirements as determined by the MHSAA.
16. Officials of the NSOA shall accept responsibility for all actions taken.