District Administrators have a variety of options available to provide the broadest opportunities for local leagues to expand registration and participation. It is important for D.A.s and League Presidents to discuss and understand the procedures that can assist with giving families the best chance to fully enjoy the Little League® experience.
One such common method is the submission of a waiver request. Given that Little League is a community-based program than can be crafted to suit the area in which it operates, Little League International provides each local league and/or district with the means to create the broadest opportunity to participate in the program, including altering or adjusting specific rules and regulations – a waiver.
The Little League waiver process affords local leagues or districts the ability to petition for an adjustment to any rule or regulation for the betterment of local league operation by presenting the Little League International Charter Committee in Williamsport, Pa., with explanation and reasoning behind the written request. The waiver request is first presented to the District Administrator for comment, then submitted to the respective regional center for review and presentation to the Charter Committee.
Any waiver of a rule or regulation for any reason can only be granted IN WRITING by the Charter Committee at Little League® International in Williamsport, Pa. No verbal approvals are accepted.
All requests for waivers must be commented on by the District Administrator before being forwarded to the Regional Director. All waiver requests must be completed in-full by the league and district, or they will be returned. Depending on the nature of the waiver request, there are certain instances when the District Administrator may act without consulting with regional center or Charter Committee.
Regulation II (d) Waiver
If used for the first time, this form applies only to a player who resided in, or attended school inside of a chartered league’s boundaries AND was a member of that same league. The player then, (A) moved out of the league’s boundaries; or (B) is now out of the boundaries because of a revision in the boundaries. If so, the player can be claimed on the form.
The player’s siblings can be claimed on a II(d) form as well, provided the sibling has continued to play in the league. Both must be named on the form.
If the player breaks service and does not play for a season or more, he or she cannot be claimed.
Regulation IV (h) Waiver
This form applies to the children of a volunteer who was a manager, coach, or board member in a league for two consecutive years AND lived within that same league’s boundaries during that entire time. If the volunteer moves out of the league’s boundaries, or the boundaries are changed and the volunteer no longer lives within the boundaries, AND he or she continues their service to the league without interruption, their children may be claimed on this form. If the parent or legal guardian does not continue in any volunteer capacity with the league, this waiver no longer applies.
Interleague Play Request
This form is used to allow leagues in which there are not enough teams to play a full schedule of games. Normally, four teams are enough to play without needing to request interleague play.
If a league does not feel that it has enough players to field its own Tournament Team, it may request a combination with another league, provided it has played a common schedule of games with teams in that league via an approved Interleague Play Request available through the Little League Data Center.
New for 2022, leagues are not required to submit a request form when playing other leagues within their district and will only be required to submit a form when playing leagues from outside their district. In addition, tournament combinations within the same district do not need an approved regular season interleague play form.
Combined Teams Request
This request, available through the Little League Data Center, is used by leagues in which there are not enough players to field a team. It can also be used when there are enough players to field one team, but not enough for two.
In either case, two or more leagues could use an approved Combined Teams Request to pool their players, and select the teams from among all players in the pool. The leagues could also request permission to allow a combination for Tournament Play.
Special Games Application
This form is used when a league or leagues wish to play games that are not part of the regular season, and not used to determine a league champion. For instance, a District Administrator could request a tournament between the first-place teams in each of the leagues within the divisions of a district. These games are with Little League teams only and the application is available through the Little League Data Center.
There are specific restrictions on these games. More information can be found on the Special Games Request Form and in Regulation IX.
Other Forms
Other forms are available online at LittleLeague.org/forms-publications, such as a form for multiple leagues to request to operate under one board of directors, and a form for requesting to use the Common Pool Draft System by split leagues operating under one board of directors.
Other Waivers
Any waiver for which no form is available must be requested directly from the Charter Committee in Williamsport.
This process starts with a vote by the board(s) of directors at the league(s) involved. The president(s) write the letter of request. All the information is forwarded to the District Administrator, who will make his/her recommendation. It is then forward by the District Administrator to the Regional Director. The league and district will receive a written response from the Regional Director when the Charter Committee’s decision is made.
Waiver requests that bypass any of the above steps will only serve to delay the action.