The NEAFL Competiton is officiated by the NEAFL Umpire Panel.  It has two sections and include a Northern Conference Panel and a Eastern Conference Panel. 

The Northern Conference Umpires are predominately based in Brisbane but the competiton also utilises umpires who reside in Darwin and Alice Springs for games in the Northern Territory.

The Eastern Conference Umpires are based in Sydney and Canberra with umpires officiating games played in their city of residence.

Both panels have a number of AFL contracted umpires and AFL Rookies in their ranks plus a high number of sub elite and elite umpires.

Each panel is managed directly by the Umpire coaches and managers based in each region.  Collectively and under the direction of the NEAFL management committe theses coaches form the NEAFL Umpire Coaching panel.  The coaching panel consists of Andrew Reeves (QLD), Cameron Nash (QLD) Mark Noonan (NT), Steve Keating (Sydney) and Jock Hillgrove (Canberra).  This group meets regularly to oversee the administration and development of the NEAFL Umpires Panel.

During the season there will be a number of oppourtunities for umpires from each conference to officiate in cross conference matches.  In these matches the umpire will travel with the team to the other conference and officiate in that match with umpires from that conference.

The Grand Final in each conference is officated from umpires in that conference and under the appointment policies for that Conference.

Umpires for the NEAFL Grand Final will be selected by the NEAFL Umpire Coaching Panel.  In this process the umpires from each Conference Grand Final will be eligible for selection based on their performance in their respective Grand Finals.