Basic Volleyball Rules for Playing the Game

 6 players on a team, 3 on the front row and 3 on the back row

 Maximum of three hits per side

 Player may not hit the ball twice in succession (A block is not considered a hit)

 Ball may be played off the net during a volley and on a serve

 A ball hitting a boundary line is "in"

 A ball is "out" if it hits... 

an antennae,

the floor completely outside the court,

any of the net or cables outside the antennae,

the referee stand or pole,

the ceiling above a non-playable area

 It is legal to contact the ball with any part of a players body

 It is illegal to catch, hold, or throw the ball

 If two or more players contact the ball at the same time, it is considered one play
and either player involved may make the next contact (provided the next contact
isn't the teams 4th hit)

 A player can not block or attack a serve from on or inside the 10 foot line

 After the serve, front line players may switch positions at the net

 At higher competition, the officiating crew may be made up of two refs, line judges,

scorer, and an assistant scorer
Basic Volleyball Rules Violations 
The following are some basic volleyball rules for violations.

The result of a violation is a point for the opponent.

 When serving, stepping on or across the service line as you make contact with
the serve

 Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully

 Contacting the ball illegally (lifting, carrying, throwing, etc. )

 Touching the net with any part of the body while the ball is in play. Exception: If
the ball is driven into the net with such force that it causes the net to contact an
opposing player, no foul will be called, and the ball shall continue to be in play.

 When blocking a ball coming from the opponents court, contacting the ball when
reaching over the net is a violation if both: 
1) your opponent hasn't used 3 contacts AND 
2) they have a player there to make a play on the ball

 When attacking a ball coming from the opponents court, contacting the ball
whenreaching over the net is a violation if the ball hasn't yet broken the vertical
plane of the net.

 Crossing the court centerline with any part of your body. Exception: if it's the
hand or foot, the entire hand or entire foot must cross for it to be a violation.

 Serving out of order.

 Back row player blocking (deflecting a ball coming from their opponent), when at
the moment of contact the back row player is near the net and has part of his/her
body above the top of the net (an illegal block).

 Back row player attacking a ball inside the front zone ( the area inside the 10 foot
line), when at the moment of contact the ball is completely above the net (an illegal
attack).
 New Volleyball Rules for 2014
New volleyball rules and the newest major rule changes. 

New Warm Up Protocol

b. For junior competition, when one team has exclusive use of the court, the other team
must either be at its team bench or out of the playing area. 

Warming up with balls at the team bench or in the spectator walkways is not permitted. 

New Centerline Rule

DCR 11.2.2.1 and 11.2.2.2 NEW 

Synopsis: The foot (feet) may touch the opponent's court as long as some part of that foot
(feet) is on or above the centerline. 

Any other part of the body may contact the opponent's court provided that it does not
interfere with the opponent's play. 

The following are centerline faults... 

11.4.2 A player interferes with the opponent’s play while penetrating into the opponent’s
space under the net. 

11.4.3 A player’s foot (feet) penetrates completely into the opponent’s court. 

11.4.4 A player interferes with the opponent’s play by (amongst others): 

making actions which hinder an opponent’s legitimate attempt to play the ball.

New Net Contact Rule

11.3.1 Contact with the net by a player is not a fault, unless it interferes with the play. 

11.3.2 Players may touch the post, ropes, or any other object outside the antennae,
including the net itself, provided that it does not interfere with play. 

11.3.3 When the ball is driven into the net and causes it to touch an opponent, no fault is
committed. 

The following are defined as interference which results in a net violation... 

11.4.4 A player interferes with the opponent’s play by (amongst others): 

touching the top band of the net or the top 80 cm (2’ 7.49”) of the antenna during his/her
action of playing the ball, or 
taking support from the net simultaneously with playing the ball, or 

creating an advantage over the opponent, or 

making actions which hinder an opponent’s legitimate attempt to play the ball.

New Substitution Rule

15.10.3a The actual request for substitution is the entrance of the substitute player(s) into
the substitution zone, ready to play, during a regular interruption. 

Synopsis: A coach requesting a sub is not acknowledged and play will continue unless the
sub has entered the sub zone. 

New Rules for Captains/Coaches

USAV 5.1.1: The captain does not sign the scoresheet before the match. 

USAV 5.1.3: For junior competition, the coach signs the scoresheet after the match to verify
the results. 

New Rules for Referees

23.3.3 At the end of the match, he/she checks the scoresheet and signs it. 

Officiating team coach should also sign.