Volleyball is a fast-paced sport where a single mistake can change the outcome of a rally. From hitting the ball four times to touching the net at the wrong moment, players can commit several volleyball fouls and violations during a match. Understanding these rules helps players avoid unnecessary points and gives spectators a better understanding of referee decisions.
Under the current FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2025–2028, a team commits a fault when it makes a playing action that goes against the rules. The opposing team is generally awarded the point when a fault occurs.
In this guide, we explain the most common volleyball fouls, violations, rules and penalties, including service faults, rotation violations, net violations, ball-handling faults, attack violations and libero restrictions.
What is a Foul in Volleyball?
A volleyball foul, also called a fault or violation depending on the situation, occurs when a player or team breaks a rule during play. The referee determines the fault and its consequences.
Under the rally-point scoring system, a team normally wins a point when it successfully grounds the ball on the opponent’s court or when the opponent commits a fault. For example, if a team hits the ball four times before sending it over the net, it commits a four-hit fault. The opposing team wins the rally and receives the point.
Some violations result directly in a point and service for the opponent, while misconduct and game delays can lead to additional disciplinary penalties.
Common Volleyball Fouls and Violations
Here are some of the most common volleyball fouls players should know:
- Four hits
- Double contact
- Catch or lift
- Assisted hit
- Net touch
- Centre-line violation
- Positional fault
- Rotation fault
- Service fault
- Attack violation
- Blocking violation
- Libero violation
- Delay or misconduct
Let’s look at each of these in detail.
1. Four-Hit Violation
One of the basic rules of volleyball is that a team has a maximum of three hits to return the ball to the opponent’s court, excluding a block contact. If a team makes four contacts before sending the ball over the net, it commits a four-hit fault.
For example, if a team receives a serve, makes a dig, a set, a spike attempt and then another player touches the ball before it crosses the net, the team has used four hits and loses the rally.
A block does not count as one of the three team hits. After a completed block, the team gets three additional contacts.
2. Double Contact
A double contact occurs when the same player hits the ball twice consecutively or the ball contacts different parts of that player’s body in succession. For example, if a player attempts to set the ball but contacts it twice in separate actions, the referee can call a double-contact fault.
However, the rules allow some consecutive contacts during a team’s first hit if they occur as part of one action. Similar allowances apply to blocking.
3. Catch or Lift
Players cannot catch, hold or throw the ball. The ball must rebound from the contact rather than being carried or controlled. A player may use any part of the body to contact the ball, but the contact must be clean. A prolonged or visibly held contact can therefore result in a catch or lift violation.
This rule is particularly important when setting or attempting to make a soft attack. A player cannot simply catch the ball and redirect it over the net.
4. Assisted Hit
An assisted hit occurs when a player uses a teammate, a structure or another object for support to reach or hit the ball. For example, a player cannot use a teammate’s shoulder to jump higher and make a play on the ball.
The rules do allow a teammate to stop or hold a player back if that player is about to commit a fault, such as touching the net or crossing the centre line.
5. Net Violation
A common misconception is that any contact with the volleyball net is automatically a foul. Under the current FIVB rules, that is not always the case. A player commits a net violation when they touch the net between the antennae while playing the ball. The action of playing the ball includes movements such as taking off, attempting to hit, hitting and landing.
Players can touch the net outside the antennae as long as the contact does not interfere with play. A player can also be penalised for:
- Using the net as support or stabilisation
- Holding or catching the net
- Creating an unfair advantage by touching the net
- Interfering with an opponent’s legitimate attempt to play the ball
Therefore, simply brushing the net is not enough by itself; the timing and effect of the contact matter.
6. Center-Line Violation
Players are allowed to cross into the opponent’s space underneath the net as long as they do not interfere with play. A foot may partially cross the centre line, provided some part of the foot remains in contact with or directly above the centre line and the player does not interfere with an opponent.
A centre-line violation occurs when a player’s entire foot penetrates into the opponent’s court or when the penetration interferes with play. This rule helps prevent collisions and injuries around the net.
7. Positional Fault
A positional fault occurs when players on the receiving team are not in their correct rotational positions when the server hits the ball.
Before the service, the six players must maintain the required positional relationship. The three front-row players occupy positions 4, 3 and 2, while the three back-row players occupy positions 5, 6 and 1. Once the service has been hit, players can move around their side of the court.
A positional fault results in:
- A point for the opponent
- Service for the opponent
- Correction of the team’s player positions
8. Rotation Fault
A rotation fault occurs when a team serves out of its established rotational order. When the receiving team wins a rally and gains the right to serve, its players rotate one position clockwise. The player moving into the back-right position becomes the server.
If a team serves with the wrong player, the opponent receives a point and the next service. The faulty team must also correct its rotational order. If officials determine that the rotation fault occurred earlier, points scored by the offending team after the fault can be cancelled, while the opponent’s points remain valid.
9. Service Faults
A service fault occurs when the server or serving team fails to follow the service rules. Common service violations include:
- Serving out of order
- Improperly executing the service
- Touching the end line or court at the moment of service
- Taking more than eight seconds to serve after the referee’s whistle
- Serving before the referee authorises the service
- Serving the ball so that it touches a teammate
- Serving the ball out
- Serving through an illegal screen
Under the current rules, the server must hit the ball within eight seconds after the first referee’s whistle. The server must also avoid touching the court, including the end line, at the moment of the service hit or take-off for a jump serve.
Importantly, a serve is allowed to touch the net and continue into the opponent’s court if it otherwise crosses legally.
10. Attack Violations
Attack restrictions mainly apply to back-row players and Liberos. A back-row player can attack the ball from behind the front zone, provided that the player takes off without touching or crossing the attack line. The player may land inside the front zone after completing the attack.
An attack violation occurs when, for example:
- A back-row player completes an attack from the front zone while the ball is entirely above the net
- A player attacks the opponent’s service while the ball is in the front zone and entirely above the net
- A Libero completes an attack while the ball is entirely above the net
- A player attacks the ball from the opponent’s playing space
These rules prevent back-row players from gaining the same attacking privileges as front-row players.
11. Blocking Violations
Only front-row players are allowed to complete a block. A back-row player or Libero cannot complete a block or participate in a completed collective block. Blocking an opponent’s service is also forbidden.
A blocking fault can also occur when a blocker reaches over the net and touches the ball in the opponent’s space before the opponent has completed an attack hit. However, a block contact does not count as one of the team’s three hits. After a completed block, the team gets three contacts to return the ball.
12. Libero Violations
The Libero is a specialist defensive player with specific restrictions. Under the 2025–2028 FIVB rules, a Libero:
- Cannot serve
- Cannot block
- Cannot attempt to block
- Cannot complete an attack hit when the ball is entirely above the top of the net
- Can replace players in back-row positions
A particularly important rule applies when a Libero uses an overhand finger pass in the front zone. A teammate cannot complete an attack above the net from that pass. If the same overhand pass is made from outside the front zone, the ball can be freely attacked.
An illegal Libero replacement can also result in a delay sanction or the consequences associated with an illegal substitution.
13. Ball Out Violation
A team loses the rally when it sends the ball out of bounds. The ball is considered out when all parts of the ball touching the floor are completely outside the boundary lines. It is also out if it touches an object outside the court, the ceiling, a person out of play, or certain parts of the net or equipment outside the legal crossing space.
A ball that touches a boundary line is considered in, so players and officials must judge the ball based on its contact with the court.
Read More: Volleyball Scoring System
What are the Penalties for Misconduct in Volleyball?
Not every volleyball violation is a playing fault. Players and team members can also be sanctioned for misconduct, such as inappropriate behaviour toward officials, opponents or other participants. The FIVB sanction scale includes:
- Verbal warning: No direct penalty
- Yellow card: Formal warning
- Red card: Penalty, resulting in a point and service for the opponent
- Red + yellow cards together: Expulsion
- Red + yellow cards separately: Disqualification
Repeated misconduct is normally sanctioned progressively. Serious offensive conduct or aggression can result in expulsion or disqualification without requiring an earlier sanction.
Conclusion
Understanding volleyball fouls and violations is essential for players, coaches and fans. The most common faults involve ball handling, service, rotation, positioning, net play, attacking and blocking.
The key rule is simple- when a team commits a fault, the opponent generally wins the rally and receives the point. However, some violations, such as rotation errors, delays and misconduct, have additional penalties.
Knowing these volleyball rules and penalties not only helps players avoid losing points but also makes it easier to understand referee decisions during competitive matches. The current FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2025–2028 provide the governing framework for international indoor volleyball.
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Frequently Asked Questions
No. Under the current FIVB rules, touching the net outside the antennae is not automatically a fault if it does not interfere with play. Contact with the net between the antennae during the action of playing the ball can be a fault.
A team normally has a maximum of three hits to return the ball over the net. A completed block does not count as one of those three hits.
Yes. A player can partially cross the centre line with a foot as long as part of the foot remains in contact with or directly above the centre line and the player does not interfere with the opponent. Completely penetrating the opponent’s court with the foot can result in a fault.
The opponent receives a point and the next service. The team that committed the fault must also correct its rotational order. If the fault is discovered after subsequent rallies, applicable points scored by the offending team may be cancelled.
Under the FIVB 2025–2028 rules, a Libero cannot serve, block or attempt to block. The Libero is restricted to back-row play and cannot complete an attack when the ball is entirely above the net at the moment of contact.
