Is there a penalty if I accidentally move my ball?

Question

Accepted Answer

Normally, if you lift or deliberately touch your ball at rest, or cause it to move, you get one penalty stroke and must replace it (Rule 9.4b). But there's no penalty when you accidentally move it:

While searching for or identifying it (Rule 7.4)
On the putting green, however it happens (Rule 13.1d)
Anywhere except the putting green while taking reasonable actions to mark, lift or replace it when allowed, remove a movable obstruction, restore worsened conditions, take relief, or measure
When it had come to rest against you or your equipment after a stroke or drop, and moves when you move or remove the equipment

There's also no penalty when a Rule allows you to lift or move it, such as to identify it or take relief.

In all these cases, replace the ball on its original spot (estimated if not known). Playing it from where it ended up instead is playing from a wrong place: the general penalty (two strokes in stroke play) (Rule 9.4).