What are the referees' hand signals for common faults?
Rule- Australia
- Volleyball Australia
- Indoor volleyball
- Indoor Championships
- All ages
- 2026
- FIVB Rules 2025-2028
- Referees
From Diagram 11 of the FIVB Rules 2025-2028. The signal must be held for a moment, and if shown with one hand it is the hand on the side of the team that made the fault or request.
- Authorisation to serve: move the hand to indicate the direction of service
- Team to serve: extend the arm to the side of the team that will serve
- Ball "in": point the arm and fingers toward the floor
- Ball "out": raise the forearms vertically, hands open, palms towards the body
- Catch: slowly lift the forearm, palm facing upwards
- Double contact: raise two fingers, spread open
- Four hits: raise four fingers, spread open
- Ball touched: brush the palm of one hand across the fingers of the other, held vertically
- Net touched by a player: indicate the relevant side of the net with the corresponding hand
- Reaching beyond the net: place a hand above the net, palm facing downwards
- Penetration into the opponent's court / ball crossing the lower space / server touches the end line / player outside court at service: point to the centre line or the relevant line
- Positional or rotational fault: circular motion with the forefinger
- Blocking fault or screening: raise both arms vertically, palms forward
- Attack hit fault: downward motion with the forearm, hand open
- Ball not tossed or released at service: lift the extended arm, palm upwards
- Delay in service (8 seconds): raise eight fingers, spread open
- Double fault and replay: raise both thumbs vertically
- Time-out: palm of one hand over the fingers of the other (a T), then indicate the requesting team
- Substitution: circular motion of the forearms around each other
- Change of courts: raise the forearms front and back and twist them around the body
- End of set or match: cross the forearms in front of the chest, hands open
Cards: yellow for a misconduct warning, red for a penalty, both together for expulsion, red and yellow separately for disqualification. A delay warning is a yellow card over the wrist and a delay penalty is a red card over the wrist.
Added 24 Oct 2026