How do I record substitutions, including the 12 substitution rule?

Question

Accepted Answer

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rule 15) and the 2026 VA Indoor Handbook (section 27 and Appendix 5).

Standard rule (6 per set):

A team may request up to six substitutions per set. You acknowledge and announce the request with the buzzer, control the number, record the substitutions and inform the 2nd referee, who authorises the substitution.
A starting player may leave once per set and re-enter once per set, and only to their previous position in the line-up. A substitute may enter for a starting player once per set, and can only be replaced by that same starting player.
A substitution lasts only as long as needed to record it on the scoresheet and for the players to exchange.
If a team intends several substitutions at once, all substitutes must enter the substitution zone together, and the substitutions are made in succession, one pair after another.
A substitution before the start of a set is allowed and is recorded as a regular substitution in that set.
An exceptional substitution (for injury, illness, expulsion or disqualification when no legal substitution is possible) is recorded as part of the total substitutions in the set and the match, but does not count as a regular substitution.
An illegal substitution (over the limits or involving an unregistered player) costs the team a point and service, and the points it scored since the fault are cancelled.

12 substitution rule (non-medal-contention games in the Junior Championships, per the handbook):

Up to twelve substitutions per set.
A player may enter the court a maximum of three times per set. The starting line-up counts as the first entry.
A player re-entering must take their original position in the service order.
On the scoresheet, use the left column first for each position, then the right-side column once the left is full. There is no requirement to record the score at the time of each substitution.
You report the 11th and 12th substitutions of the team and a player's third court entry to the 2nd referee, who tells the coach and then the 1st referee.