Stroke and Turn Judge's Guide to USA Swimming All Ages 2026

Yes. Under Article 102.10.2, anyone acting as Referee, Starter, Stroke and Turn Judge or Administrative Official at a sanctioned or approved meet must be certified and trained by their LSC to USA Swimming's national standards before being assigned. LSCs and clubs can't add extra certifications.

• Trainees may work the position only under the direct supervision of a certified official in that position.
• Officials serving in a sanctioned meet must be non-athlete members of USA Swimming, or of another World Aquatics member organization (202.5.5). Official members must be at least 18.
• As USA Swimming non-athlete members, officials need a background check every 2 years and Athlete Protection Training every year.

From the 2026 rulebook:

• Starting position: the Starter or the Stroke and Turn Judges now enforce the correct starting position (101.1.2E).
• Lanes: a swimmer must stay in and finish in the lane they started in (102.21.5).

Amendments issued after printing (effective immediately, and they override the printed and PDF text):

• Butterfly, backstroke and freestyle finishes: once some part of the head has passed the final 5-meter/5-yard mark before reaching for the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged.
• Breaststroke: after a turn, the body must be on the breast before any stroke or kick after leaving the wall (previously "when leaving the wall").
• IM freestyle: the swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke after leaving the wall.
• Warning signal and counters: these now apply to freestyle events of 400 meters/500 yards or longer.
• Tape: therapeutic elastic tape is banned. Up to two fingers or toes may be taped together for an injury.

The current amendment text is on USA Swimming's Rules & Regulations page.

Under Article 101.2 (as amended for 2026):

• Start: forward start.
• Body position: on the breast. No rolling onto the back except at the turn after the touch, and the body must be on the breast before any stroke or kick after leaving the wall.
• Cycle: one arm stroke then one leg kick, in that order.
• Arms: simultaneous, with no alternating. The hands are pushed forward together from the breast, on, under or over the water. The elbows stay underwater except on the last stroke before the turn, during the turn and on the final stroke. The hands come back on or under the surface and not past the hip line, except on the first stroke after the start and each turn.
• Head: must break the surface during each cycle. After the start and each turn, one arm stroke may go all the way back to the legs, and the head must break the surface before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke.
• Kick: one butterfly kick is allowed after the start and each turn, before the first breaststroke kick. Otherwise legs move simultaneously, with feet turned outward in the propulsive part. No scissor, alternating or downward butterfly kicks. Feet breaking the surface is allowed unless followed by a downward butterfly kick.
• Turns and finish: a two-hand touch, separated and simultaneous, at, above or below the water. On the last stroke before the touch, an arm stroke without a kick is allowed.

Under Article 101.3 (as amended for 2026):

• Start: forward start.
• After the start and each turn: the body must be on the breast. Any number of kicks is allowed, but only one arm pull underwater, which must bring the swimmer to the surface. The swimmer may be fully submerged for up to 15 meters. By then the head must have broken the surface, and the swimmer must stay on the surface until the next turn or finish.
• Arms: brought forward together over the water and pulled back together under the water for the whole race.
• Kick: all up and down leg movements must be simultaneous. The legs needn't be level, but they can't alternate. No scissor or breaststroke kick.
• Turns: body on the breast, and a two-hand touch, separated and simultaneous, at, above or below the surface. After the touch the swimmer may turn any way, but must be on the breast when leaving the wall.
• Finish: on the breast, with a separated, simultaneous two-hand touch. New: once some part of the head has passed the final 5-meter or 5-yard mark before reaching for the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged.

Under Article 101.4 (as amended for 2026):

• Start: in the water facing the starting end, with both hands on the gutter or starting grips. Standing in or on the gutter, or curling the toes over the lip, is prohibited before or after the start. On a backstroke ledge, at least one toe of each foot must touch the wall or touchpad face, with no toes over the top of the touchpad.
• Stroke: push off and swim on the back throughout. Some part of the swimmer must break the surface, except during the turn and for up to 15 meters after the start and each turn. By that point the head must have broken the surface.
• Turns: some part of the swimmer must touch the wall each length. During the turn, the shoulders may rotate past vertical toward the breast. After that, an immediate continuous single-arm pull or double-arm pull may start the turn. The swimmer must be back on the back when leaving the wall.
• Finish: touch the wall while on the back. New: once some part of the head has passed the final 5-meter or 5-yard mark before reaching for the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged.

Under Article 101.5 (as amended for 2026):

• Start: forward start.
• Stroke: any style. Some part of the swimmer must break the surface throughout the race, except during turns and for up to 15 meters after the start and each turn. By that point the head must have broken the surface.
• Turns: the swimmer must touch the wall at the end of each length. Any part of the body counts.
• Finish: any part of the body touching the wall after the full distance. New: once some part of the head has passed the final 5-meter or 5-yard mark before reaching for the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged.
• Bottom: standing on the bottom is not a disqualification, but the swimmer must not walk, spring from the bottom or leave the pool (102.21.6).
• In medley events, freestyle means any style other than butterfly, breaststroke or backstroke.

Order (Articles 101.6 and 101.7.2):

Rules:

• Each quarter follows that stroke's rules.
• Changeovers: each transition follows the finish rule for the stroke just completed. For example, a two-hand touch is needed at the fly-to-back change.
• Turns within a stroke follow that stroke's turn rules.
• IM freestyle (amended 2026): the swimmer must be on the breast except when turning, and must return to the breast before any kick or stroke after leaving the wall.
• Freestyle in medley events means any style other than butterfly, breaststroke or backstroke.

Under Articles 101.7.4 and 102.13.6:

• The rule: a relay is disqualified if the outgoing swimmer's feet lose touch with the starting platform (or deck) before the incoming teammate touches the wall. With in-water starts, the outgoing swimmer must keep contact with the wall, unless they return to it.
• Where take-off judges stand: where they can see both the outgoing swimmer's feet and the incoming swimmer's touch.
• Dual confirmation: if lane and side take-off judges are both used, each reports infractions in writing, without raising a hand. The relay is disqualified only if the lane judge reports it and the assigned side judge confirms the same infraction.
• Automatic relay judging: the system printout decides. Integrated backup cameras may be reviewed by the Referee.

Other relay infractions:

• swimmers 2 to 4 starting from on top of the adjustable back plate (at least part of one foot must be in front of it)
• a swimmer swimming more than one leg
• a team member other than the next swimmer entering the water before all teams finish (unless an in-water start is required or approved)
• finished swimmers not leaving the water immediately (except the last swimmer)

Besides stroke, turn and finish faults, Article 102.21 covers:

• Changing lanes: swimmers must stay in and finish in the lane they started in (new for 2026).
• Standing on the bottom: allowed in freestyle, but the swimmer must not walk, spring off the bottom or leave the pool. In any other stroke, standing is a disqualification.
• Pulling on the lane lines to move forward is not permitted.
• Obstructing or interfering with another swimmer disqualifies the offender, at the Referee's discretion. If a foul ruins another swimmer's chances, the Referee may allow a re-swim.
• Entering the pool during a race (a swimmer not in that race): barred from their next individual event that day or the next meet day. Dipping goggles or splashing water on themselves doesn't count unless it interferes.
• Starts: moving from a legal to an illegal starting position just before or after "take your marks", if still illegal at the signal. A false start is disqualified only if the Referee independently sees and confirms it.
• Unsportsmanlike or unsafe conduct may be penalized by the Referee.

Swimwear violations follow 102.8.

A coach can ask, but judgment decisions by stroke, turn, place and relay take-off judges, and by the starter, can be considered only by the Referee, and the Referee's decision is final (Article 102.22.1).

• The Referee can overrule any official on a point of rule interpretation, or on a judgment call about something the Referee personally saw (102.11.1).
• Protests that aren't about judgment (for example, a claim that a rule was misapplied) must be made to the Referee in writing within 30 minutes after the race (102.22.4). Rule interpretation rulings can be appealed in writing to the Rules & Regulations Committee Chair within 10 days.
• The rules provide for video replay only from cameras approved in writing in advance by USA Swimming's Program & Events Coordinator (102.21.15).

If the Referee asks, give a clear account of what you saw, where you were standing, and which rule was broken.

Minimum positions under Article 102.10 (an LSC may require more):

Also as needed: clerk of course, relay take-off judges, announcer and timing equipment operators.

Apart from the Referee and Administrative Official, officials may cover more than one role only when there aren't enough qualified officials. No one may time and judge the order of finish at the same time.