How many time-outs does each team get, and how do I record them?
Rule- South Africa
- Basketball South Africa
- FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026
- Open
- Table officials
- 2026
- Officials
Allowance (Art. 18.2):
| Period | Time-outs |
|---|---|
| First half | 2 |
| Second half | 3, but no more than 2 when the game clock shows 2:00 or less in the 4th quarter |
| Each overtime | 1 |
Unused time-outs do not carry over to the next half or overtime. Each time-out lasts 1 minute.
Requests: only the head coach or first assistant coach can ask, either by making eye contact with the table or by coming to it, using the conventional sign. The timer sounds the signal when a time-out opportunity starts. If a goal is scored against a team that has asked for a time-out, stop the game clock and sound the signal immediately. In the last 2:00 of the 4th quarter and overtime, the scoring team cannot have a time-out after a successful goal unless a referee has stopped the game.
Recording (Appendix B.7):
- In the boxes below the team's name, enter the minute of playing time of the quarter or overtime: next to H1 for the first half, H2 for the second half, and OT for up to 3 overtimes.
- At the end of each half and overtime, mark unused boxes with 2 parallel horizontal lines.
- If a team has not had its first second-half time-out before the clock shows 2:00 in the 4th quarter, mark 2 horizontal lines in its first second-half box.
- Tell the head coach, through a referee, when the team has no time-outs left in that half or overtime.
Added 21 Oct 2026