Which Laws and rules apply when I umpire a junior match in England or Wales?

Q: Which Laws and rules apply when I umpire a junior match in England or Wales?

Three layers apply, and you need all of them: The MCC Laws of Cricket. The current edition is the 2017 Code, 4th Edition (2026), in force from 1 October 2026. (The ECB's 2026 summer competition playing conditions applied the previous 2022 edition.) The ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations (December 2025 update). These are compulsory in all recreational cricket in England and Wales, including training, and cover: minimum fielding distances for under-18s (hard and soft ball); helmets for under-18s in hard ball cricket; fast bowling limits for players aged 19 and under (hard ball); juniors playing in open age cricket. They also set the procedures umpires must follow when a player won't comply. The competition's playing conditions, set by the league, county board or ECB competition. These adapt the Laws for junior cricket, for example pitch length, ball size, overs per bowler, retirement scores and fielding restrictions. The Laws themselves say the Spirit of Cricket is shared by everyone, and especially in junior cricket by teachers, coaches and parents.

Question

Accepted Answer

Three layers apply, and you need all of them:

The MCC Laws of Cricket. The current edition is the 2017 Code, 4th Edition (2026), in force from 1 October 2026. (The ECB's 2026 summer competition playing conditions applied the previous 2022 edition.)
The ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations (December 2025 update). These are compulsory in all recreational cricket in England and Wales, including training, and cover:
- minimum fielding distances for under-18s (hard and soft ball);
- helmets for under-18s in hard ball cricket;
- fast bowling limits for players aged 19 and under (hard ball);
- juniors playing in open age cricket.
  They also set the procedures umpires must follow when a player won't comply.
The competition's playing conditions, set by the league, county board or ECB competition. These adapt the Laws for junior cricket, for example pitch length, ball size, overs per bowler, retirement scores and fielding restrictions.

The Laws themselves say the Spirit of Cricket is shared by everyone, and especially in junior cricket by teachers, coaches and parents.