Beach Volleyball Rules

For the most complete and recent official beach volleyball rules followed by USA Volleyball, click here: Official Beach Volleyball Rules 2013-2015.

Volleyball League Rules

San Diego Beach Volleyball League has the following basic rules to prepare you for league play. Please handle all violations in a respective manner, polite tone and re-do the play if there is a continued disagreement.
  1. No fingertip dinks.
  2. Ball can be played anywhere off any part of the body.
  3. A female must play the ball if a team contacts the ball more than once during an offensive play.
  4. If during reception of a serve, a player attempts to receive in an open-handed setting motion, it is a fault and the serving team wins the point.  This applies to any first ball over the net.
  5. The ball must be contacted cleanly and not held (including lifted, pushed, caught, carried or thrown). The ball cannot roll or come to rest on any part of a player's body.
  6. All players can attack and block at the net. There is no "back row".
  7. Rotation of the ball after the set may indicate a held ball or multiple contacts during the set, but in itself may not be a fault.
  8. Players may not go under the net.
  9. Receiving the hard spiked ball. A double hit will be allowed on a hard spiked ball. Hard spiked balls may be bumped or passed with open hands.
  10. Teams may not block or attack a serve.
  11. The rally scoring system will be used for all games. The best 2 out of 3 games wins the match. The first 2 games of the match will be played to 25 points. The first team to 25 points wins the game. You no longer have to win by 2 points. The third game (if required) will be played to 15 points. The first team to score 15 points wins the match.
  12. Games will be played to 25 points. Third game to 15 points.
  13. Team change sides at 12 points. First team that reaches 12 points.
  14. "Ro-sham-bo" for serve, side or receive before the start of the match.
  15. Each team is allowed 2 timeouts per game.
  16. Minimum of 2 players - 2 players may start and finish the match.
  17. A served ball may touch the net, but must cross the net and land in bouds or be played by the opposing team on the opposing side of the net within the opponent's side of the court.  If the ball hits the net and goes out of bounds or stays on the serving team's side of the net, a point will be awarded to the opposing team and a sideout.