Every stoppage in an indoor match ends the same way, with a whistle followed by a gesture. Without a word being spoken, players, scorers and the crowd learn what happened. The FIVB, volleyball's world governing body, publishes an official hand signals document for referees and line judges.

Each signal in it is tied to a numbered rule, such as 12.1.1 for authorization to serve and 12.2.1.1 for the team to serve. USA Volleyball's indoor version follows the same system with a small difference in how "ball touched" is shown.

This guide groups the signals by what is happening on court, so you can read a rally the way the officials do.

Who Is Signalling

An indoor match has two referees and two line judges, according to The Art of Coaching Volleyball. The first referee (the "up ref") whistles to start each play, calls net touches, double contacts and lifts, and signs the scorecard at the end. The second referee (the "down ref") works with the scorekeeper, watches for overlap violations and keeps time.

Line judges handle in and out calls, and also touches, balls outside the antenna and foot faults. They signal with flags rather than hands. That is covered below.

Serving and Scoring Signals

Most rallies begin and end with the same few gestures. Learn these first.

• Authorization to serve: the referee moves the hand to indicate the direction of service.
• Team to serve: the arm extends toward the side of the team that will serve.
• Point awarded: the referee lifts a hand toward the team that scored, according to CEV (cev.eu).
• Delay in service: eight fingers, spread open. The server has 8 seconds after the whistle.
• Ball not tossed or released: the extended arm lifts, palm facing upward.

The eight-finger delay signal is the only one that doubles as arithmetic: eight fingers mean eight seconds, so nobody needs a rulebook.

Ball Contact Faults

Faults on the ball are where players argue most, so the signals are built to be unambiguous from across the court. The double contact call, for instance, has a long history of changing interpretation (see double contact call). Its gesture never changes.

Watch out: The "ball touched" gesture is the one place where the FIVB wording and the USA Volleyball wording differ. USAV describes brushing the fingers of the opposite hand once over the palm of the vertical hand.

In, Out and Position Calls

A ball is "in" when the referee points the arm and fingers toward the floor. "Out" is both forearms raised vertically, hands open, palms toward the body. CEV defines out as landing completely outside the boundary lines, or touching an antenna or another illegal object.

A positional or rotation fault is shown with a circular motion of the forefinger, and the same finger circle is used for a service order fault. So how do you tell it apart from a substitution? Substitution uses the whole forearms circling around each other, while the rotation fault is one finger drawing a small loop.

Line judges give the same in and out information with a flag. For "in" they point the flag down, and for "out" they raise it vertically. A touch is shown by raising the flag and touching the top with the palm of the free hand.

For crossing space faults, a ball touching an outside object, or a foot fault on service, they wave the flag over the head. They also point to the antenna or the relevant line.

What happens when nobody saw it clearly? The referee crosses both raised arms and hands in front of the chest to signal "judgment impossible." A double fault and replay uses both thumbs raised vertically.

Match Flow Signals

These are the signals tied to the structure of the match rather than a single rally.

• Timeout: the palm of one hand goes over the fingers of the other, held vertically to form a "T," then the referee indicates the requesting team. All timeouts last 30 seconds, and each team gets two per set.
• Substitution: circular motion of the forearms around each other. Each team may make six substitutions per set.
• Change of courts: the forearms swing front and back, twisting around the body. Teams switch after each set except the deciding one.
• End of set or match: forearms crossed in front of the chest, hands open. A set goes to 25 points with a two-point lead (26-24, 27-25 and so on). A 2-2 tie leads to a fifth set to 15, still win-by-two.
• Challenge request: the referee draws a rectangle with the hands, deferring to the video challenge system.

The Card Ladder

Cards are the most consequential signals, and they work as a ladder. A yellow card signals a misconduct warning, and a red card signals a misconduct penalty. Delays use the same colours, with the wrist covered by a yellow card for a warning and a red card for a penalty.

CEV lays out how the sanctions escalate for a team member's conduct.

I'd learn this table before any of the finger signals. Expulsion and disqualification sound like synonyms. The way the two cards are held is the only thing separating them.

Common Misreads

• Mixing up the circles. A single circling forefinger is a rotation or service order fault, while two forearms circling each other is a substitution. Look at the hands first, then the forearms.
• Confusing two fingers with two thumbs. Two fingers spread is a double contact by one player. Two thumbs up is a double fault, which means a replay.
• Reading "ball touched" as "ball out." A touch is a brushing motion on a vertical palm, while out is both forearms raised with palms toward the body. For line judges, a raised flag alone is out, and the free hand on the flag top is what makes it a touch.
• Treating cards as interchangeable. Check whether the cards are held together or apart before deciding how serious the sanction is.

Quick tip: Watch a set with the sound off and try to name each signal before the scorer's table reacts. The circles and the card ladder are the ones that take practice.

FAQs About Volleyball Referee Hand Signals

Are volleyball hand signals the same at every level?

The FIVB document is the international standard, and USA Volleyball's indoor sheet follows the same system, with a small difference in the "ball touched" wording. Local leagues may add their own conventions, so check with your league's officials.

Why does the referee show a rectangle?

The rectangle is the video challenge request, which defers a decision to the replay system. The referee draws it with the hands after a team asks for a review.

How many substitutions does a team get?

Each team may make a maximum of six substitutions per set, according to The Art of Coaching Volleyball. The referee shows each one with the circling forearms.

What is the difference between a delay warning and a delay penalty?

The wrist is covered by a yellow card for a warning and a red card for a penalty. According to CEV, the penalty gives the opponent a point and service.

Who decides whether a ball is in or out?

Line judges make in and out calls with flags, and the referee echoes the call with the point-down or forearms-up gesture. If the call can't be made, the crossed-arms "judgment impossible" signal is used.

Three Circles, Three Meanings

If you only memorise one thing, make it the circles. A forefinger loop is a position or service order fault, forearms circling each other is a substitution, and forearms twisting around the body is a change of courts. Learn the card ladder next. The rest fall into place without much effort.