USA Racquetball Rules
It is the first revision since 2020 and includes the seven rule changes passed by the USAR’s Board of Directors in July 2023. The most significant changes were increasing the length of timeouts to one-minute, but limiting players to two timeouts per game and decreasing the amount of time between games two and three to 2 minutes. You may also note several other wording changes made only to clarify previously existing rules including the addition of jumping into the section involving hinders. I recommend reading the full document to learn all of them.
Procedures for proposing future changes to the USAR rules are found near the end of the Rulebook as Competition Policy and Procedure “E-1”.
Download a PDF copy here: USA Racquetball Rulebook (Adobe PDF)
Download a PDF copy here: USA Racquetball WOR Rulebook (Adobe PDF)
USAR Official Rules & Regulations of Racquetball - Table of Contents#
1.1 Types of Games
1.2 Description
1.3 Objective
1.4 Points and Outs
1.5 Match, Game, Tiebreaker
2.1 Court Specifications
2.2 Ball Specifications
2.3 Ball Selection
2.4 Racquet Specifications
2.5 Apparel
3.1 Serve
3.2 Start
3.3 Manner
3.4 Readiness
3.5 Delays
3.6 Drive Service Zones
3.7 Defective Serves
3.8 Dead-Ball Serves
3.9 Fault Serves
3.10 Out Serves
3.11 Return of Serve
3.12 Changes of Serve
3.13 Rallies
3.14 Replay Hinders
3.15 Penalty Hinders
3.16 Timeouts
3.17 Technical Fouls and Warnings
Various Rule Modifications
4.1 Doubles Team
4.2 Serve in Doubles
4.3 Fault Serve in Doubles
4.4 Out Serve in Doubles
4.5 Return in Doubles
Go to PageVarious Rule Modifications
5.1 Basic Return Rule
5.2 Blast Rule
5.3 Front Wall Lines
5.4 Games and Matches
Go to Page
Various Rule Modifications
6.1 Court Specifications
6.2 Court Markings
6.3 Apparel
6.4 Play Regulations
Various Rule Modifications
7.1 Changes to Standard Rules
7.2 Divisions
7.3 Rules
7.4 Multi-Bounce Rules
Go to PageVarious Rule Modifications
8.1 Eligibility
8.2 Return of Serve and Rallies
8.3 Blast Rule
8.4 Hinders
Rule 9.1 Eligibility
Go to Page10.1 Game, Match
10.2 Appeals
10.3 Line Judges
10.4 Serves
10.5 Resuming Play
10.6 Readiness Rule
10.7 Court Hinders
10.8 Out-of-Court Ball
10.9 Carrying the Ball
10.10 Ball
10.11 After the Rally
10.12 Timeouts
10.13 Forfeit Time
10.14 Apparel
12.1 Eligibility
12.2 Draws
12.3 Game, Match
12.4 Match Score
12.5 Order of Finish
12.6 Forfeits
Competition Policies & Procedures
A.1 Draws
A.2 Consolation Matches
A.3 Scheduling
A.4 Notice of Matches
A.5 Finishes
A.6 Round Robin Scoring
A.7 Court Assignments
A.8 Warm-up Times
A.9 Tournament Conduct
A.10 Spectator Conduct
Go to PageCompetition Policies & Procedures
B.1 Tournament Management
B.2 Tournament Rules Committee
B.3 Referee Appointment and Removal
B.4 Rules Briefing
B.5 Referees
B.6 Line Judges
B.7 Appeals
B.8 Outcome of Appeals
B.9 Rule Interpretations
Go to PageCompetition Policies & Procedures
C.1 Eligibility
C.2 Waiver & Release
C.3 Recognized Divisions
C.4 Division Competition by Gender
Go to PageCompetition Policies & Procedures
D.1 Score
D.2 During Rallies
D.3 Serve
D.4 Replay Hinders
D.5 Penalty Hinders
D.6 Disputes
Go to PageCompetition Policies & Procedures
E.1 Rule Change Procedures
E.2 USAR National Rules Commissioner
Copyright Notice
The 2020 USAR Official Rules of Racquetball are copyrighted. All rights reserved. These rules may be downloaded and printed for reference. Copyright © 2020 USAR. For information about reprint please contact USA Racquetball.
USA Racquetball
1661 Mesa Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Tel: 719/635-5396
Fax: 719/635-0685