USA Volleyball writes the rules most junior club events use, and the NFHS writes the rules most US high schools use. Scorerdesk keeps both as data profiles, and the table below is read from those profiles, so it always matches what the grader checks. Tournaments and state associations can change some of these (match format, for example), so read the event's own rules too.
Side by side
| Item | Club, USA Volleyball 2025-2027 | High school, NFHS 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Substitutions per set | 15 | 18 |
| Warn the referee from sub | 12 | 15 |
| Time-outs per set | 2 of 30 s | 2 of up to 60 s |
| Usual match | Best of 3 | Best of 5 |
| Sets | 25, deciding set 15, win by 2, no cap | 25, deciding set 15, win by 2, no cap |
| Receiving team's first server | Position II | Position I |
| Delay counted | Per match | Per set |
| Third time-out, extra sub, second request | Improper request (IR), then delay | Unnecessary delay (a second request is just denied) |
| Liberos per set | 0, 1 or 2 | 0, 1 or 2 (new for 2026-27) |
| Libero serving in a second position | The replacement stands; the serve is a rotational fault, point and serve to the opponent | The replacement itself is illegal, charged as unnecessary delay |
The first server of the receiving team
This is the difference that catches most scorers who switch between club and school. The NFHS lineup is a serving order: position I is the team's first server whether it serves or receives first. The USA Volleyball lineup is a set of court positions: the player in position I stands in right back, and a receiving team rotates when it wins the serve, so position II serves first. On the sheet, the receiving team's first service box is under I in high school and under II in club.
Worked example: the same requests under both rule books
Computed by Scorerdesk's rule engine. Home asks for a third time-out. Under USA Volleyball the first improper request in the match is refused and written as IR, with no penalty. Under NFHS it is unnecessary delay, an administrative yellow card.
| The feed says | What the scorer does |
|---|---|
| Point home. | mark home running score at 1 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 1; 1 in the home service box under I, term 1 |
| Time-out, home. | 1-1 in home time-out 1 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 2 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 2; 2 in the away service box under II, term 1 |
| Time-out, home. | 2-2 in home time-out 2 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 3 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 3; 3 in the home service box under II, term 1 |
| Time-out, home. | Flag it (time-out not allowed). Write nothing for the request. |
| Request refused. Improper request, home. | sanctions row: H, IR, T, 3-3 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 4 |
| The feed says | What the scorer does |
|---|---|
| Point home. | mark home running score at 1 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 1; 1 in the home service box under I, term 1 |
| Time-out, home. | 1-1 in home time-out 1 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 2 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 2; 2 in the away service box under I, term 1 |
| Time-out, home. | 2-2 in home time-out 2 |
| Point home. | mark home running score at 3 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 3; 3 in the home service box under II, term 1 |
| Time-out, home. | Flag it (time-out not allowed). Write nothing for the request. |
| Request denied. Unnecessary delay, administrative yellow card, home. | sanctions row: H, DW, T, 3-3 |
| Point away. | mark away running score at 4 |
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong substitution count: the club limit is 15 and the count is reported from the 12th, while the high school limit is 18 and the scorer warns from the 15th.
- Starting the receiving team's service boxes under the wrong position.
- Resetting delay warnings at a new set in a club match.
- Charging a delay for a club team's first improper request, or writing nothing at all.
- Assuming the libero rules match: the two libero options exist in both books, but the details of designating them differ.
Practise both
The daily set alternates between the two profiles day by day, and a full match can be played in either. For substitutions in detail read substitution counting and illegal subs.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 27 September 2026. Rules are paraphrased, never quoted at length, and local procedures differ by region, state and tournament; where yours differ, follow your referees.
- USA Volleyball Indoor Rules 2025-2027, published August 2025. rules 7 (rotation), 15 (substitutions, time-outs and improper requests), 16 (delays), 19 (the libero), 25 and 26 (scorer and assistant scorer).
- NFHS Volleyball Rules Book, 2026-27 edition. rule 5 (scorer and libero tracker duties), 6 (positions and serving order), 7 (lineups), 10 (substitution and libero replacement), 11 (time-outs).
- NFHS news release, Libero Rules Adjusted in High School Volleyball, 5 February 2026. two liberos may be designated per set from 2026-27 (rule 6-4-2), with changes to injury and disqualification replacement (10-4-3a, 10-4-3d).