Who serves in beach volleyball, and do players have positions?
I · Intermediate · Serving · 2 of 6The two partners serve in turn. Each time a team wins the serve back, the player who did not serve last serves. There are no positions on court and no positional faults: the players may stand wherever they like on their own side.
How it works
- The captain fixes the service order straight after the toss, and it must be kept for the whole set.
- When the serving team wins the rally, the same player serves again.
- When the receiving team wins the rally, its other player serves.
- At the service hit both teams must be inside their own court, except the server. Beyond that, players position themselves freely.
- Wrong server: a service order fault, a point and the serve to the opponents.
- The scorer is meant to prevent this by indicating the correct server, and correcting a wrong one, before the whistle for service.
Tricky cases
Do the partners have to stay on their own left and right sides?
No. There are no determined positions on the court.
The wrong partner served. What happens?
It depends on when it is caught. The scorer should correct it before the whistle. If the serve is made out of order, the opponents get a point and the serve.
Why the rule exists
Taking the serve in turn is the one piece of rotation that still matters with two players. Fixed positions would add nothing when both players must cover the whole court.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FIVB beach rules | As above | BV 7.4 to 7.7; BV 12.2 |
| Indoor volleyball | Six positions and a rotation order | V 7.4 to 7.7 |
From the rule book
FIVB Official Beach Volleyball Rules 2025-2028, Rules 7.4 to 7.7 and 12.2. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: FIVB Official Beach Volleyball Rules (PDF).