What is a delay warning in volleyball?
A · Advanced · Time-outs, substitutions, cards and officials · 6 of 8Checked 13 October 2026
A team that holds up the restart gets a delay warning the first time. Every later delay in the same match by anyone on that team is a delay penalty: a point and the serve to the opponents. Delay sanctions belong to the team, not a player, and last the whole match.
How it works
Delays include:
- Dragging out a substitution or a time-out.
- Carrying on a stoppage after being told to resume.
- Asking for an illegal substitution.
- Repeating an improper request.
- A team member otherwise delaying the game.
Sanctions:
- First delay in the match: delay warning, shown with a yellow card held to the wrist. No point is lost.
- Second and later: delay penalty, shown with a red card held to the wrist. A point and service to the opponents.
- A delay between sets is applied in the next set.
- After a request is rejected with a delay warning, the team may make no further request in that stoppage.
Tricky cases
Is a delay warning the same as a yellow card for behaviour?
No. They are separate scales. A delay warning is a team sanction; a yellow card for conduct is a personal warning.
One player caused the first delay and another the second. Is it still a penalty?
Yes. Delay sanctions are counted for the team.
Why the rule exists
Volleyball has no game clock, so the only protection against time-wasting is a penalty that costs a point.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FIVB rules | As above | V 16 |
| Beach volleyball | At most 12 seconds from the end of a rally to the whistle for service | BV 16.1.3 |
From the rule book
FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2025-2028, Rules 15.2.4, 15.11 and 16; official hand signal 25. Checked 13 October 2026. Official document: FIVB Official Volleyball Rules (PDF).