How does scoring work in volleyball?
B · Beginner · Scoring and winning · 1 of 8Checked 13 October 2026
How it works
- A rally runs from the service hit until the ball is out of play.
- If the serving team wins the rally, it scores a point and the same player serves again.
- If the receiving team wins the rally, it scores a point, gains the serve and rotates one place before serving.
- A fault is any playing action against the rules. If two faults follow one another, only the first counts.
- If opponents commit faults at the same moment, it is a double fault and the rally is replayed.
Tricky cases
Does a team have to be serving to score?
No. Whichever team wins the rally scores, a system often called rally scoring.
Both teams were at fault at once. Who gets the point?
Nobody. It is a double fault and the rally is replayed.
What is a "side out"?
Common usage for the receiving team winning the rally and so gaining the serve. The rules do not use the phrase.
Why the rule exists
A point on every rally makes the score easy to follow and the length of a set more predictable than when only the serving team could score.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FIVB rules | As above | V 6.1 |
| Before rally scoring | Only the serving team could score | C |
From the rule book
FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2025-2028, Rules 6.1 and 8.1 to 8.2. Checked 13 October 2026. Official document: FIVB Official Volleyball Rules (PDF).