Volleyball Faults Explained: Double Contact, Lift, and More
Volleyball faults explained in plain English: the ball-handling calls like double contact, lift, and four hits that stop a rally cold and hand the other team a free point. Here is what each one means, why referees call it, and how to stop giving them away.
Volleyball faults explained: the calls that end a rally
A fault is any illegal action that stops the rally and gives the point, plus the serve, to the other team. Most new players picture a fault as a ball hit into the net or out of bounds, and those count, but the calls that cause the most confusion are the ball-handling faults: double contact, lift, and four hits. This is volleyball faults explained the way a coach would walk a new team through it, one call at a time, with the examples that actually come up in a match.
Under rally scoring, every fault is worth a point to the opponent no matter who was serving. There are no free mistakes anymore, so understanding these calls is the fastest way to stop leaking points you never had to lose.
Double contact: the most argued call in the gym
A double contact in volleyball happens when the ball touches a player twice in a row on a single attempt, or hits two separate body parts in quick succession, on anything other than a block or a first team contact. The classic case is a setter whose hands release the ball unevenly, so it spins off one hand a split second after the other. The referee sees the rotation on the ball or hears the two taps, and the whistle goes.
Two exceptions trip people up:
- The first ball. On a team's first contact, a double is legal as long as it happens in one attempt. A hard-driven serve or attack that bounces off a passer's forearms and grazes a shoulder is fine.
- The block. A block does not count as one of your three contacts, and multiple touches on a block are legal. The player who blocked may play the next ball.
Where it is almost always called: the second contact, the set. Hand-setting a tight or spinning pass is the single most common way a double contact volleyball call shows up, which is why coaches drill clean hand position before anything fancy.
Lift (carry): holding the ball too long
A lift, also called a carry or a held ball, is a prolonged contact where the ball comes to rest in the hands or on the arms instead of rebounding cleanly. Volleyball is a rebound sport: the ball has to leave your contact as fast as it arrived. If the referee judges that you caught, scooped, or guided it, that is a lift fault volleyball players give away constantly on tough digs and overhead sets.
The gray area is real, and referees judge it by feel as much as by rule. A good tell: if you can momentarily control the direction with your palms open and the ball visibly pausing, it is a lift. The usual culprits are an open-hand dig on a hard swing, a one-handed scoop near the floor, and a soft overhead set that the hands cradle a beat too long.
I tell my passers to think "redirect, do not receive." On a hard-driven ball low to the floor, the instinct is to open the hands and scoop, which is exactly what gets whistled for a lift. Instead I teach a firm platform or a stiff tomahawk with the hands together, so the ball ricochets instead of resting. In practice I stand behind the defender and watch the ball, not the player: if I can read the logo pausing on their hands, the referee will too. Clean up that one habit and your defenders stop handing back points on balls they actually dug.
Four hits: losing count
Each team gets three contacts to send the ball back over the net. A fourth contact by the same team is a four hits fault. The wrinkle is the block: a touch on the block does not count, so a team can block, then still take three more contacts. New teams lose track in scramble situations, where a dig, an emergency set, a save, and a swing quietly add up to four.
Net and centerline faults
Two more faults come up constantly, and both are about where your body is, not how you touch the ball:
- Net touch. Touching the net while making a play on the ball is a fault. Incidental contact away from the action, like hair brushing the top tape, is usually let go.
- Centerline violation. Fully crossing the centerline under the net and interfering with an opponent is a fault. A foot that touches over the line but keeps part on or above it is legal.
Positional faults: overlap and rotation
Not every fault involves touching the ball. If your players are standing in the wrong spots at the moment of serve, the referee calls an overlap fault before the rally even starts. Serving out of your rotational order is a separate violation. Both are pure giveaways, and both are worth their own read: see the overlap rules explained for exactly where each player has to stand at contact.
How to stop giving faults away
Most faults are habits, not accidents. The fastest fixes:
- Clean hands on the set. Symmetric release kills the double contact.
- Redirect, do not catch. A firm platform beats a soft scoop and avoids the lift.
- Count out loud in scrambles. One player calling the contact count prevents four hits.
- Hold your spot until contact. Waiting the extra half second erases most overlap faults.
None of these need more talent. They need attention, and a clear picture of which fault is actually costing you points.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a double contact and a lift?
A double contact is two separate touches on one attempt, usually a set that spins off the hands unevenly. A lift is a single contact that lasts too long, where the ball visibly rests in the hands or on the arms instead of rebounding cleanly.
Is a double contact ever legal?
Yes. On a team's first contact a double is legal as long as it is one attempt, so a hard serve bouncing off a passer's arms and shoulder is fine. Multiple touches on a block are also legal and do not count as a contact.
How many hits is a team allowed in volleyball?
Three contacts to return the ball over the net. A touch on the block does not count, so after a block a team may still take three more contacts. A fourth contact is a four hits fault.
Why do referees call lifts differently?
The lift is a judgment call based on how long the ball stays in contact, so there is a gray area. If the ball visibly pauses or the hands guide its direction, it will usually be whistled.
Does a net touch always lose the point?
Only if it happens while you are making a play on the ball or it interferes with play. Incidental contact away from the action, like hair grazing the top tape, is generally allowed.
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