The Ultimate Guide to Basketball Referee Signals

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Quickly learn the ref signals for fouls, violations, and more

Co-authored by Ryan Tremblay and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: August 8, 2025 Fact Checked

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Starting and Stopping Signals

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Violation Signals

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Fouling Signals

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Other Referee Signals

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Basketball referees are responsible for keeping everyone—from the players to the watching crowd—in the loop as to what’s happening during the game. They call out fouls and rules violations, indicate timeouts, signal when to start the clock, and even have signs for the number of points a team scores. If you’re having trouble identifying a referee’s gestures, we’re here to help with a comprehensive guide to basketball referee signals and their meanings. Keep reading to learn more!

What are the reffing signals in basketball?

An illustration showing 14 signals given by basketball referees. These include signals to start and stop the clock, plus signs that indicate fouls like traveling or going out of bounds.

Basketball referees use hand signals to start and stop the clock, as well as to call fouls and rule violations. They also have specific signals for each type of foul and violation, as well as other important signals that indicate timeouts, free throws, goal counts, and more.

Section 1 of 4:

Signals for Starting and Stopping the Clock

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Start the clock The referee is responsible for starting (and stopping) the clock during a game of basketball—at the beginning of the game, and anytime the clock must be restarted after a stoppage. To start the clock, the referee will make a downward chopping motion with one arm, starting with their hand in the air and bringing it down until their arm is horizontal.^{[1]
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- The referee must keep their hand in the air until they start the clock; that’s when they can finally drop their arm down!
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Stop the clock (for a violation) A violation is a minor infraction committed during play, most often involving the team that has possession of the ball and concerning the technicalities of gameplay. To indicate when a foul occurs, the referee will blow their whistle and raise an open hand straight up into the air. Then, they’ll signal the specific type of violation committed.^{[2]
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- Violations are different from fouls, which is why we’ve separated them in this article!
- Violations are relatively small, while fouls involve serious rule-breaking (especially illegal physical contact between players).
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Stop the clock (for a foul) In basketball, a foul is a rule violation that involves one player illegally making personal contact with another (pushing or elbowing them, for example). When a foul is committed, the referee will first make the general signal for a foul, which means blowing their whistle and holding a closed hand straight up in the air. Then, the referee will signal which type of foul was committed. We’ll cover the other foul signals below!^{[3]
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- The referee may also hold their other hand out horizontally (in addition to the raised hand and closed fist).
- After calling a foul, the referee will also tell the scorekeeper which player the foul was on.

Section 2 of 4:

Violation Referee Signals

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Carrying the basketball “Carrying” occurs when a player puts their hand under the basketball while dribbling, or moves it unnaturally (like scooping or lifting the ball). The referee will call the violation by holding a hand out and flipping it over several times, from palm-up to palm-down and back again.^{[4]
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- Carrying the ball can also be referred to as “palming.”
- This violation usually results in the other team being awarded possession of the ball.
A double dribble involves a player dribbling the ball, stopping and picking it up, then dribbling it again—or dribbling with both hands simultaneously. The referee will signal a double dribble by holding out both hands in front of them, palms facing down, and alternate moving them in an up-and-down motion.^{[5]
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Jump ball A jump ball (alternatively a “tie up” or “held ball”) occurs when an offensive and defensive player gain possession of the ball at the same time. After calling a violation, the referee will hold two thumbs up above their head to indicate a jump ball.^{[6]
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- Additionally, the referee will award possession of the ball afterward based on the possession arrow at the scorers’ table.
Kicking obviously isn’t allowed in basketball (considering the basketball can only be moved by dribbling or passing it with your hands). So, when the ball is kicked—either intentionally or accidentally—the referee will signal a kicking violation by making a kicking motion with their foot while pointing down at it.
The basketball is out of bounds when it goes outside the lines encircling the rectangular court (or even when it touches one of the lines). It can also be considered out of bounds when it touches a player standing on or outside the lines. To signal this violation, the referee will simply point to the basket of the team that gets to take possession of the ball next.
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Over-and-back An over-and-back violation involves an offensive player possessing the ball in the frontcourt, then moving it to the backcourt without the defense touching it. Referees signal over-and-back violations by holding their hand out (palm-down) and moving it from side to side, as though they’re tracing an invisible horizontal line.
- It’s considered a violation because this move provides teams with an easy workaround to evade the opposing team’s defense.
Traveling violations occur when a player illegally moves one or both of their feet. To signal a traveling violation, the referee will hold both arms out in front of them, bent at the elbows, and move their lower arms in a circular motion.^{[7]
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A 3-second violation occurs when a player spends more than 3 seconds in “the paint,” which is the rectangular area under the basket (a 12-foot by 16-foot space). When calling a 3-second violation, the referee will hold out three fingers and point them down (at their side) before swiping their hand back and forth.
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5-second violation A 5-second violation occurs when a team takes longer than 5 seconds to pass, shoot, or dribble the ball while guarded closely. If this happens, the referee will signal the violation by holding up a hand with all five fingers extended (almost as if they’re giving someone a high-five).
- The idea behind this 5-second rule is to prevent players from stalling the game.
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8-second violation An 8-second violation occurs when a team has possession of the ball in their backcourt and takes longer than 8 seconds to get the ball across the midcourt line. If this happens, the referee calls an 8-second violation by holding 8 fingers up in the air (5 fingers on one hand and 3 on the other).
- In younger leagues, teams often use 10 seconds instead of 8 for this rule.
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24-second violation A 24-second violation occurs when the team with possession of the ball takes longer than 24 seconds to attempt a shot (meaning the shot either hits the rim or goes in the basket). To signal a 24-second violation, the referee will tap the top of their shoulder with the corresponding hand on that side of their body.
- The 24-second rule is implemented using a shot clock.

Section 3 of 4:

Fouling Referee Signals

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Blocking fouls involve a defensive player using an illegal guarding position, and using it to get in the way of a player dribbling the ball. Referees signal a blocking foul by simply playing both hands on their hips.^{[8]
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A charging foul—or a “player-control foul”—occurs when a defensive player is in a legal guarding position, but an offensive player knocks them away from their spot. To signal this foul, the referee will make a fist with one hand and pretend to punch the palm of their other hand.
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Double foul A double foul in basketball is the result of two players on opposing teams committing personal fouls against each other simultaneously. When this happens, neither player gets a free throw as a penalty—and the referee will signal by holding both arms out horizontally away from their body, making fists with both hands.
- Double fouls are usually resolved with a jump ball (if neither team had possession of the ball) or with the team that had possession regaining the ball.
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Elbow foul An elbow foul occurs when one player elbows another, meaning one of their elbows connects with an opponent. To signal an elbow foul, referees will hold out one arm (bent at the elbow) and swing their elbow.
- Elbow fouls can even be deemed flagrant (meaning dangerous or overly rough).
- If an elbow foul is flagrant, the team hit with the elbow may be rewarded with the ball as well as an extra two shots.
In basketball, defensive players can’t use their hands to try to limit the movements of another player handling the ball. If they do, the referee will call a hand-checking foul. To do this, the referee will hold one hand out in front of them and make a chopping motion with the other over the outstretched wrist.
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Holding foul Holding fouls are called when one player grabs another by their basketball jersey, or by any of their body parts. To signal a holding foul, the referee will hold one arm out in front of them and make a fist, then grab that wrist with their other hand.
- This is a type of personal foul, with the result usually being free throws or the team losing possession of the ball (depending on the situation).
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Intentional foul Plenty of fouls during a game of basketball are totally unintentional, meaning they happen by accident. When a referee thinks a foul is done on purpose (or even to hurt another player), they’ll call an intentional foul by making an “X” with their arms, crossing them over their head.^{[9]
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- Intentional fouls result in the opposing team gaining possession of the ball, as well as getting two free shots.
Referees will call a pushing foul when one player pushes another during the game—specifically when a defender pushes an offensive player, or bumps into their body. To make the signal, the referee will put both arms outstretched in front of them, in a pushing motion.
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Technical foul Technical fouls are called when the referee thinks a player (or coach) is behaving improperly, or in an unsportsmanlike manner. To call a technical foul, the referee will hold their arms over their head, making a “T” shape.^{[10]
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- Technical fouls result in the other team getting the basketball and two free shots.

Section 4 of 4:

Other Important Referee Signals in Basketball

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Free throw A free throw (also called a foul shot) is a completely unopposed shot taken from behind the free throw line, which is drawn 15 feet from the backboard. Free throws are granted after a foul is committed. The referee will signal by holding a hand up in front of them (around face height) and indicating the number of free throws being granted.^{[11]
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- For example, if a team gets one free throw, the referee would raise one finger up.
The “goal counts” signal means a team has scored a successful field goal. To indicate a goal, the referee will hold one arm upright, fingers curled, then lower it (and flatten the fingers) until their hand is held out horizontally in front of them.
The “no score” signal means that a shot or play isn’t worth any points for a team (including shots taken after a foul gets called or the time expires). When signaling a “no score,” the referee will wave their arms back and forth, crossing them in front of their body.^{[12]
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Points scored Referees in basketball also signal to show the number of points scored by a team. To do this, the referee will hold out one arm to the side and raise the number of fingers corresponding to the amount of points scored—one, two, or three.
- For example, if the referee holds up their arm with two fingers extended, that means two points were scored.
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Substitution In basketball, one player can be substituted in for another (meaning they’re called up from the bench to replace a player on the court). When a coach asks for a substitution, the referee will signal by crossing their forearms high across their chest.^{[13]
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- After the initial substitution signal, the referee may also do a “beckoning in” signal to indicate when the substitute can enter the game.
- The “beckoning substitutes” signal involves waving one hand, palm open, toward the body in a beckoning gesture.
When a player attempts a three-point shot, it means they’re shooting from behind the marked three-point line—and, if this happens, the referee will signal by putting an arm straight up in the air. As the name suggests, a successful three-point shot results in that player’s team getting three points.
A three-point make is called when a player successfully shoots the ball from beyond the three-point line into the basket, resulting in three points being awarded to their team. To mark the success, the referee will put both of their arms straight up into the air (as opposed to just one for the attempt).
Timeouts are brief stoppages of play; they’re typically called to let players rest, talk about a strategy, or make player substitutions. A full timeout lasts for 60 seconds in basketball, and to signal a timeout, the referee will create a “T” shape by raising both arms above their head, bent at the elbows. One hand (the top of the “T”) should be open, with the other (forming the base of the “T”) closed except for an extended index finger.
Some timeouts can also be 30 seconds long (instead of the full 60 seconds). To signal a 30-second timeout, the referee will raise both hands and place them atop their shoulders, elbows held outward.^{[14]
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