# Rules and officiating

In: [Learn](https://handball.theperfectship.com/learn.md) > [Directory](https://handball.theperfectship.com/learn/directory.md) > Rules and officiating

Current rulebooks, referee guides and certification, and old rulebooks that are online.

Links marked ↗ open in a new tab. We write our own description of each link. Listing a page is not an endorsement, and we do not run these sites.

Links on this page were checked on 2026-11-02.

## Current official rulebooks (26)

- [4-Wall 競技規則（ルールブック）](https://jwha.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/jwharule20071007.pdf) (4-wall rules (rulebook), Japan Wall Handball Association, 2007) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Four-wall rulebook of the Japan Wall Handball Association, dated October 2007 by its file name. (Japan; Four-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [CIJB wallball rules (English PDF)](https://cijb.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/wallball_eng-1.pdf) (opens in a new tab): The English-language PDF of the wallball rules published by the International Ball Games Confederation (CIJB). It is a rules document for the international wallball format. Our pick: The international wallball rules in English, published by the CIJB. (International; Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Competition Regulations (GAA Handball PDF)](https://a.storyblok.com/f/291973624851210/x/66f8bad307/competition-regulations-ac-june-26.pdf) (opens in a new tab): PDF of the GAA Handball competition regulations, covering court dimensions, ball specifications, grading, entries and fixtures. (Ireland; Irish 60x30, Irish 40x20, Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [GAA Handball playing rules](https://www.gaahandball.ie/about/governance/playing-rules) (opens in a new tab): The page on the GAA Handball site that holds the official playing rules for its handball codes. It links to the rule documents rather than reproducing them here. (Ireland; Irish 60x30, Irish 40x20, Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Les règles du One Wall](https://www.frbp.be/download/54/reglementation/160/les-regles-du-one-wall.pdf) (One-wall rules (Belgian balle pelote federation, French)) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Four-page French PDF with the one-wall rules from the Belgian balle pelote federation (Title XXV bis): a hard wall 4.90 m high, a court 10.60 m by 6.10 m, teams of two or three registered players and service-line rules. (Belgium; Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Playing Rules: 4-Wall, Wallball, 60x30, Softball, Hardball (GAA Handball PDF)](https://a.storyblok.com/f/291973624851210/x/910ef96be4/playing-rules-4-wall-wallball-60x30-softball-hardball-ac-june-26.pdf) (opens in a new tab): PDF of the GAA Handball playing rules covering four-wall, wallball, 60x30, softball and hardball play. (Ireland; Irish 60x30, Irish 40x20, Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Reglamentos](https://cijb.info/reglas/) (CIJB rulebooks (wallball, llargues, international game, frontón valenciano)) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Rules page of the CIJB, the international ball games confederation, with rule PDFs in Spanish, English and French for wallball, llargues, the international game and fronton valenciano. (International; Wallball, Pelota; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Règlements du 1 mur](http://balleaumur.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/1-wall_francais-2021.pdf) (One-wall rules (Balle au Mur Québec, 2021, French)) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: French-language one-wall rules from Balle au Mur Quebec, 2021 edition, linked from the association's home page. (Quebec, Canada; One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Règlements du 4-3 murs](http://balleaumur.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/4-3-walls-francais-2021.pdf) (Four-wall and three-wall rules (Balle au Mur Québec, 2021, French)) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: French-language four-wall and three-wall rules from Balle au Mur Quebec, 2021 edition. (Quebec, Canada; Four-wall, Three-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Rules and Regulations (GAA Handball)](https://www.gaahandball.ie/competitions/rules-regulations) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Rules and Regulations page on the GAA Handball site. It links the Playing Rules and the Competition Regulations as PDF downloads; it has no one-wall rules document. Our pick: Where the official GAA Handball playing rules and competition regulations are published. (Ireland; Irish 60x30, Irish 40x20, Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA abridged rules (PDF)](https://www.ushandball.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/abridgedrules.pdf) (opens in a new tab): Two-page USHA abridged handball rules for teaching curricula, noting that handball can be played indoors, outdoors, on a four-wall court or any smooth surface, by two, three or four players. (United States; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA four-wall rulebook](https://www.ushandball.org/four-wall-rulebook/) (opens in a new tab): The page on the USHA site for its official four-wall handball rulebook, the rules used in USHA-sanctioned four-wall and three-wall play. Our pick: The official USHA four-wall rulebook, the reference for four-wall play in North America. (United States; Four-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA guidelines for tournaments (PDF)](https://www.ushandball.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GUIDELINES.FOR_.TOURNAMENTS.pdf) (opens in a new tab): USHA guidelines for running sanctioned tournaments, as a PDF linked from its tournament tools page. (United States; Four-wall, Three-wall, One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA intercollegiate rules (PDF)](https://www.ushandball.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/USHA-Intercollegiate-Rules.pdf) (opens in a new tab): A PDF of the USHA intercollegiate handball rules, covering how handball is played in college competition under the association. (United States; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA one-wall handball page](https://www.ushandball.org/one-wall-handball/) (opens in a new tab): USHA one-wall handball page with the record books, the one-wall rulebook and a link to the New York Handball Hall of Fame. (United States; One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA one-wall rulebook](https://www.ushandball.org/learn-handball/one-wall-rulebook/) (opens in a new tab): The page on the USHA site for its official one-wall handball rulebook, in the site's Learn Handball section. Our pick: The official USHA one-wall rulebook, the reference for one-wall play in the United States. (United States; One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA rules and information](https://www.ushandball.org/rules-info/) (opens in a new tab): USHA rules and information page, with its referee guides for four-wall, three-wall and one-wall play, court specifications and current policies. (United States; Four-wall, Three-wall, One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA tools to run a tournament](https://www.ushandball.org/games-tournaments/tools-to-run-a-tourney/) (opens in a new tab): USHA page for tournament organizers with a tournament guidelines PDF and the sanctioning agreement. (United States; Four-wall, Three-wall, One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA tournament sanctioning agreement (PDF)](https://www.ushandball.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/updated-sanctioning-agreement.pdf) (opens in a new tab): USHA tournament sanctioning agreement, as a PDF linked from its tournament tools page. (United States; Four-wall, Three-wall, One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USWA official wallball rules](https://uswallball.org/rules) (opens in a new tab): The official wallball rules page of the United States Wallball Association, with its playing rules (revised October 2026) and conduct standards. Our pick: The official wallball rules of the United States Wallball Association. (United States; Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Wall Ball](https://cijb.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/wallball_SPA-1.pdf) (CIJB wallball rules (Spanish)) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Spanish edition of the CIJB wallball rules, as a PDF linked from the confederation's rules page. (International; Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Wall Ball](https://cijb.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/wallball_fr-1.pdf) (CIJB wallball rules (French)) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: French edition of the CIJB wallball rules, as a PDF linked from the confederation's rules page. (International; Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [ウォールハンドボール(4-WALL)の競技規則概要](https://jwha.jp/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/hb_rule_gaiyou20170912.pdf) (Overview of the wall handball (4-wall) rules, JWHA, 2017) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Japan Wall Handball Association overview of the four-wall rules, dated September 2017 by its file name. (Japan; Four-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [ワンウォールハンドボール(1-wall）の競技規則概要](https://jwha.jp/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/1-wall_rule_ver0.21_20190509.pdf) (Overview of the one-wall handball rules, JWHA, 2019) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Japanese-language overview of one-wall handball rules from the Japan Wall Handball Association, version 0.21 of 9 May 2019: singles and doubles, games to 21-21-11, side-out scoring and the start of play. (Japan; One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [ワンウォールハンドボール（1-wall）サービスルール](https://jwha.jp/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/1-wall_rule_2019_surve.pdf) (One-wall handball service rules, JWHA, 2019) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Japan Wall Handball Association document on the service rules of one-wall handball, from 2019. (Japan; One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [競技規則等](https://jwha.jp/howto/rule/) (Rules and related documents (Japan Wall Handball Association)) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Rules page of the Japan Wall Handball Association, with seven PDFs: a 2007 four-wall rulebook, a 2008 referee guide, rule overviews, 2019 service rules and technique guides. (Japan; Four-wall, One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)

## Referee guides and certification (8)

- [Become a Referee (GAA Handball)](https://www.gaahandball.ie/get-involved/become-a-referee) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Entry page on the GAA Handball site for people who want to referee. It links to the Bronze award, the referee pathway and the playing rules. (Ireland; Irish 60x30, Irish 40x20, Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Guide for handball referees (USHA, 2022 PDF)](https://www.ushandball.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GUIDE-FOR-HANDBALL-REFEREES-2022.pdf) (opens in a new tab): 2022 USHA guide for handball referees, three-wall and four-wall version, opening with general comments on the losers-ref system in which each player referees once per event. (United States; Three-wall, Four-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Guide for one-wall handball referees (USHA, 2025 PDF)](https://www.ushandball.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GUIDE-FOR-1-WALL-HANDBALL-REFEREES-Revised-April-3rd-FINALIZED.pdf) (opens in a new tab): A 2025 PDF guide for referees of one-wall handball, published by the United States Handball Association. (United States; One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Handball Referee Bronze Award (GAA learning portal)](https://learning.gaa.ie/HandballRef/Bronze) (opens in a new tab): GAA Handball Referee Bronze Level Certificate page on the Tobar learning portal: the first step of the referee pathway, an online exam of about 45 minutes that leads to the local referees panel. (Ireland; Irish 60x30, Irish 40x20, Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Know the Rules: Host a Ref Clinic by USHA (WPH, 2018)](https://wphlive.tv/know-the-rules-host-a-ref-clinic-by-usha/) (opens in a new tab): Post from January 2018 on the WPH Live TV site explaining how a USHA referee clinic works: a Level 5 referee hosts it, and every USHA national tournament runs one. Dated material. (United States; Four-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [Referee Zone (GAA Handball)](https://www.gaahandball.ie/coaching-development/referee-s) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Referee Zone page on the GAA Handball site. It sets out the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum referee levels, how each is earned, and that courses are led by national tutors. Our pick: Sets out the GAA Handball referee levels and how each is earned; the starting point for Irish officials. (Ireland; Irish 60x30, Irish 40x20, Wallball; checked 2026-11-02)
- [USHA referee certification](https://www.ushandball.org/referee-certification/) (opens in a new tab): USHA page describing its five referee certification levels, with lists of certified referees. Our pick: Explains the USHA's five referee certification levels; the entry point for US officials. (United States; Four-wall, One-wall; checked 2026-11-02)
- [レフリーガイド](https://jwha.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/jwhareferees20080201.pdf) (Referee guide, Japan Wall Handball Association, 2008) (opens in a new tab) [Official]: Referee guide of the Japan Wall Handball Association, dated February 2008 by its file name. (Japan; Four-wall; checked 2026-11-02)