# Rule 4.3 Defective Serves (USHA Three-Wall Addendum, 26 January 2025, current)

USHA rules text used with permission of the U.S. Handball Association (ushandball.org); credit: U.S. Handball Association. Source: https://www.ushandball.org/

Printed as changes to USHA Four-Wall Rulebook (26 January 2025); shown here as printed (the changes only, not merged).

Under C. Fault Serves.

5) Long Serve. Any served ball that first hits the front wall and rebounds past the outer edge of the long line before touching the floor. During tournament play, receivers must not catch long serves that they assume to be long. Referee will award point for failure to return.

## Mentioned here

- [Receiver](https://handball.theperfectship.com/receiver.md)
- [Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/match-referee.md)
- [Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/serve.md)
- [Fault serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/fault-serve.md)
- [Long serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/long-serve.md)
- [Front wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/front-wall.md)
- [Long line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/long-line.md)
- [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md)
- [Point](https://handball.theperfectship.com/point.md)

How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-fourwall-american/4-3.md)

## Relationships

- Front wall relates to Long line: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Front wall relates to Ball: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Long line relates to Ball: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- No link to the other terms shown: Receiver, Referee, Fault serve, Long serve, Serve, Point.

Rulebook: [USHA Three-Wall Addendum, 26 January 2025](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/usha-threewall-2025-01-26.md)

Source: USHA Four-Wall Rulebook page, 'Three-Wall Addendum: Changes from Four-Wall Rules', https://www.ushandball.org/four-wall-rulebook/; captured 2026-10-28. Used with written permission.