# Serve

> Putting the ball in play to start a rally.

From the rulebook:

> Manner (Legal Serve) The server must come to a complete stop in the service zone before beginning the serve. The serve is begun by bouncing the ball to the floor in the service zone, and purposely struck by either hand or fist before the ball bounces twice so that so that it contacts the wall first and on the rebound contacts the floor in the receiving zone, unless played on the fly. Refer to Rule 4.3.C & D.

— [One-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/d.md)

## How to serve

1. Wait for the referee to announce the score; a serve may not be made before then. ([One-wall 4.1(e)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/e.md))
2. Stand anywhere in the service zone. No part of either foot may touch the floor beyond the outer edge of either line of the zone. ([One-wall 4.1(c)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/c.md))
3. Come to a complete stop in the service zone before you begin the serve. ([One-wall 4.1(d)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/d.md))
4. Bounce the ball to the floor in the service zone, then strike it with either hand or fist before it bounces twice. ([One-wall 4.1(d)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/d.md))
5. One-wall: the ball must hit the wall first and, on the rebound, the floor in the receiving zone, unless the receiver plays it on the fly. ([One-wall 4.1(d)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/d.md))
6. Four-wall: the ball must hit the front wall first and, on the rebound, the floor behind the short line, with or without touching one of the side walls. ([Four-wall 4.1(d)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.1/d.md))
7. Stay in the service zone until the served ball passes the short line; a violation is called a foot fault. ([One-wall 4.1(c)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/c.md))
8. Serve (hit the ball) within 10 seconds of the referee announcing the score. ([One-wall 4.1(e)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/e.md))

## Quick Qs

- **How long do I have to serve?** Within 10 seconds of the referee announcing the score. ([One-wall 4.1(e)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/e.md))
- **What is a foot fault?** Letting any part of either foot touch the floor beyond the outer edge of either line of the service zone, or leaving the service zone before the served ball passes the short line. ([One-wall 4.1(c)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1/c.md))

## Where it shows up

- [One-wall · Rule 1.4 Points and outs](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/1.4.md): intro
- [One-wall · Rule 2.5 Eye protection](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/2.5.md): b
- [One-wall · Rule 3.4 Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/3.4.md): a
- [One-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/3.7.md): a, b
- [One-wall · Rule 3.8 Scorer](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/3.8.md): intro
- [One-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1.md): a, b, c, d, e
- [One-wall · Rule 4.2 Doubles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.2.md): a, b
- [One-wall · Rule 4.3 Defective serves](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.3.md): intro, a, b, c, d
- [One-wall · Rule 4.4 Return of Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.4.md): c
- [One-wall · Rule 4.5 Changes of serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.5.md): intro, a, b, f
- [One-wall · Rule 4.6 Rally](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.6.md): intro, j, l
- [One-wall · Rule 4.7 Dead-ball Hinders](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.7.md): a
- [One-wall · Rule 4.8 Avoidable hinders](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.8.md): f
- [One-wall · Rule 4.10 Timeouts](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.10.md): a, c
- [Four-wall · Rule 1.4 Points and outs](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/1.4.md): intro
- [Four-wall · Rule 2.5 Eye protection](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/2.5.md): b
- [Four-wall · Rule 3.4 Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/3.4.md): a
- [Four-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/3.7.md): a, b
- [Four-wall · Rule 3.8 Scorer](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/3.8.md): intro
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.1.md): a, b, c, d, e
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.2 Doubles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.2.md): a, b
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.3 Defective serves](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.3.md): intro, a, b, c, d
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.4 Return of Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.4.md): c
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.5 Changes of serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.5.md): intro, a, b, f
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.6 Rally](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.6.md): intro, h, j, l
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.7 Dead-ball Hinders](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.7.md): a, b
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.8 Avoidable hinders](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.8.md): a, f
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.10 Timeouts](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.10.md): a, c
- [Four-wall · Rule 2.1-three Courts](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/2.1-three.md): b
- [Four-wall · Rule 2.1-one Courts](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/2.1-one.md): b, c, d

## Related

- [Server](https://handball.theperfectship.com/server.md)
- [Service zone](https://handball.theperfectship.com/service-zone.md)
- [Fault serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/fault-serve.md)
- [Out serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/out-serve.md)
- [Second serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/second-serve.md)

## In GAA / 60×30 rules

- GAA rules allow the choice of a number as an alternative to the coin toss for the order of serve, on a three-year trial from 2026 (GAA rule 4.1.A).

## Ref questions

- [All Serve questions (40)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/referee/serve.md)
- [All Cadence questions (29)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/referee/cadence.md)
- [All Serve depth questions (21)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/referee/serve-depth.md)

Rules text: United States Handball Association, used with written permission — https://www.ushandball.org/