The service is the act of putting the ball into play, by the back-right player, placed in the service zone (Rule 12.4.1).
12.1.1 The first service of the first set, as well as that of the deciding set (3rd or 5th) is executed by the team determined by the toss (Rule 7.1).
12.1.2 The other sets will be started with the service of the team that did not serve first in the previous set.
12.2.1 The players must follow the service order recorded on the line-up sheet (Rule 7.3.1 & 7.3.2).
12.2.2 After the first service in a set, the player to serve is determined as follows:
12.2.2.1 When the serving team wins the rally, the player (or his/her substitute) who served before, serves again.
12.2.2.2 When the receiving team wins the rally, it gains the right to serve and rotates before actually serving. The player who moves from the front right position to the back-right position will serve. (Rule 6.1.3 & 7.6.2)
(FIVB Casebook 2.05)
The first referee authorizes the service, after having checked that the two teams are ready to play and that the server is in possession of the ball.
12.4.1 The ball shall be hit with one hand or any part of the arm after being tossed or released from the hand(s).
12.4.2 Only one toss or release of the ball is allowed. Dribbling or moving the ball in the hands is permitted.
12.4.3 At the moment of the service hit or take-off for a jump service, the server must not touch the court (the end line included) or the floor outside the service zone. (FIVB Casebook 2.05)
After the hit, he/she may step or land outside the service zone, or inside the court.
12.4.4 The server must hit the ball within 8 seconds after the first referee whistles for service.
12.4.5 A service executed before the referee’s whistle is cancelled and repeated.
12.5.1 The players of the serving team must not prevent their opponent, through individual or collective screening, from seeing the service hit and the flight path of the ball.
12.5.2 A player or a group of players of the serving team make(s) a screen by waving arms, jumping, or moving sideways during the execution of the service, or by standing grouped, in order that both the service hit and the flight path of the ball are hidden until the ball reaches the vertical plane of the net. Should either be visible to the receiving team this is not a screen.
12.6.1 Serving faults:
The following faults lead to a change of service even if the opponent is out of position (Rule 12.7.1). The server:
12.6.1.1 violates the service order (Rule 12.2);
12.6.1.2 does not execute the service properly (Rule 12.4).
12.6.2 Faults after the service hit:
After the ball has been correctly hit, the service becomes a fault (unless a player is out of position) if the ball (Rule 12.4 & 12.7.2):
12.6.2.1 touches a player of the serving team or fails to cross the vertical plane of the net completely through the crossing space (Rules 8.4.4, 8.4.5, 10.1.1);
12.6.2.2 goes “out” (Rule 8.4);
12.6.2.3 passes over a screen (Rule 12.5).
12.7.1 If the server makes a fault at the moment of the service hit (improper execution, wrong rotational order, etc.) and the opponent is out of position, it is the serving fault which is sanctioned.
12.7.2 Instead, if the execution of the service has been correct, but the service subsequently becomes faulty (goes out, goes over a screen, etc.), the positional fault has taken place first and is sanctioned.