1. The referees check the net and the court.
2. The first referee calls the Team Captains and conducts the toss.
3. The first referee controls the team warm-up.
4. The second referee ensures that team rosters and lineups are submitted to the scorer. The number of the Libero (if used by the team) is to be recorded on the line-up sheet.
5. The first referee indicates the end of the team warm-ups. All players leave the court.
6. The referees and line judges take up their positions.
7. The first referee requests the teams (the six starting players) to line up on the baseline. The first referee uses his whistle and a hand signal to direct the team members to enter the court and take up their positions. This applies to set one only. For all other sets, the teams will go directly onto the playing court.
8. The second referee will check the rotational order of both teams.
9. The second referee will hand the ball to the first server. If the three-ball system is used, the second referee will give two balls to the ball retrievers and then give a ball to the first server. Using the three-ball system, the second referee will only give the ball to the first server in set one and the deciding set.
10. The second referee will indicate to the first referee that he/she and the scorer are ready to start the match.
11. The first referee will authorize the first service (whistle and signal).
1. At the end of each set, the first referee uses his/her whistle and a hand signal for the teams to change court.
2. Once the players cross outside of the poles they may go directly to their bench without lining up on the end line and without being dismissed by the referee. Players may now gather at their bench and speak with their coach.
3. The interval between sets is 3 minutes. After two minutes and thirty seconds the second referee blows his whistle to direct the teams on to the court. For set one the teams line up on the baseline. For all other sets, the players go directly on to the court. The second referee will then check that the six players for each team are the same as those registered on the line-up sheet. The second referee will also check that the number of the Libero (if used by the team) is recorded on the line-up sheet. After checking the team line-up, the second referee will authorize the Libero to enter the court.
When using the three-ball system, the ball retriever will then give the server the ball. For the start of the deciding set the ball will be given to the server by the second referee. (In matches not using a three-ball system, the second referee will give the server the ball at the start of all sets).
At the three-minute mark the first referee will authorize the service.
4. At the end of the fourth set (second set for a best of three match), at the direction of the first referee, the teams go directly to their team bench.
The Referees report to the scorer's table to conduct the toss.
The captains report to the scorer's table for the toss.
The procedures for the interval between sets listed above (point 4) remains the same.
When using the three-ball system, the ball will be given to the server by the second referee for the start of the deciding set.
5. During time outs the second referee asks the players to move close to the bench.
1. At the end of the match, at the first referee's signal, the two teams greet one another near the net, leave the playing court, and walk to their respective player's bench.
2. Both referees (and line judges) are to position themselves on the sideline corresponding to the first referee and, after the greetings, report to the score table for administrative purposes.
The second referee will give the ball to the first server at the start of set one and the deciding set. During the other intervals between sets, time outs, or delays, the referee does not handle the ball. This procedure is used only when the three-ball system is used. When the three-ball system is not used, the second referee handles the ball for the intervals between sets, time-outs, and delays