The Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby

6.1 - Penalties

6.1.1 - When a Skater has earned a penalty, that Skater will be sent to the Penalty Box. The Skater will retain the position they were playing when the penalty was assessed (Jammer, Pivot Blocker, or Non-Pivot Blocker) until the penalty has expired (see Section 6.2.2).

6.1.1.1 - A penalty is considered to be assessed, and a Skater is considered to have been sent to the Penalty Box, once the action that warrants a penalty has been committed.

6.1.1.2 - No Skater, including the Skater who has earned the penalty, can be held responsible for behaving as if a penalty has been assessed until the Official has completed the appropriate hand signals and verbal cues.

6.1.1.3 - When a jam is not in progress, Skaters who commit illegal actions that warrant penalties will serve in the position indicated by the helmet cover worn at the time the illegal act was committed.

6.1.1.3.1 - A Captain who is assessed a penalty due to their role as Captain (for example, due to an illegal action committed by a bench manager) will serve the penalty as a Blocker as soon as they are able to serve a penalty in that position.

6.1.1.3.2 - If a Pivot or Blocker commits a penalty in between jams while the Penalty Box is full, they must report to the Penalty Box and will be placed in the Penalty Box queue. All Penalty Box rules and procedures apply (see Section 6.2.2.3).

6.1.1.3.3 - If a Skater who has lined up as a Jammer or Pivot commits a penalty between jams while there is already a Jammer or Pivot from their team in the Penalty Box, that Skater will serve as a Blocker.

6.1.2 - Penalties expire after 30 seconds served in the Penalty Box. Each penalty is timed separately and individually.

6.1.3 - If an Illegal Procedure gives an unfair advantage, the Referee will assess a penalty and may stop the jam if the offending team fails to yield the advantage immediately.

6.1.4 - If a penalty is committed by a Non-Skater (e.g., by a team’s bench staff), the penalty will be assessed to the Captain, unless otherwise specified. If such an action is committed during a jam in which the Captain is not skating, the Captain will serve the penalty beginning in the following jam.

6.1.5 - If a single penalty is committed by a group of teammates, or if no one single Skater can be identified as most responsible (including penalties committed during a jam), the penalty will be assessed to the team’s Pivot unless otherwise specified. If there is not a Pivot, it will go to the Captain.