Penalty Summary
Distance Penalties
Loss of Five Yards
Delay of game
4-6
Encroachment
7-4-3
False start
7-4-2
Holding (defense)
12-1-6
Illegal contact
8-4-3
Illegal formation (free kick)
6-1-3, 6-1-6
Illegal formation (scrimmage down)
7-5-1
Illegal formation (scrimmage kick)
9-1-3
Illegal forward handing
8-7-4
Illegal kick
6-1-1, 6-1-6
Illegal motion
7-4-8
Illegal shift
7-4-7
Illegal snap
7-6-3, 7-6-4
Illegal substitution
4-7-2, 5-2-8, 5-3-2
Illegal touching of a forward pass
8-1-8
Illegally touching of a free kick
6-2-5
Illegal use of hands by defense
12-1-7
Ineligible player downfield on kick
9-1-2
Ineligible player downfield on pass
8-3-1
Invalid fair catch signal
10-2-2
Kicking team player voluntarily out of bounds
9-1-5
Neutral zone infraction
7-4-4
Offside
7-4-5
Punt, drop kick, or place kick from beyond the line
9-1-1
Running into kicker
12-2-12
Second excess team timeout after two-minute warning
4-5-4
Team timeout called when not allowed
4-5-1
Too many players on the field
5-1-1
Voluntarily going out of bounds on free kick
6-2-6
Loss of Ten Yards
Assisting the runner
12-1-4
Holding (offense)
12-1-3(c)
Illegal batting
12-5-1
Illegal blocking or use of hands (free kick)
6-2-1, 6-2-2
Illegal kicking
12-5-2
Illegal use of hands (offense)
12-1-3(a)
Illegal block in the back
12-1-3(b)
Offensive pass interference
8-5-2, 8-5-4
Loss of Fifteen Yards
Attempting to call excess/illegal timeout to freeze kicker
12-3-1(v)
Blindside block
12-2-7
Blocking a kicking team player out of bounds
12-2-8(c)
Chop block
12-2-5
Clipping
12-2-1
Concealing ball or using equipment to simulate ball
12-3-1(j)
Crackback block
12-2-6
Delaying the start of a half
4-2-1(a)
Disconcerting acts or signals
12-3-1(i)
Forcibly contacting a player out of bounds
12-2-8(b)
Goaltending
12-3-1(s)
Horse-collar tackle
12-2-16
Illegal block after fair catch signal
10-2-2
Illegal block below the waist
12-2-4
Hip-drop tackle
12-2-18
Illegal contact after a fair catch
10-2-3
Illegal cut block
8-4-5, 12-2-3
Illegal double team block
6-2-1, Item 2(c), 6-2-2, Item 2(d)
Illegal wedge on free kick
6-2-1, Item 2(d), 6-2-2, Item 2(d)
Illegally entering field
4-1-2
Impermissible Use of the Helmet
12-2-10
Interference with a fair catch
10-1-1
Interference with the opportunity to make a catch
10-1-1
Kicker or holder simulating being roughed
12-3-1(t)
Kicking player not attempting to return inbounds
12-3-1(u)
Leaping
12-3-1(o), (r)
Leg whip
12-2-8(a)
Leverage
12-3-1(p)
Non-player unnecessary contact or abusive language
13-8
Peel back block
12-2-2
Picking up a teammate to block a kick
12-3-1(q)
Player going in motion in front of bench area
12-3-1(l)
Prohibited contact to a defenseless player
12-2-9
Prolonged or excessive celebration
12-3-1(f)
Pulling opponent off a pile of players
12-2-8(h)
Pushing teammate on scrimmage kick
9-1-3
Removal of helmet in the field of play
12-3-1(h)
Repeated illegal substitutions when time is in
12-3-1(m)
Roughing the holder
12-2-13
Roughing the kicker
12-2-12
Roughing the passer
12-2-11
Striking, kicking, tripping or kneeing an opponent
12-2-14
Successive delay of game penalties when time in
12-3-1(n)
Throwing a punch, forearm, or kicking at opponent
12-3-1(a)
Twisting, turning or pulling of opponent's facemask
12-2-15
Unnecessary contact against a runner
12-2-8(d), (f)
Unnecessary contact against player on the ground
12-2-8(e)
Unnecessary contact to a kicker out of the play
12-2-8(i)
Unnecessary contact to a player out of the play
12-2-8(g)
Unnecessary physical contact with game official
12-3-1(e)
Unnecessary roughness
12-2-8
Unsportsmanlike conduct by non-player
13-1
Use of the helmet as a weapon
12-2-17
Using abusive, threatening or insulting language
12-3-1(b)
Using an object as a prop
12-3-1(g)
Using baiting or taunting acts or words
12-3-1(c)
Using substitutes or returning players to deceive
12-3-1(k)
Violent, offensive, or sexually suggestive gesture
12-3-1(d)
Loss of Down Without Yardage
Illegal touching of forward pass by an eligible receiver who had gone out of bounds and reestablished
8-1-8(b)
Loss of Down with Yardage
Illegal batting behind the line of scrimmage
12-5-1
Illegal forward handing beyond the line of scrimmage or to an ineligible receiver behind the line of scrimmage
8-7-4
Illegal forward pass
8-1-2
Backward Pass Out of Bounds that Conserves Time
8-7-2
Intentional grounding
8-2-1
Illegal kicking behind the line of scrimmage
12-5-2
Punt, drop kick, or place kick from beyond scrimmage
9-1-1
Ball Placed on 1-Yard Line
Defensive pass interference in its end zone and previous spot is outside its 2-yard line
8-5
Time Penalty
Actions to conserve time
4-7-1
Fouling by defense, illegal touching or fair catch interfering by offense or fouling by both teams at end of half during play in which time expires (extend quarter)
4-8-2
Replay Penalties
Defensive foul on unsuccessful Try
11-3-3
Double foul without change of possession
14-5-1
Scoring Penalties
Try
Foul by Team B that would result in a safety during Try
11-3-3
Score Awarded
Palpably unfair act
12-3-4, 13-1-7
Repeated fouling by defense to prevent score
12-3-2
Safety
Enforcement for offensive foul behind goal line
11-5-1, 14-2-2
Intentional grounding in own end zone
8-2-1
Score Not Allowed
Offending team scores after foul during down in which time expires for half (with no extension of time)
4-8-2(b)
Unsuccessful Try
Team A committing foul during a Try which would ordinarily result:
in loss of down or in a touchback
11-3-3
in loss of ball in field of play (not during a kick)
11-3-3
Team B recovering ball
11-3-3
New Series Penalties
Team B foul during scrimmage down
14-1-2,
Item 5
Combination Penalties
Loss of Ball and Fifteen Yards
Fair catch interference
10-1-1
Prohibited contact against a kick returner
12-2-9(a)(6)
Time Restored and Fifteen Yards
Intentional fouls to manipulate game clock
12-3-3
Miscellaneous Situations
Fair Catch Awarded
Interference with opportunity to make fair catch
10-1-1, 10-2-2
First down at Spot of Foul
Defensive pass interference
8-5-2, 4
Safety
Ball in possession of team behind or out of bound behind own goal line and impetus from player of that team
11-5-1
Touchback
Illegal touching of scrimmage kick inside five-yard line
9-2-3
Kickoff Out of Bounds Between Goal Lines
Receiver's ball at inbounds spot
6-2-4
Receiver's ball 25 yards from spot of kick
6-2-4
Kickoff Not Reaching the Landing Zone
Receiver's ball at inbounds spot
6-2-4
Receiver's ball 25 yards from spot of kick
6-2-4
Receiver's ball at the spot where ball lands or touched
6-2-4
Ball Remains Dead
Actions that delay game
4-6-4, 4-6-5
Snapping before Officials assume normal position
4-6-5(b)
Ball Dead Immediately
Committing acts that conserve time
4-7-1
Kickers recovering free kick
6-1-4(d)(1)
Kickers advancing after recovery of a scrimmage kick unless behind line
9-3-1, 9-3-2
Any kick touching receiver's goal post or cross bar unless scoring field goal
6-1-5(c), 9-4-2,
11-6-2(d)
Official sounding whistle
7-2-1(o), 7-2-2
Catch after fair catch signal
10-2-3
Penalty Enforced from Goal Line
Spot of enforcement behind other team's goal line
14-2-2
Runner crosses opponent's goal line and spot of enforcing foul by teammate during run is behind defense goal line
14-2-2
Penalty Enforced on Next Free Kick
Personal foul, unsportsmanlike conduct foul, or palpably unfair act committed during opponent scoring play
14-2-3
Loss of Fifteen Yards from the Kicking Team's Restraining Line
Onside Kick Untouched Beyond Onside Kick Setup Zone
6-1-6
Table of Foul Codes
PENALTY
FOUL CODE
Chop Block
CHB
Clipping
CLP
Defensive Delay of Game
DOD
Defensive Holding
DH
Defensive Offside
DOF
Defensive Pass Interference
DPI
Defensive Too Many Men on Field
DTM
Delay of Game
DOG
Delay of Kickoff
DOK
Disqualification
DSQ
Encroachment
ENC
Facemask
FMM
Fair Catch Interference
FCI
False Start
FST
Hip-Drop Tackle
HDT
Horse Collar
HC
Illegal Bat
BAT
Illegal Blindside Block
BLI
Illegal Block Above the Waist
IBW
Illegal Contact
ICT
Illegal Crackback
ICB
Illegal Cut
ICU
Illegal Double Team Block
IDT
Illegal Formation
ILF
Illegal Forward Handoff
IFH
Illegal Forward Pass
IFP
Illegal Kick/Kicking Loose Ball
KIK
Illegal Motion
ILM
Illegal Peel Back
IPB
Illegal Punt
IPU
Illegal Shift
ISH
Illegal Substitution
ILS
Illegal Touch—Kick
ITK
Illegal Touch—Pass
ITP
Illegal Use of Hands
ILH
Illegal Wedge
WED
Impermissible Use of Helmet
UOH
Ineligible Downfield Kick
IDK
Ineligible Downfield Pass
IDP
Intentional Grounding
ING
Invalid Fair Catch Signal
IFC
Kick Catch Interference
KCI
Kickoff Out of Bounds
KOB
Landing Zone
LZ
Leaping
LEA
Leverage
LEV
Low Block
LBL
Neutral Zone Infraction
NZI
Offensive Holding
OH
Offensive Offside
OOF
Offensive Pass Interference
OPI
Offensive Too Many Men on Field
OTM
Offside on Free Kick
OFK
Player Out of Bounds on Kick
POK
Roughing the Kicker
RRK
Roughing the Passer
RPS
Running into the Kicker
RNK
Taunting
TAU
Tripping
TRP
Unnecessary Roughness
UNR
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
UNS
Team Abbreviation Codes
TEAM
CODE
Arizona Cardinals
ARZ
Atlanta Falcons
ATL
Baltimore Ravens
BLT
Buffalo Bills
BUF
Carolina Panthers
CAR
Chicago Bears
CHI
Cincinnati Bengals
CIN
Cleveland Browns
CLV
Dallas Cowboys
DAL
Denver Broncos
DEN
Detroit Lions
DET
Green Bay Packers
GB
Houston Texans
HST
Indianapolis Colts
IND
Jacksonville Jaguars
JAX
Kansas City Chiefs
KC
Las Vegas Raiders
LV
Los Angeles Chargers
LAC
Los Angeles Rams
LAR
Miami Dolphins
MIA
Minnesota Vikings
MIN
New England Patriots
NE
New Orleans Saints
NO
New York Giants
NYG
New York Jets
NYJ
Philadelphia Eagles
PHI
Pittsburgh Steelers
PIT
San Francisco 49ers
SF
Seattle Seahawks
SEA
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TB
Tennessee Titans
TEN
Washington Commanders
WAS
!A diagram showing six hand and arm signals that NFL officials perform. !A diagram showing six hand and arm signals that NFL officials perform. !A diagram showing six hand and arm signals that NFL officials perform. !A diagram showing six hand and arm signals that NFL officials perform. !A diagram showing six hand and arm signals that NFL officials perform. !A diagram showing six hand and arm signals that NFL officials perform.
