NFHS Rules Changes
2026 - 2027
Rules Changes
3-3-4b(2): Bonded or taped seams on suits are permitted by rule.
Rationale: The NFHS suit specifications mirror the requirements established by World Aquatics, which is the testing agency that certifies suit construction. Testing protocols consider bonded or taped seams as compliant when measuring permeability to air and water.
Comments: The NFHS suit specifications align with the standards established by World Aquatics. Under World Aquatics testing protocols, suits that include bonded or taped seams are considered compliant with permeability requirements for both air and water.
3-5-1, 3-5-2: No competitor shall wear any audio (microphone) or video (camera) device during the race or dive.
Rationale: The change clearly defines additional types of electronic devices that are prohibited.
Comments: The rule clarifies that athletes may not wear audio or video recording devices during a race or dive during competition. This prohibition is intended to reduce distractions and prevent any interference with performance. The language aligns with similar provisions across other NFHS rules books, supporting a consistent standard throughout interscholastic sports.
8-2-3g, 8-2-4e: During the finish of the butterfly and freestyle, once some part of the swimmer's head has passed the 5-yard/5-meter mark immediately prior to reaching for the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged.
Rationale: Aligns with national trends of the sport.
Comments: During the finish of the butterfly and freestyle, once some part of the head of the swimmer has passed the 5-yard/5-meter mark immediately prior to reaching for the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged. This provision does not apply to turns. The backstroke flags located at the 5-yard mark in 25-yard pools and the 5-meter mark in 25-meter pools serve as the reference point at which a swimmer may resubmerge once the head has reached or passed that mark.
9-4-2 NOTE: By state association adoption states may alter the number of dives for it's state championship series of meets.
Rationale: Reducing the number of dives could expand participation opportunities in this event and help increase future diving participation numbers in general.
Comments: The Swimming and Diving Rules Committee has identified the ongoing decline in diving participation as a national trend that has been felt across various member sections and states. To ensure that diving remains a viable and accessible option for schools, the committee focused on how states and schools can adapt and evolve their approach to the event. Strategies discussed include addressing barriers to participation, such as access to facilities, coaching resources and safety protocols, as well as promoting diving as an exciting and valuable component of the overall swimming and diving program in schools. States are encouraged to evaluate their offerings and explore creative solutions to retain and increase participation in diving. State associations may now alter the number of dives performed during the state tournament series. For purposes of the state association’s implementation of an alternate format, several components will need to be determined:
a. the number of dives to be performed;
b. the number of dive groups required within the diver's list and how those groups are to be arrayed across the total number of dives;
c. the total number of dives to be listed without being designated "optional" or "voluntary" or the dive list will include both voluntary and optional dives using current NFHS definitions of those. If those designations are to be utilized, how many of each are to be performed and where, in the diving array.
d. the limit on the total degree of difficulty of voluntary dives.
e. the number of dives required to be performed in sessions similar to existing prelims/semifinals/finals. If so, how each of those sessions will be structured and how many divers will be involved at each session.
9-4-2h NOTES: By state association adoption, the number of qualifiers advancing to the semi-final session may be increased.
Rationale: Permits flexibility based on specific needs of the state association.
Comments: By state association adoption, the number of qualifiers advancing to the semi-final session may be increased. Permits flexibility based on specific needs of the state association. The addition of more semi-finalists will allow more divers to perform additional dives and provide more participation opportunities.
Editorial Changes
1-4-2, 3-2-2 PENALTY 1, 3-2-3 & PENALTY 1, 3-2-4 & PENALTY, 3-2-6, 3-2-7, 3-6-1, 4-1-8, 5-2-1, 5-4-4 NOTE, 9-5-2 NOTE, 9-6-1, 9-6-5, 9-7-4, 9-7-5, State Association Adoption Chart, APPENDIX D
Points of Emphasis
Relay Judging Platforms (RJP's) -
Establishing clear protocols for the use of Relay Judging Platforms (RJPs) is essential to ensure accuracy, consistency, and fairness in relay exchange decisions while maintaining the integrity of officiating.
Relay Judging Platforms are designed to support, not replace, the role of trained human officials, and their use requires a full complement of qualified judges, including appropriate side and lane coverage for all relay lanes. To protect the accuracy of the equipment, relay participants and others must be kept clear of the starting platform, as even incidental contact can result in faulty data. At least one designated official must possess a thorough understanding of the specific RJP system in use, including its technical specifications and data interpretation, recognizing that different manufacturers may operate under varying parameters. While a suggested protocol for RJP use is outlined in Appendix D, any state-specific procedures must be clearly communicated to all relevant stakeholders.
In practice, each judge is required to document relay exchanges using a standardized reporting form, recording and signing their observations. A disqualification is warranted when both a lane judge and a side judge independently observe the same violation. When RJPs are in operation, human observations must be evaluated alongside the electronic data, with the meet referee responsible for interpreting that data in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. When data indicates an early takeoff, the meet referee should reference the relay takeoff pad usage guideline table in Appendix D guideline for determination of potential penalties. In cases where no data is recorded, the dual confirmation of the human judges governs the decision. This balanced approach ensures that technology enhances, rather than overrides, the judgment and accountability of officials.
Exiting the Pool -
Athletes with physical limitations occasionally experience difficulty climbing out of the pool after they have completed their event. This is a situation that can be handled without much difficulty if officials and coaches prepare and collaborate properly. Whether such concerns will arise during the meet is an essential topic to be covered during the coaches'/captains' meeting prior to start of competition. Once specifics are known (which events, which swimmer(s), nature of the athlete's need, etc.), the referee and coach can develop an appropriate plan to handle the matter. Several concepts should be kept in mind:
a. once all swimmers/teams in a race have finished, there are no rules prohibiting those athletes from crossing lanes to reach a ladder or other convenient point of exit;
b. crossing an occupied lane(s) during a race should be avoided if at all possible;
c. there is no rules limitation on the number of non-competing athletes'/team personnel who can be present at the starting end to assist teammates in climbing out, subject, of course, to officials' instructions and avoidance of interference;
d. re-seeding a heat to permit a relay team to compete in an outside lane for purposes of offering a relay participant convenient exiting options is permissible. (Appendix B)
The Meet Referee's Authority -
The meet referee serves as the head official overseeing all aspects of the technical rules in swimming and diving. The meet referee's authority begins at least 30 minutes prior to the contest and ends with the signing of the official scoresheet within one hour following the meet. Additionally, Rule 4-2-3 affirms the referee's responsibility to correct any errors identified within 48 hours after the conclusion of competition. To eliminate ambiguity, the term "clerical" has been removed, reinforcing that the referee's authority to address errors is comprehensive. The expectation is that the referee will take all necessary steps to ensure the accuracy and integrity of meet results and related details. This broad authority allows state associations to rely on the referee to resolve issues efficiently while still retaining the ability to intervene in unusual circumstances before, during, or after the referee's jurisdiction has concluded.
Backstroke Flags -
Meet officials shall ensure the backstroke flags are in the correct position before the start of all backstroke and medley events as well as during warm-up. The principal concern is the proper locating of the backstroke flag poles/supports since correct location of these flags is a significant issue for athlete safety. In pools where both yard and meter races are conducted along the same course, this is especially critical. The distance separating the two is approximately 15 inches. Officials must carefully examine the location backstroke flags prior to the start of competition to assure proper placement.
Appropriate Conditions for a Re-Swim -
A re-swim is a highly unusual occurrence that cannot be resolved in other ways available to the referee. Head-to-head competition may not be appropriate in extenuating circumstances when a re-swim would benefit some and not others in a heat and a re-swim should be offered to individual swimmers if an interference affected only individual swimmers. NFHS Swimming and Diving rules include as one of its foundational precepts the notion that when points are at stake towards identifying a team winner in competition, then the athletes who are eligible to score points in that portion of the event should all be in the water at the same time competing head-to-head for those points. An athlete should succeed in obtaining points from the common group only if the accomplishment is demonstrated in the same framework as the others who are likewise hoping to gain points from that same group. For example, we segregate those who earn championship points from those who may earn consolation points with our statement that the athlete may earn no more points from their effort in consolation than the greatest amount available for the consolation heat (7-1-5). In any heats/finals format competition, officials must be familiar with the NFHS Swimming and Diving rules pertaining to 4-2-2p in order to provide a fair and equitable opportunity for high school student athletes.
