INDEX

ITEMRULE/SECTION/ARTICLE/NOTE
5-Yard PenaltiesSummary of Penalties
10-Yard PenaltiesSummary of Penalties
10 Yards On Three Downs4.6.1
15-Yard PenaltiesSummary of Penalties
25-Yard PenaltiesSummary of Penalties
AbbreviationsLegend of Abbreviations
Application Of Major Fouls7.2.1
Application Of Penalties8
Application Of Penalties — Kicking Plays5.1.7
Automatic First Down PenaltiesSummary of Penalties
Automatic Reviews10.3.1
Back Judge2.2.7
Ball1.2
Ball In Goal1.7.11
Ball In Play1.7.7
Ball Placement
After A Score4.4.1
Within 1 Yard Of Goal Line4.4.3
Within 10 Yards Of Own Goal4.4.5
Within 15 Yards Of Own Goal4.4.4
Within 28 Yards Of Sideline4.4.2
Bench Area1.11.1
Blindside Blocking7.2.13
Blocked Kick5.3
Blocked Into Goal Area5.3.4
Blocked Out Of Bounds5.3.3
Recovery5.3.2
Blocking Below The Waist7.2.12
Blocking Downfield6.4.9
Blood Hazards1.10.5
Captains1.6
Chop Blocking7.2.8
Clipping7.2.6
Clock and Timing After Review10.4.2
Coach Challengeable Penalties10.2.2
Coach Initiated Reviews10.2
Command Centre Reviews10.3
Command Centre Initiated Reviews10.3.2
Communication Coordinator2.2.11
Complete Forward Pass6.4.5
Conduct Of The Game1
Consecutive Downs4.6.2
Contacting The Kicker5.4.4
Continuity Of Downs4.6.3
Convert3.2.5
Convert — Foul On Convert8.5
Crackback Blocking7.2.7
Cut Blocking7.2.9
Dead Ball1.4
Defensive Line4.1.4
Defensive Line Up Restriction5.4.3
Delay of Game1.7.8
Designated International4.5.6
Designated Quarterback4.5.5
Disqualification7.3
Disqualification PenaltiesSummary of Penalties
Double Fouls8.3.1
Down Judge2.2.4
Downsbox Operator2.2.9
Dress Code1.10.7
Dribbled Ball5.1.5
Drop Kick5.1.2
Dual Fouls8.3.2
Duties Of Officials2.2
Electronic Noise1.7.10
Eligibility Of Passer6.4.3
Eligibility Of Receivers6.4.4
Embellishment7.4(e)
Equipment1.10.1
Exceptions to the Numbering Requirements4.5.3 & 5.4.2
Field Dimensions1.1.1
Field Goal3.2.2
Field Judge2.2.8
Field Officials2.1.1
Formation on Punt Plays5.4.1
Forward Pass6.4
Blocking Downfield6.4.9
Complete6.4.5
Definition6.4.1
Eligibility of Passer6.4.3
Eligibility of Receiver6.4.4
Forward Pass Interference6.4.11
Illegal Contact on a Receiver6.4.10
Incomplete6.4.6
Intentional Grounding6.4.7
Interception By Team B In Own Goal Area6.4.14
Interference After a Pass has been Completed6.4.12
Interference Before a Pass is Thrown6.4.8
Interference Following An Interception6.4.13
One Forward Pass on Any Down6.4.2
Foul In Goal8.6
Foul In Goal — Opponent’s Goal8.6.2
Foul In Goal — Own Goal8.6.1
Foul On Convert8.5
Fouls & Penalties7
Fouls After Legal Gains8.2
Grade 2 Unnecessary Roughness7.2.3
Goal Area
Blocked Kick5.3.4
Foul In Goal8.6
Foul In Opponent’s Goal8.6.2
Foul In Own Goal8.6.1
Kicked Ball Striking Goal Post Assembly5.4.4
Offside Pass In Goal Area6.3.4
Handoff Pass6.2
Hands to the Face4.3.5
Hazardous Equipment1.10.6
Helmet Removal7.4f
Helmets1.10.2
Holding7.1.1
Identification & Positions4.5.2
Illegal Blocks4.3.4 & 7.1.4
Illegal Contact on a Receiver6.4.10
Illegal Interference — Blocking Downfield6.4.9
Illegal Movement4.2.2
Illegal Participation1.9.8
Illegal Substance1.10.4
Illegal Tactics7.1
Illegally Downfield on Kick5.4.9
Incomplete Forward Pass6.4.6
Injured Players1.11.3
Intentional Grounding6.4.7
Interception — In Goal Area By Team B6.4.14
Interception — Interference Following6.4.13
Interference4.3 & 9
After a Pass Has Been Completed6.4.11
After Gaining Possession Without Scrimmage9.3
Before a Pass is Thrown6.4.8
Blocking Downfield6.4.9
By Kicking Team5.4.8
Definition9.1
Following An Interception6.4.11
Kick From Scrimmage5.4.5
On Kickoffs — Team A5.2.7
On Kickoffs — Team B5.2.5
On Loose Ball9.4
Open-Field Kick5.4.7
Scrimmage Plays9.2
Scrimmage — Team A4.3.2
Scrimmage — Team B4.3.3
Placement Of Officials Flag7.4(c)
Jurisdiction Of Officials2.2
Kick From Scrimmage5.4
Kick From Scrimmage Going Out-of-Bounds in Flight5.4.12
Kick From Scrimmage — Interference5.4.5
Kick That Fails To Cross Line Of Scrimmage5.4.15
Kicked Ball5.1.1
Kicked Ball Striking Goal Post Assembly5.4.13
Kicking5
Kicking Definitions5.1
Kickoff5.2
Kickoff — Gaining Possession5.2.8
Kickoffs — Interference — Team A5.2.7
Kickoffs — Interference — Team B5.2.5
Kickoffs — Wedge Blocking5.2.6
Lateral Pass6.1
Legal Kickoff5.2.2
Leg Whips7.2.14
Line & Backfield4.1.2
Line Judge2.2.5
Line of Scrimmage4.1.1
Linemen Stance And Motion4.5.4
Loss Of A Down8.1.1
Loss Of Down PenaltiesSummary of Penalties
Loss Of Yards8.1.2
Major Fouls7.2
Manipulating the Clock8.8
Method Of Scrimmage4.2
No Yards5.4.10
Not An Offside Pass6.3.3
Objectionable Conduct7.4
Objectionable Gesture7.4(a)
Official Time Out1.11.2
Officials2
CFL On-Field OfficialsOn-Field Officials
Jurisdiction & Duties2.2
Offsetting Penalties8.3.3
Offside4.2.3
At The Snap4.2.3
On Kicking Plays5.1.6
On Kickoffs — Team A5.2.3
On Kickoffs — Team B5.2.4
Offside Pass6.3
In Field Of Play6.3.2
In Goal Area6.3.4
Not an Offside Pass6.3.3
One Forward Pass On Any Down6.4.2
One-Point Convert3.2.5
Onside On Kicking Plays5.1.6
Onside Pass6.1
Onside Player — Kick From Scrimmage5.4.11
Onside Player — Open Field Kick5.4.11
Open-Field Kick5.4
Interference On5.4.6
Option Provided On Penalties8.1.3
Other Personnel1.12
Outcome of Replay Reviews10.4
Out Of Bounds1.9
Out Of Bounds — Blocked Kick5.3.3
Overtime1.8
Own Kick Recovery5.4.14
Passer Eligibility6.4.3
Passing6
Peel Back Block7.2.10
Penalties
5-YardSummary of Penalties
10-YardSummary of Penalties
15-YardSummary of Penalties
25-YardSummary of Penalties
Application Of8
Automatic First DownSummary of Penalties
DisqualificationSummary of Penalties
Loss Of DownSummary of Penalties
Summary OfSummary of Penalties
Penalty Restrictions Near A Goal Line8.4
Penalty SignalsReferee's Signals
Place Kick5.1.3
Placement Of The Ball4.4
Player Numbering1.10.3
4.5.2
6.4.4
Player Misconduct Fouls7.5
Player Restrictions4.5
Playing & Rest Periods1.7.2
Playing Uniforms1.10
Points Of Kickoff5.2.1
Position Of Ball In Measuring4.6.4
Possession1.3
Punt5.1.4
Push Blocking7.2.11
Pyramiding5.4.5
Quarterback Faking Giving Themselves Up7.4(f)
Receiver Eligibility6.4.4
Recovery Of Blocked Kick5.3.2
Recovery Of Own Kick5.4.14
Referee2.2.2
Removal Of Helmet7.4(f)
Replay10
Replay Review1.7.6
Restriction Near A Goal Line — Penalties8.4
Restriction On Offside Player5.4.10
Rouge3.2.4
Rough Play7.2.2
Roughing The Passer7.2.5
Safety Touch3.2.3
Scorer2.2.10
Scoring3
Scoring — Kickoff Out of Bounds in Goal Area3.4
Scrimmage4
Scrimmage Zone4.1.3
Series Of Downs4.6
Seven Players On Line4.5.1
Side Judge2.2.6
Single Point3.2.4
Sleeper Play1.11.7
Spearing7.2.4(f)
Standard Reviewable Rulings10.2.3
Starting1.7.1
Substitution Procedure1.11.4
Support Officials2.1.2
Table Of Scores3.1
Tandem Blocking7.1.4
Taunting7.4(d)
Team A1.5
Team B1.5
Team B Substitutions On Kick Plays1.11.8
Team Captains1.6
Team Personnel1.11
Team Time Out1.7.5
Terminating A Play In Goal3.3
The Ball1.2
The Centre4.2.1
Tie Game1.8
Tie-Breaking ProcedureTie-Breaking Procedure
Time Count1.7.9
Time In1.7.4
Time Out1.7.3
Timekeeper2.2.10
Too Many Players1.11.6
Too Many Players in the Formation1.11.5
Touchdown3.2.1
Trainers & Injured Players1.11.3
Tripping7.1.3
Two-Point Convert3.2.5
Umpire2.2.3
Uniforms1.10
Unnecessary Roughness7.2.4
Verbal Abuse7.4(a)
Wedge Blocking5.2.6
Yardstick Operators2.2.9

THE OFFICIAL PLAYING RULES FOR THE CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2023

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The CFL Official Rule Book is published annually by the Canadian Football League. Any inquiries regarding the CFL Official Playing Rules may be directed to Darren Hackwood, Associate Vice-President of Officiating at dhackwood@cfl.ca. Any inquiries regarding CFL Statistical Scoring Rules may be directed to Jeff Krever, Head, CFL Player and Game Statistics at jkrever@cfl.ca.

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