Official Rules of Ultimate · 2026-2027

16. Marking Violations

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16.A.
Marking violations are infractions committed against the thrower by the marker or another defensive player close to the thrower, as outlined below.
16.B.
Only the thrower may call a marking violation, and to do so must call out the name of the specific marking violation.
16.C.
When a marking violation is called, play does not stop. The violation must be corrected before the marker can resume the stall count with the number last uttered before the call minus one (e.g., “stalling one…two…three…” “fast count” “…two…three…”). If the marker resumes the stall count before the defense corrects a marking violation, it is another instance of the original marking violation, which may be called by the thrower.
16.D.
If the defense commits a marking violation after being called for a marking violation during the same stall count (15.B) but before the thrower is in the act of throwing, the thrower may choose to either call another marking violation or to treat the marking violation as a general defensive violation (17). To treat it as a general violation, the thrower must call “violation.”
16.E.
Marking violations are: Fast count, double team, disc space, straddle, wrapping, and vision blocking.
16.F.
Fast count:
16.F.1.
If the marker does not say “stalling” to initiate or resume a stall count, counts at intervals of less than one second, or skips a number in the count, it is a fast count.
16.F.2.
If a fast count occurs in such a manner that the thrower does not have a reasonable opportunity to call fast count before the first utterance of the word ten, the play is treated as a contested stall (15.D.2).
16.F.3.
If this (16.F.2) occurs in the same possession following a contested stall (either due to 16.F.1 or 15.D.2), the stall count resumes at six.
16.G.
Double team: If a defensive player other than the marker is within 10 feet of any pivot of the thrower without also being within 10 feet of and guarding (3.D) another offensive player, it is a double team. However, merely running across this area is not a double team.
16.H.
Disc space:
16.H.1.
It is a disc space violation if:
16.H.1.a.
any part of the marker is less than one disc diameter away from the torso of the thrower; or
16.H.1.b.
a line between any two points on the marker
16.H.1.b.1.
touches the thrower; or
16.H.1.b.2.
is less than one disc diameter away from the torso or pivot of the thrower.
16.H.2.
Straddle: If a line between the marker’s feet is less than one disc diameter away from the pivot of the thrower, it is a straddle violation.
16.H.3.
Wrapping: If a line between the marker’s hands is less than one disc diameter away from the torso or pivot of the thrower, it is a wrapping violation.
16.H.4.
The thrower may choose to call “disc space” for both straddle and wrapping violations as they are a subset of disc space violations.
16.H.5.
However, if any of the above situations are caused solely by movement of the thrower, it is not a violation.
16.I.
Vision blocking: If the marker deliberately blocks the thrower’s vision, it is a vision blocking violation.
16.J.
The marker may contest a marking violation by calling “violation.” This contest is treated as the call of an offensive violation, and the Continuation Rule (17.C) applies.
16.K.
Flagrant marking infractions are immediately callable as a general violation and are also covered under 2.C.1.