Official Rules of Ultimate · 2026-2027
18. Travels
Quiz me on this section →18.A.
After catching a pass, a player is required to come to a stop as quickly as possible and establish a pivot.
18.B.
If a player catches the disc while running or jumping, the player may release a pass without attempting to stop and without setting a pivot, provided the player does not speed up or change direction while in possession of the disc and releases a pass before three additional points of ground contact occur, provided that all points of ground contact are completely in-bounds, excluding their attacking end zone (18.E.2).
18.C.
A player may bobble the disc in order to gain control of it.
18.D.
The following are travels:
18.D.1.
The thrower fails to establish and continually maintain a pivot at the appropriate spot on the field until the throw is released.
18.D.2.
The thrower fails to touch the disc to the ground when required.
18.D.3.
An offensive player advances in any direction an in-bounds disc that is rolling, sliding, or sitting on the ground.
18.D.3.a.
If the defense commits this infraction, the thrower may inform the defense of the infraction without stopping play. The thrower must indicate where the infraction occurred and put the disc into play at that spot.
18.D.4.
A player catches the disc and either does not stop as quickly as possible, speeds up, or changes direction before establishing a pivot.
18.D.5.
A player purposefully bobbles the disc (including tipping, delaying, guiding, brushing, or the like) to oneself in order to advance the disc in any direction from where it initially was contacted.
18.D.5.a.
If a defender commits this infraction on a disc in flight and the result of the play is the defender or the defender’s team gaining possession, the defender gains or retains possession at the initial spot of the infraction and becomes the thrower.
18.E.
Exceptions:
18.E.1.
If a non-standing player loses contact with the pivot spot in order to stand up, it is not a travel, provided the new pivot is established at the same location.
18.E.2.
It is not a travel if a player catches the disc while running or jumping, does not speed up or change direction while in possession of the disc, and releases a pass before three additional points of ground contact occur, provided that all points of ground contact are completely in-bounds, excluding their attacking end zone. In this instance, a player is not required to establish a pivot or stop as quickly as possible.
18.E.3.
If play stops, the thrower may reset the pivot.
18.F.
Resolutions:
18.F.1.
If the travel occurs and a pass is thrown:
18.F.1.b.
If the pass is complete, play stops and the disc is returned to the thrower where the travel occurred (as per the Continuation Rule, 17.C.4.a.1). Play restarts with a check.
18.F.1.b.1.
If the thrower threw from either the end zone or out-of-bounds, and their pivot was more than one step from the appropriate spot, the following procedure is used instead: First, the disc is checked in where the thrower threw the pass, making it live, then the thrower walks to the appropriate spot for their pivot and puts the disc in play.
18.F.2.
If the travel occurs and no pass has been attempted:
18.F.2.a.
Play does not stop. The defense (typically the marker) points to the spot where the travel occurred, and the thrower returns to that spot without delay. The thrower must touch the disc to the ground before attempting a legal pass.
18.F.2.b.
The stall count is paused until the thrower sets a pivot where the travel occurred. The marker is not required to say “stalling” when resuming the count if they previously initiated the stall count by saying “stalling” prior to calling travel. The thrower must touch the disc to the ground before attempting a pass.