Section 7: Violations & Penalties
- Illegal contact (Rule 9-1-1): 10 yards and loss of down enforced from the basic spot; automatic first down when committed by the defense.
- Game interference (Rule 9-1-2): 10 yards and loss of down from the basic spot; automatic first down for defense.
- Pass interference (Rule 7-3-3): 10 yards from the basic spot; loss of down for an offensive foul, automatic first down for a defensive foul.
- Unsportsmanlike acts (Rule 9-2-1): 10 yards from the dead-ball spot; a second unsportsmanlike act by the same player or coach in the same game results in disqualification (Rule 10-1-1).
- Flag guarding (Rule 9-2-2c): 5 yards and loss of down from the spot of foul.
- Jumping or diving (Rule 9-2-2b): 5 yards and loss of down from the spot of foul.
- Illegal flag pull (Rule 9-2-2d): 5 yards from the basic spot.
- Shielding (Rule 9-2-2a): 5 yards from the basic spot.
- Illegal kick (Rule 6-1-1): 5 yards and loss of down from the spot of foul.
- Delay of game / delay of pass (Rule 7-1-1, Rule 7-1-3g): 5 yards, ball remains dead or loss of down as applicable.
- Flagrant fouls (Rule 10-1-1): a foul that puts an opponent in danger of serious injury, or that is contrary to the principle of sportsmanship, requires disqualification.
Rule 10-3-1 defines the "basic spot" used to enforce most non-spot fouls, and Rule 10-2-4 provides that when both teams commit offsetting live-ball fouls, the down is replayed — unless the team last gaining possession had not itself fouled before gaining possession, in which case it may decline the offset and retain the ball (the "clean hands principle").