Section 7: Violations & Penalties
Minor Fouls
Minor fouls cover violations not specifically listed as major or expulsion fouls (Rule 7.1.1) and include interference (Rule 7.2.1), holding (Rule 7.2.3), withholding the ball from play (Rule 7.2.4), illegal procedure (Rule 7.2.7), offside (Rule 7.2.10), warding (Rule 7.2.11), and charging (Rule 7.2.12). Under Rule 7.1.2, if the non-offending team had possession of the ball when a minor foul occurred, the offending Player serves a 30-second suspension from play; if the offending team had possession, or the ball was loose, the penalty is instead a change of possession to the non-offending team with no time served.
Major Fouls
Major fouls are more serious in nature (Rule 8.1.1) and carry a one-minute suspension from the game, with the ball awarded to the non-offending team (Rule 8.1.2). Three or more major fouls by the same Player result in fouling out for the remainder of the game (Rule 8.2.1). Enumerated major fouls include illegal body check (Rule 8.3.1), slashing (Rule 8.3.2), cross-check (Rule 8.3.3), tripping (Rule 8.3.4), unnecessary roughness (Rule 8.3.5), illegal stick (Rule 8.3.6), unsportsmanlike conduct (Rule 8.3.7), and walling — two or more defenders forming a stationary, parallel wall-type formation in front of the goal or crease instead of actively defending (Rule 8.3.8).
Expulsion Fouls
Expulsion fouls are the most serious category and result in ejection from the game for the offending Player (Rule 8.4.1). Under Rule 8.4.2, the penalty is suspension of the offending Player for the remainder of the game, with the team's In-Home serving a two-minute penalty on the Player's behalf. Examples under Rule 8.4.3 include fighting, deliberately striking or attempting to strike another person connected with the game, entering the field of play during a fight, and deliberately body-checking an opponent in the head or neck area or from behind.
Foul Reporting
Officials designate the severity of a time-serving foul by card color: green for a minor foul (30 seconds), yellow for a major foul (one minute), and red for an expulsion foul (Rule 9.5.1).