NBA coach challenge rules: calls, timeouts and second challenges

Based on the NBA’s currently published Rule 14: Coach’s Challenge. Text last checked: October 8, 2026. This is an explanation of that published text, not an independently verified summary of every 2026–27 rule change. One later amendment is applied below: the NBA’s September 10, 2025 announcement moved the nearby-foul decision on out-of-bounds challenges to the Replay Center official from 2025–26; the published Rule 14 page still shows the earlier wording.

What can a coach challenge?

• A called personal foul on the coach’s own team. A personal foul charged to the opponent is not an independently challengeable event.
• An out-of-bounds call that did not give the team possession. A coach’s challenge is the mechanism for out-of-bounds replay throughout the game, including the final two minutes.
• A called goaltending or basket-interference violation. In the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and each overtime, these reviews are triggered exclusively by the officials, not a coach’s challenge.

A missed call is not independently challengeable. Neither are technical or flagrant fouls, traveling, carrying, double dribble, three-second violations, flopping or continuation by itself. Some related issues can still be examined inside a valid challenge, as explained below. Rule 14, Sections I(c)–(d).

First vs second challenge: what does it cost?

If the challenge coincides with your team’s mandatory timeout, that timeout is charged even if the first challenge succeeds. A failed challenge does not charge a second timeout on top of it.

For an event preceding the opponent’s mandatory or called timeout, a successful first challenge leaves the timeout charged to the opponent; a failed first challenge transfers it to the challenging team. A second challenge charges the challenging team regardless of success. For the opponent’s mandatory timeout, the rule also specifies how the next remaining mandatory timeout is assigned. Section V(a)–(e).

No timeouts left? The attempted challenge cannot proceed and an excessive-timeout technical foul is assessed. Attempting to challenge an ineligible event costs a timeout but preserves the challenge. Section V(f)–(g).

How and when must the coach challenge?

1. Call a legal timeout immediately after the disputed call.
2. The head coach simultaneously gives the replay signal—twirling an index finger—toward the officials.
3. During that same interaction, the coach identifies the specific event being challenged.

If a player calls the timeout, the coach signals as the official reports the timeout to the scorer. “Immediately” means before the ball is handed to the inbounder or free-throw shooter, or tossed for a jump ball.

If the event immediately precedes a mandatory timeout or an opponent-called timeout, the coach instead signals and identifies the event within 30 seconds from the start of that timeout. When officials confer to settle the initial ruling, the challenge window starts after the negatively affected team is told the final ruling; the applicable ball-administration or 30-second endpoint still applies. A delay-of-game call before the required timeout and signal forfeits the opportunity. Section II(a)–(d).

What can change during the review?

An out-of-bounds challenge can include a nearby missed foul

Since the 2025–26 season, the Replay Center official—no longer the on-court crew chief—decides whether a foul close to the out-of-bounds violation should have been called. The players involved, distance between events and elapsed time all matter. This is a limited review of a related play, not permission to re-officiate an entire possession. The Replay Center official also decides the out-of-bounds outcome. Sections III(b)(7) and IV(b), as amended by the NBA’s September 10, 2025 rule change.

A foul review can change related matters without winning the challenge

A valid personal-foul challenge permits review of specified related matters, including who fouled, a nearby foul, continuation, timing and a nearby flopping violation. Flopping can be assessed or rescinded within that limited foul-review scope; it is not a standalone challenge. Section III(a).

For an out-of-bounds challenge, success requires one of the rule’s specified favorable outcomes: possession for the challenging team; a jump ball based on clear simultaneous last touch replacing possession awarded to the opponent; or a nearby opponent foul with possession awarded to the challenging team. A referee’s original uncertainty followed by a jump-ball signal can also be overturned to give the challenger possession. Section V(b), out-of-bounds outcomes.

Who decides, and what evidence is needed?

The crew chief decides foul challenges. The Replay Center official decides out-of-bounds and goaltending/basket-interference challenges, including the nearby-foul determination on an out-of-bounds challenge (since 2025–26). For preseason or regular-season games outside an NBA arena, the crew chief decides every challenge review. Overturning a call or changing another reviewable matter requires clear and conclusive visual evidence. Rule 14 does not state a universal fixed review-duration limit. Section IV.

Explore the dated NBA head-coach directory and game schedule. This guide does not infer a team’s remaining challenges from game scores or provide live challenge tracking.