Wilton Flag Football follows the 5 on 5 NFL Flag Football Rules
with a few modifications for each division

https://nflflag.com/coaches/default/flag-football-rules

Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade Divisions

• 30X40 yard field
• PRE-K & Kindergarten= Black or Red Mini NFL Flag Footballs; 1st Grade and 2nd Grade = Blue Junior NFL Flag Footballs.
• Pre-, 20-minute halves, 5-minute halftime.
• Coin toss: Away team calls the toss.  Winner of the coin toss has the choice of offense of defense.  The loser of the coin toss has the choice of direction.  Possession changes to start the second half to the steam that started the game on defense.  
• Each team has three 30 second timeouts per game.
• 2 Coaches allowed on the field for offense and 1 coach on the field for defense.
• 4 vs. 4 games will be permitted, and count as a regular game, if one team can only field 4 players. 
• Kindergarten Exception: Three team, 1 hour format, rotation based format.

• All players must wear official NFL Flag belts and flags. FLAG BELTS CANNOT BE THE SAME OR SIMILAR COLOR AS PANTS OR SHORTS.
• The flags must be on the player's hips and free from obstruction.   Flag poppers must be facing down and in the outward position with no hanging belt strap.
• Players must wear appropriate footwear, including cleats.  Metal cleats are never allowed and must be removed.
• Players may wear gloves, elbow pads and knee pads, and soft shell helmets.
• Players must remove jewelry and hard billed hats may only be worn backwards.  Beanies are allowed.
• Players' jerseys must be tucked into shorts or pants. 
• Referees will conduct a Pre-Game equipment check at mid-field

• Each touchdown is 7 points, no extra points in these divisions.
• Each safety is 2 points.  A safety occurs when the ball carrier is declared down in his/her own end zone.  Runners can be called down when their flags are pulled by a defensive player, a flag falls out, they stop out of bounds, their knee or arm touches the ground, a fumble occurs in the end zone or if a snapped ball lands in or beyond the end zone.  
  

• Each time the ball is spotted, a team has 25 seconds to snap the ball. Teams will receive one warning before a delay-of-game penalty is enforced.
• Offenses must have a minimum of one player on the line of scrimmage (the center) and up to four players on the line of scrimmage.  The QB must be off of the line of scrimmage.  
• No run zones are eliminated. 
• The ball is spotted where the ball is when the flag is pulled.
• QB has 7 seconds to throw the ball.
• Pitches are not allowed, all handoffs must be direct handoffs, however a shovel pass forward is allowed.
• All passes must be on or past the line of scrimmage.
• QB's are not eligible to run past the line of scrimmage with the ball to gain yardage, however a QB can hand the ball off to another player and that player is a dual threat to run or pass the ball.
• Center can hike from the side or between the legs.
• The offensive team takes possession of the ball at its 5-yard line and has four (4) downs to cross midfield.
• Once a team crosses midfield, it has three (3) downs to score a touchdown.  
• If the offensive team fails to cross midfield on 3 downs, and elects to "punt" on 4th down, possession of the ball changes and the opposition starts its drive from its own 5-yard line. If the offensive team goes for it on 4th down and does not cross field, the opposing team will start its possession from the spot.
• Once the ball is advanced past the line of scrimmage, the current ball-carrier is the only player allowed to have possession of the ball until the play is dead.  
• QB Exchange Rule: If the center and QB exchange is fumbled, the play is dead and the offenses are allowed to snap it again without losing a down.
• No blocking or screening is allowed at any time.  
• Runners are not permitted to jump, leap or hurdle, in the officials judgment, while advancing the ball.  The play is to be blown dead and ball spotted where it was when they left the ground.  
• Offensive players in close proximity to the ball carrier must stop their motion once the ball has crossed the line of scrimmage.  No running with the ball-carrier.  
  

• All rushers must wait until the QB touches the ball before rushing.
• All players are required to line up 7 yards off the line of scrimmage, anyone can rush the passer without raising their hand.
• If a players jumps the snap that player is ineligible to rush the QB.
  
• If the ball is at or inside the 5 yard line, defensive players may line up on the goal line, they do not need to be 7 yards off the ball.
  

• A legal flag pull takes place when the ball-carrier is in full possession of the ball.
• Defenders can dive to pull flags but cannot tackle, hold or run through the ball carrier when pulling flags.
• It is illegal to attempt to strip or pull the ball from the ball-carrier's possession at any time.   
• If a player's flag inadvertently falls off during a play while that player has possession, the player is down immediately and the play ends.  The ball is placed where the flag lands.
• If a player who has one or no flags in their belt takes possession of the ball, the play is dead at that spot on the field.
• A defensive player may not intentionally pull the flags off of a player who is not in possession of the ball.
• Flag guarding is an attempt by the ball-carrier to obstruct the defender's access to the flags by stiff arming, dropping the head, hand, ball, arm or shoulder or intentionally covering the flags with the football jersey.

• We have a coin flip, with the HOME team calling the flip. 
• The winning team can go 1st or 2nd, the 1st team can go for 1pt from the 5-yard line or 2pts from the 10-yard line. 
• Each team gets 1 chance to score, if the game is still tied, the team that lost the 1st coin toss gets to choose to go 1st or 2nd. 
• In the 2nd overtime, the 1st team can go for 1pt from the 5-yard line or 2pts from the 10-yard line. 
• If the game is still tied after 2 overtimes, the team that won the 1st coin toss gets to choose 1st or 2nd.
• In the 3rd and final overtime, each team starts from their own 5 yard line and whoever gets the most yards from the line of scrimmage wins.
  
  

GIRLS 4/5/6, COED 3RD/4TH, COED 5TH/6TH AND COED 7TH/8TH DIVISIONS

GAMES AND TIMING 

• 30 X 50 YARD FIELD
• Girls 4/5/6 and 3rd/4th Divisions: Blue Junior NFL Flag Footballs
• 5th/6th and 7th/8th Divisions: Brown (or White) Intermediate NFL Flag Football
• Pre-Game, 20-minute halves, 5-minute halftime 
• Coin toss: Away team calls the toss.  Winner of the coin toss has the choice of offense of defense.  The loser of the coin toss has the choice of direction.  Possession changes to start the second half to the steam that started the game on defense.  
• Each team has three 30 second timeouts PER GAME.
  
• 1 Coach allowed on the field for Offense only - in the backfield at least 5 to 10 yards behind the QB.  
• Defensive coaches can go on the field to set up the defense, but must leave the field before the snap.
• 4 vs. 4 games will be permitted, and count as a regular game, if one team can only field 4 players. 

• All players must wear official NFL Flag belts and flags.  FLAG BELTS CANNOT BE THE SAME OR SIMILAR COLOR AS PANTS OR SHORTS.
• The flags must be on the player's hips and free from obstruction.  Flag poppers must be facing down and in the outward position with no hanging belt strap.
• Players must wear appropriate footwear, including cleats.  However, cleats with exposed metal are never allowed and must be removed.
• Players may wear gloves, elbow pads, knee pads and soft shell helmets.
• Players jerseys must be tucked into shorts and pants.  It is recommended that players wear shorts or pants that do not have pockets.  Shorts or pants with belt loops or pockets must be taped.
• Players must remove jewelry and hard billed hats may only be worn backwards.  Beanies are allowed.
• Referees will conduct pre-game equipment checks at mid-field. 

• Touchdown is 6 points.
• PAT (point after touchdown) 1 point (5-yard line) or 2 points (10-yard line).
  
• 1 point PAT is pass only; 2 point PAT can be run or pass.
• Safety is 2 points.  A safety occurs when the ball carrier is declared down in his/her own end zone.  Runners can be called down when their flags are pulled by a defensive player, a flag falls out, they stop out of bounds, their knee or arm touches the ground, a fumble occurs in the end zone or if a snapped ball lands in or beyond the end zone.  
• A team that scores a touchdown must declare whether it wishes to attempt a 1-point conversion (from the 5-yard line) or 2-point conversion (from the 10-yard line). 
• After one team is winning by 35 points or more, the game is over.  Teams may elect to continue, but no additional points scored will be added.  

OFFENSE

• Offense has 25 seconds to hike the ball.  The 25 second clock will start once referees have established the 7-yard rush line.
• Center must hike between the legs.
• Pitches, laterals and backward passes are permitted BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE ONLY.  
• Any player who receives a handoff, backward pass, pitch or lateral can throw the ball from behind the line of scrimmage.
• Shovel passes are allowed, but MUST be completed across the line of scrimmage. 
  
• QB's are not eligible to run past the line of scrimmage with the ball to gain yardage, however a QB can hand the ball off, pitch, lateral or backwards pass to another player and that player is a dual threat to run or pass the ball.
  
• QB has 7 seconds to throw the ball.
• Only 1 forward pass thrown from behind the line of scrimmage is permitted each offensive play.  All passes, except backwards/lateral passes, that do not cross the line of scrimmage, whether received or not, are illegal forward passes, unless touched by a defender.  Pass must go beyond the line of scrimmage.  
• Once the ball has been handed off, in front, behind or to the side of the QB, or a backward pass, pitch or lateral has occurred, the 7 second passing clock is eliminated and all defensive players are eligible to rush. 
• The offensive team takes possession of the ball at its 5-yard line and has four (4) downs to cross midfield.
• Once a team crosses midfield, it has three (3) downs to score a touchdown.  If the offensive team fails to cross midfield, on 3 downs, and elect to "punt" on 4th down, possession of the ball changes and the opposition starts its drive from its own 5-yard line. If the offensive team goes for it on 4th down and does not cross field, the opposing team will start its possession from the spot.
• No-run Zones are located 5 yards before each end zone and 5 yards on either side of midfield.  Teams are not permitted to run in these zones.  
• Runners are not permitted to jump, leap or hurdle, in the officials judgment, while advancing the ball.  The play is to be blown dead and ball spotted where it was when they left the ground.
• Ballcarriers may leave their feet and the play will continue for spinning, jump cuts, QB's passing progression or if there is a clear indication that he/she has done so to avoid a collision with another player and the play will continue without stoppage.  However, if while leaving the ground, contact is made, unnecessary roughness or an illegal contact penalty may be enforced by the official.  
• No blocking or screening is allowed at any time.
• Offensive players in close proximity to the ball carrier must stop their motion once the ball has crossed the line of scrimmage.  No running with the ball-carrier.  
• Once the ball is advanced beyond the line of scrimmage, the current ball carrier is the only player allowed to have possession of the ball until the play is dead. 
• In the case of simultaneous possession by both an offensive and defensive player, possession is awarded to the offense. 

• All players can line up on the line of scrimmage, but all designated rushers must be 7 yards off the line of scrimmage.
• Only 2 players can rush, provided they start 7 yards off the line of scrimmage.
• Rushers MUST identify themselves to the official by raising their hand pre-snap.  The rush MUST be immediate.  No delayed or fake rush permitted.  If a player raises their hand, they MUST rush.  Failure to rush will result in a PENALTY.
• Players rushing the QB may attempt to block a pass; however, contact to the QB, unless ruled incidental by the official, would result in a roughing the passer penalty. 
• The offense cannot impede the rusher in any way.  The rusher has the right to a clear path to the QB, regardless of where they line up prior to the snap.  The path is set pre-snap from the rusher or rushers directly to the QB.  The path does not move once the QB moves.  If the "path or line" is occupied by a moving offensive player, then it is the offense's responsibility to avoid the rusher.  Any disruption to the rusher's path and/or contact will result in an impeding the rusher penalty.   If the offensive player does not move after the snap, then it is the rusher's responsibility to go around the offensive player and to avoid contact. 
• If a player jumps the snap, that player in ineligible to rush the QB.
• Anyone lined up on the line of scrimmage must be 1 yard off any offensive player.  This means that a defensive player cannot press the Center or any Wide Receiver, they must allow a free release without any contact. 
• 2-point conversions are returnable. If the defense intercepts a pass during a 2-point conversion they are able to return it for 2 points.

• A legal flag pull takes place when the ball-carrier is in full possession of the ball.
• Defenders can dive to pull flags but cannot tackle, hold or run through the ball carrier when pulling flags.
• It is illegal to attempt to strip or pull the ball from the ball-carrier's possession at any time.  This includes rushers who attempt to strip or pull the ball from the QB, instead of making a play on the QB's flags.  
• If a player's flag inadvertently falls off during a play while that player has possession, the player is down immediately and the play ends.  The ball is placed where the flag lands.
• If a player who has one or no flags in their belt takes possession of the ball, the play is dead at that spot on the field.
• A defensive player may not intentionally pull the flags off of a player who is not in possession of the ball.
• Flag guarding is an attempt by the ball-carrier to obstruct the defender's access to the flags by stiff arming, dropping the head, hand, ball, arm or shoulder or intentionally covering the flags with the football jersey.  

• The ball is live at the snap of the ball and remains live until the official whistles the ball dead.
• A player who gains possession of the ball in the air is considered in bounds as long as the first foot or a body part other than the hand contacts the ground in the field of play with possession.
• Play is ruled "dead" when:
  The ball hits the ground (If the ball hits the ground as result of a bad snap, the ball is then placed where the ball hit the ground; The ball-carrier's flag is pulled.The ball-carrier steps out of bounds; A touchdown, PAT or safety is scored; The ball-carrier's knee or arm hits the ground; The ball carrier's flag falls out; The receiver catches the ball while in possession of on or no flag(s); The 7 second pass clock expires; Inadvertent whistle; Ball-carrier leaves their feet diving or to hurdle a player. 
• If inadvertent or erroneous whistle occurs, the offense has two options: 1) take the ball where the whistle blew and the down is consumed; or 2) replay the down from the original line of scrimmage.  If it occurs on the last play of the half or game, the offense will be awarded one untimed down and given those two options.  
• Officials should all agree in order to change a call on the field that is in dispute. 

OVERTIME RULES

• We have a coin flip, with the HOME team calling the flip.
• The winning team can go 1st or 2nd, such that the 1st team can go for 1 pt from the 5-yard line or 2 pts from the 10-yard line.
• Each team gets 1 chance to score.
• If the game is still tied, the team that lost the 1st coin toss gets to choose to to 1st or 2nd.
• In the 2nd overtime, the 1st team can to for 1 pt from the 5-yard line or 2 pts from the 10-yard line.
• If the game is still tied after 2 overtimes, the team that won the 1st coin toss gets to choose 1st or 2nd.
• In the 3rd and final overtime, each team starts from their own 5-yard line and whoever gets the most yards from the line of scrimmage wins. 
  

SPORTSMANSHIP/UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT - ALL DIVISIONS

• If the referee witnesses any acts of intentional tackling, elbowing, cheap shots, blocking or any unsportsmanlike act, the game will be stopped and the player may be ejected from the game.  The decision is made at the referee's discretion.  No appeals will be considered. FOUL PLAY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. 
• Offensive or confrontational language is NOT allowed.  Officials have the right to determine offensive language.  If offensive or confrontational language occurs, the official will determine if a warning or immediate ejection is warranted.  
• Players may not physically or verbally abuse any opponent, coach or official.
• Ball-carriers MUST make an effort to avoid defenders with an established position.
• Defenders must give free releasees off the line of scrimmage to offensive players and are not allowed to run through the ball carrier when pulling flags.  Offensive players may not initiate contact at the line of scrimmage with defenders, in the officials judgment. ROUGH PLAY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. 
• Unsportsmanlike conduct penalties: 1) Defense +10 yards from line of scrimmage and automatic first down; 2) Offense - 10 yards from line of scrimmage and loss of down.  TWO UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT PENALTIES ON ANY PLAYER OR COACH IN A GAME IS AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION FOMR THAT GAME AND MAY LEAD TO ADDITIONAL DISCIPLINE. 
  
  The primary goal of the Wilton Youth Football flag football program is to ensure a safe and fun environment for all children.   While Flag Football is a non-contact sport, player-to-player contact may occur, generally falling into three categories: incidental contact, reckless contact and intentional contact.  We expect the coaches to teach the fundamentals of the game to avoid all types of contact.   Any reckless or intentional contact will be reported to the Wilton Youth Football Board.   While the Board, Coaches, Commissioners, and Directors do all that is feasible to create a safe playing environment for the youth that participate, we cannot ensure there will never be injuries resulting from gameplay. While it may be difficult to process in  ANY circumstance, injuries are an occurrence in every sport regardless of levels of contact, including Flag Football.