Hockey penalty codes for the game sheet
The Offence column on a game sheet takes a short code, not a sentence. These are the 31 codes Rinkclock uses, the ones most leagues write, each with a plain description in our own words. Your league or sheet provider may use a different list; where it does, follow theirs. The referee decides the offence and its length; the timekeeper writes what the referee reports.
Stick fouls
| Code | Offence | Usually called as | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLASH | Slashing | minor, major | Swinging the stick at an opponent's body or stick. |
| HS | High-sticking | minor, double minor | Contact with an opponent above the shoulders with the stick; an injury often makes it a double minor. |
| CC | Cross-checking | minor, major | Checking with the shaft of the stick held in both hands. |
| BE | Butt-ending | double minor, major | Jabbing an opponent with the top end of the stick. |
| SPEAR | Spearing | double minor, major | Stabbing at an opponent with the blade of the stick. |
| HOOK | Hooking | minor | Using the blade to hook and slow an opponent. |
| TRIP | Tripping | minor | Using the stick, a leg or a foot to make an opponent fall. |
| THROW | Throwing a stick | minor | Throwing a stick or any object toward the puck or a player. |
Body contact fouls
| Code | Offence | Usually called as | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOARD | Boarding | minor, major | Driving an opponent violently into the boards. |
| CHG | Charging | minor, major | Taking strides or leaving the feet to hit an opponent. |
| CFB | Checking from behind | minor and a misconduct, major and a game misconduct | Hitting an opponent who cannot see the check coming, from behind. |
| CHK | Illegal check | minor, major | Body contact where the league does not allow checking, or an illegal hit of another kind. |
| HC | Head contact | minor, double minor, major | Contact to the head or neck; minor hockey leagues penalize any such contact. |
| ELB | Elbowing | minor, major | Using an extended elbow to hit an opponent. |
| KNEE | Kneeing | minor, major | Leading with the knee into an opponent. |
| ROUGH | Roughing | minor, double minor | Pushing, shoving or striking after the whistle or away from the play. |
| FIGHT | Fighting | major, major and a game misconduct | Throwing punches at an opponent. |
| SLEW | Slew-footing | major and a game misconduct, minor | Kicking an opponent's feet out from behind while pulling them backward. |
| CLIP | Clipping | minor, major | Low hit at or below the knees. |
Restraining fouls
| Code | Offence | Usually called as | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOLD | Holding | minor | Grabbing an opponent or their sweater to slow them. |
| HOLDS | Holding the stick | minor | Grabbing and holding an opponent's stick. |
| INT | Interference | minor | Impeding an opponent who does not have the puck. |
Conduct and misconduct
| Code | Offence | Usually called as | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNS | Unsportsmanlike conduct | minor, misconduct, minor and a misconduct | Taunting, arguing or other conduct the rules forbid. |
| ABUSE | Abuse of officials | misconduct, game misconduct | Abusive language or gestures toward an official. |
| INST | Instigator | minor and a misconduct | Starting a fight; added to the fighting penalty. |
| EMB | Embellishment | minor | Diving or exaggerating contact to draw a penalty. |
Team and bench penalties
| Code | Offence | Usually called as | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOG | Delay of game | minor, bench minor | Shooting the puck out of play, displacing the net, or otherwise stalling. |
| TMM | Too many players | bench minor | More players on the ice than allowed; served by a player the coach names. |
| ILLEQ | Illegal equipment | minor | Playing with equipment the rules do not allow, such as an illegal stick. |
| LEAVE | Leaving the bench | game misconduct, minor | Leaving the players' or penalty bench during an altercation or at the wrong time. |
Goaltender related
| Code | Offence | Usually called as | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI | Goaltender interference | minor | Impeding the goaltender in or around the crease. |
How long each penalty is
The Min column records the length. Under the Hockey Canada Playing Rules 2026-2028, a minor is 2:00 whatever the period length (Rule 4.2), a major is 5:00 and always brings a game misconduct (Rule 4.4), a misconduct is 10:00 (Rule 4.7), and a game misconduct records 10 minutes with no clock time (Rule 4.8). Under the USA Hockey Official Rules of Ice Hockey 2025-29, Rule 402 pro-rates the minor to the period length, as the table shows; a major is 5:00 and a misconduct 10:00, which an affiliate may shorten for short periods (Rules 403 and 404).
| Period length | Canada 2026-28 | USA 2025-29 |
|---|---|---|
| 12 minutes | 2:00 | 1:00 |
| 15 minutes | 2:00 | 1:30 |
| 20 minutes | 2:00 | 2:00 |
Writing the kinds on the sheet
- Double minor: one row, Min 4 (or 3 under the USA profile in a 15 minute period). It is two separate minors for goal purposes.
- Bench minor: no player number; the player the coach names goes under Served by.
- Minor plus misconduct: two rows. The minor is served by a substitute; the misconduct starts when the minor ends.
- Major plus game misconduct: two rows. The major has a start and end; the game misconduct has neither.
Practise writing them on the daily period, or read how to fill in the game sheet in the guide.
Last reviewed . First published .