Rules and Regulations

The Judging System - The figure skating judging system is based on technical and artistic performance. Read how the figure skating judging system eliminates error and bias.

Have you been watching the figure skating competition at the Olympics and wondering what the heck is going on? Why isn't anyone getting 6.0 scores any more? And why did the guy who fell on a quadruple salchow still win over guys that didn't fall at all?

The new International Judging System (IJS) has three different sets of participants. A technical panel determines a base value based on difficulty for every component of a performance, including jumps, spins and footwork.

This menu page links to information about the Rules and the Test Elements and Competition Elements used for Figure Skating. Please note that the info here relates to USFSA skaters, and will be different for ISI and international skaters.

Figure skating history rules and equipment from the Olympics.

The ISU Judging System (also called Code of Points (CoP) or the International Judging System (IJS)), is the scoring system currently used to judge the figure skating disciplines of men's and ladies' singles, pair skating, ice dancing, and synchronized skating.

The 6.0 system is still in use at some United States events as we transition to the ISU judging system. The basic principle of the 6.0 system in the United States is a "majority" system, which is unique in sports. Each event is judged by an odd number of judges. The winner of the competition is the skater placed highest by a majority of these judges. The marks of all the judges are used in calculating the results.

Listed below are the special regulations and technical rules for Single and Pair Skating and Ice Dance disciplines.

Frequently asked questions, full explanations of rules, and scoring information.

General overview of rules for US Figure Skating and links to PDF copies of the full rule book.