# Law 8: Playing Time, Tied Score and Overtime (FIBA Official Basketball Rules)

Basketball · Law 8: Playing Time, Tied Score and Overtime · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/basketball/laws/law-8-playing-time-tied-score-and-overtime/)

Quarters and intervals of play, overtimes for a tie, aggregate series, the last tenths of a quarter and fouls committed during an interval.

## 8.81 Quarters and Intervals

Four quarters of 10 minutes and the intervals of play around them.

### Test 1: Quarters and intervals of play

- The game consists of 4 quarters of 10 minutes each; 12-minute quarters are the NBA's. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.1)
- Four quarters of 10 minutes make 40 minutes of playing time. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.1)
- There is an interval of play of 20 minutes before the game is scheduled to start. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.2)
- The 2-minute intervals come between the 1st and 2nd quarters, the 3rd and 4th, and before each overtime. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.3)
- An interval of play starts when the game clock signal sounds for the end of the quarter or overtime. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.5)
- Half-time lasts 15 minutes, the pre-game interval 20. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.2, 8.4)
- Free throws for a technical, flagrant or disqualifying foul in an interval are taken before the next quarter or overtime. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.9)
- The game opens with its pre-game interval; half-time follows the 2nd quarter. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.1-8.4)
- 2 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.2-8.4)
- C, between the 2nd and 3rd quarters, is half-time: 15 minutes. A is 20 minutes, B and D are 2. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.4)

## 8.82 Ties, Overtimes and the Last Seconds

Overtimes, aggregate series, time left after a late foul, and fouls in an interval.

### Test 1: Overtime and the end of a period

- Overtimes last 5 minutes each. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.7)
- The game continues with as many 5-minute overtimes as necessary to break the tie. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.7)
- If the aggregate is tied at the end of the second game, that game continues with as many overtimes as necessary. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.7)
- If a foul is committed near the end of a quarter or overtime, the referee determines the remaining playing time. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.8)
- A minimum of 0.1 second is shown on the game clock. (0.3 seconds is a different limit, for a shot.) (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.8)
- Every overtime is preceded by a 2-minute interval, and overtimes go on until the tie is broken. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.3, 8.7)
- Such fouls in an interval are penalised before play restarts, as the half-time example shows. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.9)
- The referee sets the remaining time, never less than a tenth of a second. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.8)
- 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.1, 8.3, 8.4, 8.7)
- A tie at the end of the 4th quarter means overtime, after the 2-minute interval before it. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 8.3, 8.7)

Sources: FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026 (v1.1), Article 8 (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the Rules, not reproduced)

Take the tests: https://insporta.app/try?utm_source=book&utm_medium=referral