Regulations

Delaware Code - Title 14

The Delaware Code grants DIAA statutory authority to operate and exist.

Delaware Code - Title 14 Education - Chapter 3 Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association

DIAA Regulations

DIAA Regulations outline the requirements and standards that govern interscholastic athletics and student activities in Delaware.

Cover Photo of DIAA Regulation Book

To make it easier to review and understand DIAA Regulations, we’ve compiled all current DIAA Regulations along with the Transfer Tracking Law (Senate Bill 281) into one easy-to-use flipbook. DIAA Regulations – FlippingBook

Use the table of contents on the left side of the screen to quickly navigate to specific regulations, or take advantage of the search bar in the top right to look up key words and find exactly what you’re looking for—fast.

 

 

Department of Education DIAA Regulation Index Page

Latest Updates to DIAA Regulations

On July 11, 2025, updates to DIAA Regulation 1040 – Out-of-Season and Summer Athletic Activities and Contact were officially finalized.

On July 11, 2025, updates to DIAA Regulation 1043 – Officials were officially finalized.

Senate Bill 281 - Transfer Law

Please note: Senate Bill 281 (August 2024) supersedes Regulation 1029. Refer to SB 281 for current transfer rules.

All students who transfer schools and wish to participate in interscholastic athletics are required to complete the DIAA Member School Athletic Transfer Tracking Form. This form helps ensure eligibility is reviewed in accordance with DIAA transfer regulations.

Timing for Completion: A student and their family, in conjunction with the receiving school, shall initiate this transfer form after the student has been officially enrolled in the new school and is no longer enrolled at the previous school. The receiving school administration shall forward the completed form to the sending school for signature without undue delay. After submission to DIAA by the receiving school, please allow 10–15 days for review and confirmation of eligibility.

No transfer student is eligible to compete in any athletic competition until the athletic director and school administration receive confirmation from the DIAA office.

Senate Bill 281 - Transfer Law

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Transfer Law

DIAA Regulations

Maximum Game Schedules

  • FALL PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is July 28 – August 4.
  • IN-SEASON FALL DEAD PERIOD – For football schools (any school that has a football team, even if you are choosing NOT to start on August 4). The dead period is from August 4 to September 1 for Winter and Spring Sports.
  • If your school does not have football, your dead period for Winter and Spring Sports is from August 11 to September 8.
  • WINTER PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is November 3 – November 10.
  • IN-SEASON WINTER DEAD PERIOD – For all schools – dead period for Fall and Spring Sports is November 10 to December 8.
  • SPRING PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is February 23 – March 2.
  • IN-SEASON SPRING DEAD PERIOD – For all schools – Fall and Winter Sports dead period is March 2 to March 30.

A dead period is a specific time when most athletic-related activities and instructional contact between coaches and student-athletes are not allowed. These periods are designed to give athletes rest, promote multi-sport participation, and prevent year-round pressure in a single sport. Dead periods include informal instruction, open gyms, school sponsored camps or clinics, team-associated commercial camps or clinics, and school sponsored league play.

Pre-season dead period:

  • Occurs during the 7 days before the official start of the fall, winter, and spring sports seasons (as defined in 14 DE Admin. Code 1035).
  • Coaches may not have any instructional contact with athletes during this time.
  • The only activity allowed is non-instructional meetings (for example: handing out tryout schedules, medical forms, and permission slips).
  • No practices, workouts, or skill instruction may take place.

In-season dead period:

  • Begins on the first permissible practice date of a sports season and ends 4 weeks after that date.
  • During these 4 weeks, coaches of sports not currently in season have limited activity options.
  • They may lead workouts and conditioning sessions (as defined in Section 8.0), but no skill instruction or sport-specific drills are allowed.
  • These periods apply as follows:
    • Fall sports in-season dead period – applies to all winter and spring sports teams. If a school’s football team starts early for a “week zero” game, that date starts the dead period for the entire school.
    • Winter sports in-season dead period – applies to all fall and spring sports teams.
    • Spring sports in-season dead period – applies to all fall and winter sports teams.
  • FALL PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – For football schools – dead period for ALL SPORTS is August 6 – August 13.
  • FALL IN-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – For football schools – The dead period is from August 13 to September 10 for Winter and Spring Sports.
  • FALL PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – For schools WITHOUT football – dead period for ALL SPORTS is August 10 – August 17.
  • FALL IN-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – For schools WITHOUT football- The dead period is from August 17 to September 14 for Winter and Spring Sports.
  • WINTER PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is November 2 – November 9.
  • WINTER IN-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for Fall and Spring Sports is November 9 to December 7.
  • SPRING PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is February 22 – March 1.
  • SPRING IN-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for Fall and Winter Sports is March 1 to March 29.

 

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