updated 2025/11/01
This section contains a listing of some important changes that you should be aware of.
it is not a substitute for the game manual and revisions nor is it a comprehensive list of all updates.
Because of copy/paste, the format may not be exact and you are referred to the current game manual.
We also recommend you look at the section entitled "Driver's Meeting" where a link to the Head Ref's Notes for Teams has been included.
The following is in this section:
GG9 Don't clamp your robot to the field.
G4 All work must represent the skill level of the Students on the Team.
SG3 Vertical expansion is limited
R20 (paraphrase - caution about which anti-slip can be used)
<GG9> Don’t clamp your Robot to the Field.
Robots may not intentionally grasp, grapple, hook, attach to or otherwise Entangle with any Field Elements. Strategies with mechanisms that react against multiple sides of a Field Element in an effort to latch or clamp onto said Field Element are prohibited. The intent of this rule is to prevent Teams from unintentionally damaging the Field and/or from anchoring to or otherwise Entangling themselves with the Field.
Whenever possible, Head Referees should alert Teams to potential Violations before they happen to prevent
actual Violations. If a Robot takes immediate action to avoid or resolve the issue, and if the Head Referee
determines that the issue had no effect on the Match, no Violation should be recorded.
Violation Notes:
● Major Violations of this rule should be rare, as Robots should never be designed to intentionally
violate it.
● Reaching into any open portion of a Goal to move Blocks isn’t considered anchoring or a Violation
of this rule. During the Driver Controlled Period of any Head-to-Head Match, keeping your mechanism
there while the Robot isn’t actively moving Blocks inside the Goal is considered anchoring,
and is a Violation of this rule. This guidance does not apply during Autonomous Periods or Robot
Skills Matches.
● Reaching inside the open top portion of a Goal to affect Blocks within that Goal is an inherently defensive
position, and will not get the benefit of the doubt (<GG15>) if judgment calls are required.
● If a Robot is reaching inside the open top portion of a Goal, it is that Team’s responsibility to
ensure that the Robot doesn’t become anchored to the Goal when approached by other Robots.
<GG16> will not apply during related interactions, and a Robot that becomes anchored while
reaching into the open top of a Goal will receive a <GG9> Violation no matter how they became
anchored.
<G4> All work must represent the skill level of the Students on the Team. The Team’s design, Robot,
coding, strategy, and ongoing work must represent the skill level of the Students currently on the Team.
a. Teams must avoid academic dishonesty and should not copy a Robot or mechanism that has been
provided for them. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of instructions, pictures & videos,
notebooks, CAD designs, and/or any other documentation useful to the design process provided by
anyone that is not a Student on the Team (including Students on another Team).
b. Teams may be inspired by designs by other Teams, and use an idea from someone else to spark
innovation, but are expected to document and demonstrate this in their engineering notebook alongside
evidence of iteration. Teams are required to present this evidence if asked to do so by a Robot inspector,
Head Referee, Event Partner, or Judge.
i. Using elements of another design as a starting point is acceptable if the Team is capable of
demonstrating evidence of iteration, innovation, and/or modification that makes the design uniquely
their own. Documentation should clearly demonstrate the idea that was used for inspiration, and
how it was changed for the final implementation on the Team’s Robot. It should be clear that this final
implementation is not an exact copy of ANY other original design.
ii. Failure to demonstrate evidence of iteration, innovation, and/or modification will result in a Violation.
c. Teams may use Robot plans and code (e.g., the annual Hero Bot, VEXcode configurations, etc.) provided
by VEX Robotics or the RECF, but are encouraged to use these Robots, mechanisms, and code only as
a starting point that Students modify, improve, or replace as their skills increase. Plans provided by VEX
Robotics or the RECF are the only legal plans available for use in competition.
d. This rule still applies to Teams within the same school, organization, or club. Robots and/or code
sets that are identical or substantially similar to one another across Teams within the same school/
organization/club will be considered in Violation of this rule, regardless of whether they compete in the
same or different events.
For more information, including acceptable and unacceptable examples of mechanical design,
construction, coding, and strategy solutions, please refer to the Student Centered Policy in the RECF
Library.
The VEX Robotics Competition and the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
(RECF) recognize that many third-party individuals and organizations produce and distribute
robot designs, instructions, and/or other materials that are not under our direct control.
We cannot legally regulate or restrict the activities of these external entities. However, when
Teams use these resources in ways that violate the spirit and letter of the VEX Robotics
Game Manual—particularly Rules<G2> and <G4>—they undermine the core mission of the
program: to provide Students with hands-on opportunities to learn, design, and innovate.
While it is never our intent to punish Students, we can legally regulate and restrict the activities
of the Teams in our competitions, and we must preserve the fairness, educational value,
and integrity of the competition. Therefore, Teams found to be in Violation of these rules will
be held accountable to the strictest interpretations of <G2> and <G4>.
It is the responsibility of each Team to be able to explain and defend the design, construction,
and programming of their Robot if questioned by referees, inspectors, Event Partners,
or judges. Teams should be prepared to describe their design process, justify design decisions,
and demonstrate a full understanding of how their Robot and code function.
If a Team is unable, for any reason, to provide reasonable evidence (when requested by
event staff) that their Robot and code are the result of their own work, it is appropriate
to assume that the Team is in violation of <G2> and/or <G4>.
Event organizers cannot reasonably know the origins of every design or independently
verify whether a Robot was created from scratch, purchased online, or copied from
pictures of another Team’s design. When questions of authenticity arise, the only direct
and fair approach is to require Students to explain and defend their work. This is not unlike
academic honesty concerns in schools, and intellectual property concerns in business.
By requiring Students to defend their designs, we ensure that they are developing not only
technical skills, but effective communication skills and accountability, as well.
Consequences may include disqualification from Matches, removal from events, and/or
escalation of the investigation to VEX Robotics and the RECF for further disciplinary action,
which may include sanctions up to and including removal from the program.
<SG3> Vertical expansion is limited. Once the Match begins, Robots may expand vertically beyond the
18” starting size limit within the following criteria:
a. No part of the Robot may exceed an overall height of 22” at any point during the Match (must always be
able to fit within a hypothetical 22”x22”x22” cubic sizing box).
2817: <R20> (paraphrase - caution about which anti-slip can be used)
Please remind your teams that only the two official VEX anti-slip mats sold through the VEX website are legal for competition use. Amazon or other third-party “knock-off” mats are not permitted per the official Q&A clarification. Our inspection team will be checking for this at the event, and we will have samples of the approved VEX materials and printed Q&A documentation for reference. To avoid any inspection delays or disqualification issues, please ensure your teams are using only the approved VEX anti-slip mats. There is a Q and A answer here stating teams can only use the 2 Vex versions of anti slip mat.