The height of the seat of the wheelchair must not exceed 21” from the floor. The height of the foot plate or first point of contact must be no more than 4 ⁷/₈” from the floor. Seat cushions are permitted for medical and therapeutic reasons. A heel strap of at least 1 ½” width must be attached to the foot platform bars. Each wheelchair must be equipped with a roll bar or other protective device to ensure against damage to the playing surface.

The chair is considered part of the player so the general rules of regular basketball (charging, blocking, etc.) apply to wheelchair basketball.

An offensive player can remain no more than three seconds in the free throw lane before they attempt to get out.

The dribbling rule is a player cannot push more than twice in succession with one or both hands in either direction without dribbling the ball. Taking more than two consecutive pushes is traveling. A player may wheel the chair and bounce the ball simultaneously just as an able bodied player runs and bounces the ball at the same time in regular basketball.

If the player in possession of the ball makes any physical contact with the floor it is a violation and the ball is awarded to the other team.

A player is considered out of bounds when any part of the player’s body of wheelchair touches the floor on or outside the boundary.

Because of the varying causes and degrees of disability among participants, a basic rule of keeping seated at all times and not using a functional leg or leg stump for physical advantage over an advantage over an opponent is strictly enforced. An infraction of this rule (rebounding, jump ball, etc.) constitutes of a physical advantage foul (PAF), if three such fouls are committed by a player they are disqualified from the game. Two free throws are awarded and the ball is given to the opposing team out of bounds

If a player falls out of the chair during play, or onto the floor during play, the officials will immediately suspend play if there is any chance of danger to the fallen player. If they are not in danger the officials will withhold their whistles until the particular play in progress has been completed. If a player falls out of the chair to gain possession of the ball or falls out of their chair to keep their opponents from gaining possession of the ball the ball is awarded to the opposing team.