The rules of the Essex Volleyball Association will apply noting the following:
- All players registered will be eligible to play in the handicap cup.
- No transfers will be allowed. Players must only play for the team for which they first registered.
- The handicap for each team taking part in the Handicap Cup will be based on that team’s recent performance by the Handicapping Sub-Committee and will be published in the (electronic) handbook.

All games to be the best of 5 sets, all sets to be rally point. In sets 1-4 the first team to 30 wins the set so 30-29 is a possible score. The 5^th set is also to 30 however the 5^th set must be won by 2 clear points.

Handicaps are deducted from each other so one team starts at 0, the other with a positive number of points in each set:
e.g. in Romford (handicap 15) v Tendring Seniors (handicap 3) the score at the start of each set would be
Romford.+12 - Tendring Seniors 0 (calculated as 15 minus 3 = 12)

For teams playing against others with a negative handicap (as Brentwood Wildthings did in 2003-4) their score will start at the minus number. e.g. –3, which may make the score sheet confusing, but I’ll endeavour to decipher it!