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UIL Half-Time Regulations – from UIL Football Manual

The NCAA Football Rules specify a penalty be assessed to the home team at the beginning of the second half if the halftime exceeds allowable limits. Texas high schools play by NCAA rules, therefore the half-time length regulations will be enforced by football officials. 

  1. Maximum half-time length for UIL varsity games is 28 minutes. Please note that half-time is not required to be this long. Many districts have adopted a shorter period of time, for example 24 minutes. Note: Junior high and sub-varsity half-time should not be longer than 20 minutes. 
  2. Timing for the half-time should begin when all players and personnel have cleared the field at the end of the first half of play.
  3. Bands should be ready at that time to come onto the field for their half-time show. Undue delay by the visiting team band could result in a penalty being assessed to the home school. Many schools are placing a time limit on each band, insuring that the first part of the half-time intermission will not cause the entire half-time to exceed the allotted time limit.
  4. Football teams should have at least 3-4 minutes to warm up after the half-time intermission prior to the second-half kickoff.
  5. When homecoming activities and/or other half-time activities necessitate an extra long half-time, it may be advisable for the visiting band to give its show prior to the game.
  6. Both schools should cooperate to ensure proper half-time procedures.