The National Rounders Association's (NRA) rules are the most common regulations used and these rules differ from most baseball or softball. Some of the most important rules include:
- The number of players on the team must be a minimum of six and a maximum of nine
- The ball has to be 190 mm
- The bat cannot be more than 460 mm in length with a 170 mm diameter.
- The bat must not weigh more than 370 g
- The bases are still laid out like a diamond, except that home base is a separate base meaning it is at a right angle to the third and batsman's base.
- The bases are marked with poles instead of the traditional flat pads. The poles have to be supported on their own and can stand at only 1 m.
Some of the rules regarding game play are:
- If the ball is a good throw the batter has to try to hit it.
- If the ball goes backward the batter cannot go to the first post until the ball has been sent forward again.
- The batter that does not hit a ball may be "caught-out" or "stumped" at the first post.
- Batters can run on no-balls, though they do not have to.
- All batters up to the last inning can ask for one good ball to hit.
- The last batter gets to have three unless they are caught out.
- A batter is out if the fielder catches the ball. This is before the ball touches the ground after it has been hit.
- If the fielder touches the base halfway up the post while the batter is running they are out.
- If another batter runs to the same base the other batter is out.
- A batter can also overtake another and make the other person out.
