A vault score depends on which vault the gymnast performs and how well it is completed. The scoring system determines how those two parts are combined.
In the USA Gymnastics Women’s Development Program, Xcel and NCAA women’s gymnastics, judges subtract deductions from the vault’s assigned Start Value. In FIG elite gymnastics, judges add a difficulty score to a separate execution score, then subtract any separate penalties.
That explains why a college gymnast might receive 9.850, while an international gymnast receives 14.300. The numbers use different scoring scales.
This article compares the women’s domestic programs with senior FIG women’s and men’s artistic gymnastics. It uses the 2026–2030 Development Program rules, current Xcel updates, 2026–27 NCAA women’s modifications and 2025–2028 FIG Codes.
Vault Scoring at a Glance
Vault differs from a Beam or Floor routine because its value comes from one complete vault. Judges identify that vault in the relevant chart; they do not build its value by adding several individual skills and connections.
| Program | How the vault is valued | Basic scoring method |
|---|---|---|
| USAG women’s Development Program | A Start Value for the permitted vault and level | Subtract deductions; certain Level 10 vaults can earn an additional bonus |
| Xcel | A Start Value for the vault and division | Subtract deductions |
| NCAA women | A Start Value from the NCAA vault chart | Subtract deductions |
| FIG senior women and men | A numerical Difficulty Value from the relevant FIG table | Add difficulty and execution, subtract separate penalties, and apply any qualifying bonus |
Start Value Scoring: USAG, Xcel and NCAA Women
The Start Value, or SV, is the score available before deductions for the performance. The basic calculation is:
Start Value − Deductions = Vault Score
For example, a vault starting from 9.95 with 0.15 deducted scores:
9.95 − 0.15 = 9.80
There is no separate 10-point execution score to add afterward. The judges have accounted for execution by subtracting the mistakes from the Start Value.
Difficulty Plus Execution: FIG
FIG uses a D-Score, or Difficulty Score, and an E-Score, or Execution Score. The vault’s listed Difficulty Value provides its difficulty, while execution begins from 10.00 and decreases as judges deduct for errors.
The basic formula is:
D-Score + E-Score − Separate Penalties = Vault Score
For a hypothetical vault with 5.4 difficulty, an 8.9 E-Score and no separate penalty:
5.4 + 8.9 = 14.300
Work through these numbers in the vault score calculator. Choose the program, discipline and Vault. For two completed vault scores, “More detail” offers a worksheet; choose the averaging or higher-score method required by the competition.
The program-specific bonuses explained below must also be applied when earned.
How Judges Determine a Vault’s Value
Each program publishes a vault chart. A vault’s entry, body position, flips and twists determine which entry in that chart applies.
A flip, called a salto in the rules, turns the body head over heels. A twist turns the body around its length. They are different movements, so a double-twisting vault is not the same as a double-flipping vault.
Body position matters too. A tuck uses bent knees drawn toward the body. A pike folds at the hips with straight legs. A layout uses a stretched body position.
Names such as Yurchenko describe a family of vaults, rather than one fixed value. A Yurchenko entry begins with a round-off onto the springboard followed by a back handspring onto the table. What happens after the push from the table distinguishes the different vaults in that family.
The Same Vault Can Have Different Values
A Yurchenko full includes one backward flip with a full twist in a layout position after leaving the table. A Yurchenko 1½ adds another half twist.
| Vault | DP Level 10 Start Value, 2026–2030 | NCAA women’s Start Value, 2026–27 | FIG women’s Difficulty Value, 2025–2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yurchenko layout full twist | 10.00 | 9.95 | 4.20 |
| Yurchenko layout 1½ twists | 10.00 | 10.00 | 4.60 |
These values come from the official DP Level 10 chart, NCAA vault chart and FIG women’s vault tables. The DP column shows the listed Start Value before any additional Level 10 vault bonus.
The smaller FIG number is only the difficulty component; execution is added separately. It cannot be compared directly with a domestic Start Value.
There is also no universal rule that each added twist earns another 0.10 or 0.20. Judges use the value of the complete vault in the correct chart.
How Vault Scoring Works in Each Program
USAG Development Program: Values Change by Level
The Women’s Development Program uses different vault choices as gymnasts progress. Under the 2026–2030 optional rules, Levels 6 and 7 have three specified entry choices onto the table and a raised mat stack, each with a 10.0 Start Value. These are developmental vaults, with landing requirements that depend on the level and entry.
Level 8 uses a different chart. A basic front handspring starts from 9.0, while permitted tucked Tsukahara and tucked Yurchenko vaults start from 10.0. The distinctions appear in the official Levels 6–8 vault chart.
Levels 9 and 10 have their own charts. The basic handspring starts from 8.5 at Level 9 and 8.1 at Level 10, illustrating how the scoring expectations increase. See the Level 9 values and Level 10 values.
Level 10 also awards +0.10 for an eligible 10.0 vault completed without a fall or spotting assistance. Some 10.0 vaults are excluded: the Yurchenko full does not qualify, while the Yurchenko 1½ can qualify. The bonus is additional to the listed Start Value.
Vault therefore has its own route to a score. In the women’s Development Program, the other events use routine requirements, composition and bonus instead.
Xcel: The Division Determines the Available Value
Xcel also assigns values by division. Bronze and Silver use prescribed vault progressions involving mats, while Gold through Sapphire use their permitted table vaults.
The basic front handspring shows how the same vault can change in value:
| Xcel division | Front handspring Start Value |
|---|---|
| Gold | 10.0, or 9.5 with the permitted alternative springboard |
| Platinum | 9.8 |
| Diamond | 9.5 |
| Sapphire | 9.2 |
These are the values for the basic handspring, vault 1.101, in the official Xcel vault chart.
A gymnast moving from Platinum to Diamond could perform the same handspring but begin three tenths lower. That difference comes from the division’s chart, before any execution deductions.
Sapphire’s routine bonus system on Bars, Beam and Floor does not build its vault value. Vault remains a chart-based event. To find the Xcel division’s vault reference, choose the division and Vault in the requirements finder, then open its official chart links for the permitted options and values.
NCAA Women: Not Every Vault Starts From 10.0
NCAA women use their own vault chart and modifications to the Development Program rules. The USAG Level 10 vault bonus does not apply in college competition. NCAA women’s rules, Section 2.
The Yurchenko full starts from 9.95, while the Yurchenko 1½ starts from 10.0. A gymnast performing the full cannot receive a 10.0, even without deductions, but can still beat a gymnast performing a harder vault.
For example, suppose the full receives 0.10 in deductions and the 1½ receives 0.20:
Yurchenko full: 9.95 − 0.10 = 9.85
Yurchenko 1½: 10.00 − 0.20 = 9.80
The harder vault offered a 0.05 advantage, but the extra execution loss was larger. For the rest of the college scoring system, see how NCAA women’s gymnastics is scored.
FIG Elite: Difficulty and Execution Remain Separate
FIG judges identify the vault actually performed and award its listed difficulty. An incomplete twist or unclear body position can sometimes change which vault receives credit, as well as lead to execution deductions.
The women’s Yurchenko double-twisting layout is worth 5.0. It contains one backward flip with two twists. The Yurchenko double pike, commonly called the Biles II, is worth 6.4 and contains two backward flips in a piked position. These are different vaults with different values in the current women’s Code.
Men use a separate FIG vault table. Women’s values should not be transferred to men’s competition because a vault looks similar.
The explanation of FIG’s difficulty and execution scores shows how these two score components work across artistic gymnastics.
What Judges Watch During a Vault
A stuck landing is easy to recognize, but judges also evaluate what happened before the gymnast reached the mat.
| Vault phase | What happens | What judges assess |
|---|---|---|
| First flight, or pre-flight | The gymnast travels from the springboard to the table | Entry technique, body alignment and leg position |
| Support and push-off | The hands contact the table and push away | Arm position, body position and the quality of the push |
| Second flight, or post-flight | The gymnast travels from the table toward the landing | Height, distance, body shape, flips and twists |
| Landing | The gymnast reaches the mat and establishes control | Steps, hops, posture, balance and direction |
The fast push away from the table is often called the block. It helps produce the height needed to finish the vault. The run supplies momentum, but there is no separate score awarded simply for running fast.
A gymnast can land with the feet still and lose points for bent arms on the table, separated legs in flight or insufficient height. Several distinct faults can receive deductions on the same vault.
Common Execution Deductions
Execution describes how well the gymnast performs the movement. Bent knees, flexed feet, poor body shape, low flight and uncontrolled landings are common problems across the programs, but their deduction tables differ.
For example, in Xcel Gold–Sapphire vault, a slight hop can cost up to 0.10, while a large step or jump costs 0.20. In FIG women’s vault, an extra step or slight hop costs 0.10, while a very large step or jump costs 0.30. The definitions come from the Xcel vault deduction tables and FIG women’s execution rules.
NCAA women also require a finishing position with straight legs and raised arms held for one second. Failing to show that finish costs 0.05; the hold deduction is not added when the gymnast falls on landing. NCAA Section 1.5.b.
Who Calculates the Score?
In FIG competition, the D-Jury identifies the vault and determines difficulty. The E-Jury evaluates execution. Designated officials also check matters such as landing outside the marked corridor.
In domestic Start Value systems, judges apply the relevant vault value and deductions. Judges’ marks are combined according to the panel rules for that competition. The number of judges and averaging procedure should not be assumed to be identical at every meet.
Does a Gymnast Perform One Vault or Two?
The answer depends on the program and, in FIG competition, which part of the meet is taking place.
| Competition situation | Vaults performed | Score that counts |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s DP competition | Generally up to two | The better vault score |
| Xcel competition | Up to two | The better vault score |
| NCAA women | One executed vault | That vault’s score |
| FIG qualification for team or all-around | One is sufficient | The first vault score |
| FIG qualification for the vault final | Two | Their average, with applicable penalties or bonus |
| FIG team final or all-around final | One | That vault’s score |
| FIG vault apparatus final | Two | Their average, with applicable penalties or bonus |
The Xcel format appears in its vault general rules. NCAA specifies its single-vault format in Section 2.3. FIG’s formats are set out in women’s Section 10 and men’s Section 13.
For an Olympic gymnast performing two vaults in qualification, the first vault serves two purposes: it counts toward team or all-around scoring and forms part of the vault-final qualification average. A higher second score does not replace the first in the all-around calculation.
Must the Two Vaults Be Different?
Xcel allows the same vault or two different permitted vaults. In senior FIG vault qualification and finals, the two vaults must come from different vault groups—categories defined by the relevant women’s or men’s Code.
Different groups and eligibility for a bonus are separate questions. A pair can meet the group requirement without earning the women’s two-vault bonus.
Is Another Run the Same as Another Scored Vault?
No. Rules distinguish an approach along the runway from an executed vault.
NCAA women allow up to three attempts to complete one vault. If the gymnast hits the board and goes over the apparatus, the vault must be scored. The rule does not offer three completed vaults from which to select the best result.
USAG, Xcel and FIG have their own rules for interrupted approaches, including when another run is allowed and whether a penalty applies.
How a Two-Vault FIG Score Is Calculated
In a vault final, both performances matter because their scores are averaged.
Consider this hypothetical senior women’s example, with valid vaults from different groups and no separate penalties:
| Score component | First vault | Second vault |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | 5.000 | 5.600 |
| Execution | 9.000 | 8.800 |
| Individual vault score | 14.000 | 14.400 |
The average is:
(14.000 + 14.400) ÷ 2 = 14.200
The result is 14.200 before any qualifying two-vault bonus. Counting only the higher vault would produce the wrong result.
FIG Women’s 0.20 Two-Vault Bonus
Under the senior women’s rules, an additional 0.20 is awarded when the pair includes saltos in different directions during the second flight: one forward and one backward, as classified by the Code. Both vaults must be performed without a fall.
The bonus is added once, after the scores are averaged. If the example above qualifies:
14.200 + 0.200 = 14.400
The direction classification matters. FIG treats Cuervo-type vaults as forward for this rule. The August 2026 WAG Help Desk, Section 10 explains the conditions and calculation.
FIG Men’s 0.10 Stick Bonus
Men have a different bonus: a vault containing a salto can earn +0.10 when the gymnast sticks the landing under the required conditions. The D-Jury awards this bonus as part of the individual vault evaluation.
Some other errors, such as leg separation or arm movement, do not automatically remove the bonus. Raising the heels to maintain balance does remove eligibility. These conditions appear in Article 7.2.9 of the men’s Code.
The men’s bonus rewards a qualifying landing on an individual vault; the women’s bonus rewards a qualifying pair. Neither should be confused with the USAG Level 10 vault bonus.
Falls, Invalid Vaults and Landing Lines
A fall deduction and an invalid vault have different consequences. A valid vault can keep its assigned value and receive a fall deduction. An invalid vault receives zero under the applicable rules.
| Program | Usual fall deduction on an otherwise valid vault |
|---|---|
| USAG women’s DP | 0.50 |
| Xcel | 0.50 |
| NCAA women | 0.50 |
| FIG women and men | 1.00 |
The fall amount is not necessarily the entire score loss. Other execution errors may apply, and a fall can prevent a bonus from being awarded.
What If the Gymnast Does Not Land Feet First?
In FIG, failure to land feet first can make the vault invalid and produce 0.00. NCAA women instead specify a 1.00 deduction for failure to land on the soles of the feet first, including the fall. It is not 1.00 plus another 0.50 for that same fall. See the FIG women’s invalid-vault rules and NCAA Section 2.5.
Prescribed beginner progressions need their own interpretation. A back landing can be the intended finish of a mat-based progression, so it should not be judged as though it were an unsuccessful elite vault.
What Happens Outside the Landing Lines?
In FIG women’s vault, touching outside the marked corridor with one foot or hand costs 0.10. Touching outside with two feet or hands, or another body part, costs 0.30. This is separate from the execution deduction for a landing step. FIG WAG Help Desk corridor examples.
NCAA’s funnel-shaped lines guide a direction deduction of up to 0.30. They do not establish the same one-foot/two-foot penalty system used in FIG women’s vault. NCAA Section 2.8.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vault Scored Out of 10?
Xcel and NCAA women use Start Values up to 10.0. Women’s DP also uses Start Value scoring, with an additional 0.10 available for qualifying Level 10 vaults. FIG final scores can exceed 10 because difficulty is added to execution.
Does a Stuck Landing Guarantee a High Score?
No. Judges evaluate the whole vault. Bent arms, separated legs, low flight or poor body position can lower the score before the landing. Keeping the feet still also does not guarantee correct landing posture.
Does the Better Vault Count in an Olympic Vault Final?
No. Both vaults count in the average. A poor second vault can lower the result even if the first was excellent. The senior women’s two-vault bonus is added only when its conditions are met.
Does the Vault Announced Before the Attempt Determine the Score?
Judges evaluate the vault actually performed. If the gymnast completes a different vault or does not meet the technical requirements for the intended version, the assigned value can change.