- Unless otherwise stated, such as during Roadblocks, team members must stay within twenty feet of each other.


 - Teams are forbidden contact with friends, family, and acquaintances during the Race, though the Race may provide them with an opportunity to make contact at select times. Unless otherwise stated by the clues, teams are allowed to use the help of locals for navigating and during tasks.


 - Teams are free to work together at any point unless otherwise stated by the rules. Excluding the use of the Yield and U-Turn, teams are forbidden from hindering the performance of other teams such as by taking extra clues from a clue box, taking another team's assigned vehicle, or altering the equipment for other teams at a task.


 - Teams are forbidden from possessing maps, guidebooks, cell phones, personal digital assistants and other similar aids at the start of the Race, but may use the provided money to purchase these as they progress. These may be provided by the show if required for a certain task. Teams will be allowed to take pictures and video with any device they own. If they need to use their cell phone camera for certain tasks, they may do so.


 - Teams are not allowed to use their personal items to barter for services on the race, though they are not necessarily forbidden from selling them for cash. Teams are free to sell or barter any items they have purchased during the course of the race.


 - In cases where teams are instructed to walk or drive themselves to a destination, teams are not allowed to hire a taxi to guide or take them through the route. Drivers are required to obey road rules at all times. You must stop at all yellow traffic lights, stop signs, and must never go above the speed limit.


 - Teams are expected to keep the Race fanny pack containing their cash, passports, clues, and other documents with them at all times. Teams that do not have these upon check-in at a Pit Stop are required to go back and retrieve the pack and any missing mandatory contents (e.g., passports) before being checked in. Teams may check in after losing or abandoning any non-mandatory items (e.g., items of clothing), but they must continue the race without them.


 - Teams must complete each challenge as specified by the clues given to them throughout the Race. Should a team fail to properly complete a challenge, violate any provisions made in a clue or task description, or miss a clue altogether (unless specifically allowed to do so, e.g., by winning the Fast Forward, or by using an Express Pass), they must either go back to the location of the challenge and complete the challenge, or incur a penalty when they check in (see Penalties and time credits below).


 - Racers may not smoke on the Race. 


 - Teams are required to abide by all local laws of the country in which they are racing. Penalties and Credits The teams are often given additional rules and instructions that apply specifically to a given Leg or to a task supplied with one of the clues; these are usually not explained to the viewer unless they affect the Race results.

PENALTIES AND TIME CREDITS

If the infraction can be corrected, Michael will ask the team to go back and correct the mistake before checking them in at the Pit Stop or the Finish Line. If not, the standard penalty for rule infractions is normally 30 minutes plus the time gained (if any) by breaking the rule. If the penalty is known before the racers arrive at the check-in mat, they are forced to wait out that time before they can be checked in; if they happen to be the last team on a non-elimination leg, they will be checked in early, but the remaining time will be applied at the start of the next leg. If the penalty is discovered after racers arrive, and does not affect which team is eliminated, it is applied to the start of the next leg, with the viewers’ given verbal notification if it affects the departure order. In only one case has a penalty altered who would be eliminated and a special announcement of this change to the affected teams was done after production was able to review the results but before the start of the next leg. Should a vehicle (including cars and boats) break down through no fault of the team using it, find another one. Sorry