All NGFFL leagues use an Open Division football for Open Division play and a Women's+ Football for W+ play. PVDGFFL is an outlier in making the following concession: In an effort to be more accommodating for our W+ players who wish to play QB in our Open Division seasons, we have historically allowed limited W+ footballs for W+ QBs, but there has been confusion about which sizes are allowed. Effective beginning Fall 2025, PVDGFFL has clarified and streamlined the use of W+ footballs in Open Division play. A Women's+ QB is allowed to use an "Official Women's football" or a "Junior" size football that is tan in color. Footballs in "youth" size are not allowed in Open Division play. The league has purchased and will provide these footballs for W+ QBs who wish to use them. W+ QBs may also provide their own football, provided it is "Official Women's" size or "Junior" size and does not say "youth." Only W+ quarterbacks are allowed to use this slightly smaller football. All other Open Division QBs must use an official Open Division football. The only footballs allowed in Open Division play are Official Women's footballs (that don't say "youth") or Open Division footballs that are tan in color. 

Based on feedback from our league members, our Spring 2025 season will include kicking for the first time in league history. Each half will now start with a kickoff. Read the guidelines below for instructions and rules related to kickoffs and kick returns. 

The Providence Gay Flag Football League uses the National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL) rule book for our regular season play.

PVDGFFL observes two modifications from the NGFFL rules: 

• Kicking: In Spring 2025, PVDGFFL adopted kickoffs to start each half. There is no other kicking in our league. Following a score, teams start the next possession from the 15-yard line. When a team choose to "punt" the ball at the end of a drive, the referee will advance the ball 40 yards and the opposing team will take possession from that spot. 
• Halo Rule: To protect our quarterbacks, we ask defenders to imagine a three-yard "halo" surrounding our QBs. Within this halo, your arms must come down and you must rush to a QB's hips to pull their flag. You may not have your arms up to block a pass, and you may not hit a QB. The QB must be able to step into their throw and follow through their throwing motion without hitting the defender. 
  •  Any defender who hits a QB within this halo will be assessed a 10-yard "Halo Interference/Roughing the QB" penalty, which results in an automatic first down. Two of these infractions in a game will result in ejection. 
  • The halo only protects a QB when they are "in the pocket." If a QB decides to leave the pocket, run, or initiates the contact (e.g. by accidentally stepping backwards into contact), there is no foul.  

When competing at tournaments, all teams use the NGFFL rule book as written (kicking is added, and the halo rule is removed).