CALTA's Rules state that when a specific on-court situation is not covered by CALTA Rules, USTA Rules/Code will apply. As a social league, CALTA has some rules that are different from USTA -- and captains are asked to make sure that their players are familiar with these rules:
- Ratings: CALTA does not use NTRP ratings. A player can play in any division.
- Hospitality/Communication: In the "CALTA spirit" there is an emphasis on hospitality and communication. Rule IV covers the required pre-match communication between captains -- and states that the host team furnishes light refreshments.
- Third Set: As with most ladies' social leagues in the U.S., CALTA is a 3-set league. If a match is "split" after two sets, at that point the players can discuss playing a 10-point "match tie-break" (using the Coman format) instead of a full third set. (It should not be discussed prior to that time.) If any of the four players wants to play a 10-point tiebreaker, a 10-point tiebreaker must be played. This also applies when the temperature rule is in effect for a match day (heat or cold); if one player on the court wants to play a 10-point tiebreak instead of a full third set, a tiebreak will be played.
- Player Transfers: A player can transfer from one team to another (once) during the season.
- Weather (temperature) rule: Players are not required to compete when it is very hot or very cold -- and that decision can be made individually by each player. See CALTA's Rule XII.
- Grace period for arrival: CALTA allows a 15-minute grace period for an emergency (Rule VI).
- Court Surface Notification: If a facility will use both clay and hard courts for a match, CALTA's Rule VI states: "Clubs that have courts with different surfaces shall let the visiting team know which positions will be playing on which surfaces before line-up exchange. If this information is not shared before line-up exchange, each captain has the option of changing her line-up."
- Timing between games: CALTA allows a 90-second break after the first game of a set.
- Waiting period when rain interrupts a match: If rain interrupts a match, CALTA does not require that players wait an hour to determine court playability.
- Make-up deadline: CALTA does not require that make-ups be played within two weeks of the originally scheduled match. If the official make-up dates scheduled on the CALTA calendar are not able to be used by a team for valid reasons, there is no official deadline and there is no penalty if teams mutually decide to not play a match.
- Rules disputes during a match: Disagreements about line calls or scores are of course to be discussed only by the players, but in CALTA disagreements about rules can be referred by anyone on the court to a captain or her designated representative (see Rule VIII). If possible, the captain (or her designated representative at the match) is expected to take the initiative to assist the players in identifying the applicable rule.
- Season-end Awards: There are no "play-offs" in CALTA. In each division the "top" teams will be recognized with awards. In case of a tie, the two (or more) tying teams are recognized in that position. A tie is not broken by any count of fewer sets lost or similar.
- Grievances: CALTA has a Grievance Committee but does not allow for appeals of its decisions.
- Community Support: A member should understand that a portion of her annual dues is allocated to support CALTA's Junior Recognition Program.