The on-field referee always has the option of using the Referee Review Area (RRA) and can view VAR incidents at their discretion.
The referee can take the recommendation of the VAR and other match officials.
If the advice falls within the referee’s range of expectation, they can make their final decision based on that information without use of the RRA.
Where the information received from the VAR falls outside of the referee’s expectation range or where there is a serious missed incident, they should use the RRA to assist with the final decision.
In 2020/21, the Premier League's Shareholders agreed to an increased use of the RRA for subjective decisions in three key areas: goals; red cards; and penalty kicks.
Further VAR reading
VAR protocol
Premier League's VAR principles
Clear and obvious
Attacking possession phase
Offsides
How offsides are determined by VAR
Penalty kicks
Unseen incidents
Final decision
VAR Hub
Communications
History of VAR
Frequently Asked Questions