Rules of Pickleball

1. The Court

A pickleball court is a standardized playing surface measuring 20 feet wide by 44 feet long, and this size applies to both singles and doubles matches.
At the center of the court lies the Non-Volley Zone, better known as the Kitchen — a 7-foot area extending from the net on both sides. Players may enter this zone, but special volley restrictions apply.

The net measures 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center, giving the ball a slight dip across the middle that affects strategy and ball placement.

2. Starting the Game

A standard pickleball game is played to 11 points, and players or teams must win by at least 2 points to secure victory.
In competitive settings such as tournaments, alternative scoring formats like first to 15 or first to 21, still requiring a 2-point margin, may be used.

To begin the match, teams select which player will serve first. The starting server always begins on the right-hand side of their court.

3. Serving Rules

To ensure consistency and fairness, the serve must follow these requirements:

  • The serve must be struck underhand, with the paddle making contact below waist level.

  • The server must have at least one foot behind the baseline at the moment of contact.

  • The serve is delivered diagonally into the opponent’s service area.

  • The ball must clear the Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen) and its line on the serve.

  • Only one serve attempt is allowed. (Let serves may be replayed depending on the rule set being used.)

  • The receiver must allow the ball to bounce once before returning it.

A properly executed serve initiates the rally and sets the tone for the point.

4. The Double-Bounce Rule

Before volleys are allowed, the first two shots of every rally must bounce:

  1. The receiver must let the serve bounce before returning the ball.

  2. The serving team must let the return bounce before hitting it back.

This “double-bounce” requirement prevents immediate net rushing and helps maintain longer, more strategic rallies.
Once both bounces have occurred, players may hit volleys (shots taken in the air).

5. Volleys

A volley is defined as striking the ball before it bounces. Volleys add speed and pressure to the game, but they come with strict rules:

  • Players may not volley while standing in the Kitchen or touching its boundary line.

  • No part of a player's body, paddle, clothing, or accessory may contact the Kitchen during or after a volley, including momentum carried forward after striking the ball.

Maintaining balance and control near the Kitchen line is crucial to avoid faults.

6. Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone) Rules

The Kitchen exists to prevent overly aggressive net play. The guidelines are straightforward:

You can:

  • Enter and stand in the Kitchen at any time.

  • Hit the ball from inside the Kitchen as long as it has bounced first.

You cannot:

  • Hit a volley while in the Kitchen.

  • Step on the Kitchen line while volleying.

  • Allow momentum after a volley to carry you into the Kitchen, even if the ball has already left your paddle.

A violation of any of these results in a fault.

7. Faults

A fault results in the end of a rally. Common faults include:

  • Serving the ball out of bounds.

  • Hitting the ball into the net and failing to clear it.

  • Volleying while touching the Kitchen.

  • Hitting the ball out of bounds during any rally.

  • Allowing the ball to bounce twice before returning it.

  • Contacting the net — with your body, paddle, or clothing.

  • Committing a foot fault on the serve (e.g., stepping on/over the baseline).

Faults either result in the loss of serve or a point for the serving team.

8. Scoring

Pickleball uses a rally-based scoring structure where only the serving team earns points.

  • As long as the serving team continues to win points, the serve rotates between the right and left court positions.

  • In doubles, each team has two serving players (Server 1 and Server 2), except for the beginning of the game.

Keeping track of service order and position is important to avoid play interruptions.

9. Doubles Serving Sequence

Doubles has a unique serving format:

  • At the start of the game, the serving team begins with Server 2. This means they get only one fault before the serve passes to the other team.

  • After that first rotation, normal play resumes:

Typical sequence:

  • Server 1 (right side) serves → plays until fault →

  • Server 2 serves → plays until fault →

  • Serve passes to the opposing team.

This pattern continues throughout the game, ensuring both players serve before a side-out.

10. Singles Play

Singles uses the same general rules as doubles but with a simplified serving flow:

  • There is only one server per side.

  • The server always serves from the right when their score is even,
    and from the left when their score is odd.

Court coverage, stamina, and ball placement become more crucial in singles play.

11. Line Calls

Line calls are essential for fair play:

  • If the ball touches any part of a line, it is considered IN,
    except on the serve where the ball must clear the Kitchen line entirely.

  • Players are responsible for making honest line calls on their side of the court.

Clear communication keeps the game friendly and competitive.

12. Winning the Game

A match is typically decided by:

  • Standard play: First to 11 points, win by 2.

  • Tournament play: Games may go to 15 or 21, always requiring a 2-point advantage.

Victory goes to the player or team that maintains consistency, strategy, and smart shot selection.