Pickleball Rules & Regulations

Overview

The following is an abbreviated form of the rules to give a quick overview of how the game is played. If there is a conflict between this summary and the official rules, the official rules prevail.

Basic Rules

Pickleball can be played as doubles (two players per team) or singles, with doubles being the most common format. The same court size and rules apply to both.

The Serve

Serving in pickleball follows specific requirements to ensure fair play:

• The server's arm must be moving in an upward arc when the ball is struck
• Paddle contact with the ball must not be made above the waist level
• The head of the paddle must not be above the highest part of the wrist at contact
• A “drop serve” is also permitted, where the player drops the ball and hits it after it bounces. In this case, the usual restrictions on arm motion, contact point, and paddle position do not apply
• At the time the ball is struck, the server's feet may not touch the court or outside the imaginary extension of the sideline or center line, and at least one foot must be behind the baseline
• The serve is made diagonally cross-court and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court
• Only one serve attempt is allowed per server
  

Serving Sequence

Understanding the serving rotation is crucial for doubles play:

• Both players on the serving doubles team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault *(except for the first service sequence of each new game)
• The first serve of each side-out is made from the right/even court
  If a point is scored, the server switches sides and initiates the next serve from the left/odd court
• As subsequent points are scored, the server continues switching back and forth until a fault is committed
• When the first server loses the serve, the partner then serves from their correct side of the court
• Once the service goes to the opposition (at side out), the first serve is from the right/even court
• In singles, the server serves from the right/even court when their score is even and from the left/odd when the score is odd

*At the beginning of each new game, only one partner on the serving team has the opportunity to serve before faulting, after which the service passes to the receiving team.

Scoring

Pickleball uses a unique scoring system:

• Points are scored only by the serving team
• Games are normally played to 11 points, win by 2
• Tournament games may be to 15 or 21, win by 2

When the serving team's score is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10), the first server will be in the right/even court. When odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), that player will be in the left/odd court.

Two-Bounce Rule

This rule is fundamental to pickleball strategy:

• When the ball is served, the receiving team must let it bounce before returning
• Then the serving team must let it bounce before returning, thus two bounces
• After the ball has bounced once in each team's court, both teams may either volley the ball or play it off a bounce
• The two-bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies
  

Line Calls

Knowing what's in or out keeps the game fair:

• A ball contacting any part of any line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve, is considered "in"
• The baseline, sideline, and centerline are considered “in” when contacted by the ball
• A serve contacting the non-volley zone line is short and a fault
  

Non-Volley Zone (The Kitchen)

The non-volley zone creates pickleball's unique dynamic:

• The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net
• Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone
• It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps on the non-volley zone, including the line
• It is a fault if momentum carries a player into the zone after volleying
• A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball
• The non-volley zone is commonly referred to as "the kitchen."
  

Faults

Understanding the following faults helps avoid losing points:

• A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation
• A fault by the receiving team results in a point for the serving team
• A fault by the serving team results in the server's loss of serve or side out

Other common faults include hitting the ball out of bounds, into the net, or before it bounces on each side during the serve sequence.

Determining the Serving Team

Any fair method can be used to determine which player or team has first choice of side, service, or receive (example: coin flip).

Ready to Play?

Now that you understand the rules, it's time to hit the court! Whether you're looking to build your own backyard pickleball court or find local places to play, Integrity Pickleball Courts can help you get in the game.