The Only Pickleball Rulebook
You'll Actually Read

A pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long — the same size for both singles and doubles. The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center.

A pickleball is a hard, perforated polymer ball with 26–40 holes. Outdoor and indoor balls differ slightly in hole count and weight.

Paddles must not exceed 17 inches in length and 24 inches combined length + width. No strings allowed — it's a solid hitting surface.

The serve must be made with an underhand motion. The paddle must contact the ball below the waist level, and the highest point of the paddle head must not be above the wrist at the point of contact.

The serve must land in the diagonal service box. It must clear the non-volley zone (kitchen) and land in bounds.

Each player gets only one serve attempt per rally, except in the case of a let (when the ball clips the net and lands in the correct service box).

Players may drop the ball and hit it after the bounce. When using the drop serve, the restrictions on paddle contact height and swing direction do not apply.

The non-volley zone (NVZ), affectionately called "the kitchen," is the 7-foot area on both sides of the net. You cannot volley the ball while standing in this zone.

A player cannot step into the kitchen or touch the kitchen line during or after volleying the ball. If your momentum carries you in, it's a fault.

A player may enter the kitchen at any time to hit a ball that has bounced. They just cannot volley from inside it.

Points can only be scored by the serving team. If the receiving team wins the rally, they gain the serve — not a point.

Standard games are played to 11 points and must be won by a margin of 2. Tournament games may be played to 15 or 21.

In doubles, the server calls out three numbers before serving: the serving team's score, the receiving team's score, and the server number (1 or 2).

After the serve, each team must let the ball bounce once before volleying. The serve must bounce on the return, and the return must bounce before the serving team can hit it in the air. After those two bounces, volleying is allowed.

A ball landing outside the court boundaries is a fault. Lines are considered in-bounds.

If your shot hits the net and does not go over, it is a fault and the rally ends.

At the start of the game, the first serving team only gets one serve fault before the serve passes to the other team. After that, both players on a team serve before the serve switches — this is called a "side out."

The player on the right side of the court serves when the team's score is even; the player on the left side serves when the score is odd.

Under the updated rally scoring format, either the serving or receiving team can now score the game-winning point. Previously, only the serving team could win the game at match point, creating a frustrating "freeze" scenario.

The word "clearly" has been added to all three volley serve requirements. Your serve must clearly contact the ball below the waist, the paddle head must clearly be below the wrist, and the swing must be in a clear upward arc. If it's not obvious to the referee, it's a fault.

The language has changed from players "should not" consult spectators for line calls to "must not." Players who ask fans or bystanders for help with a line call may now receive a warning or penalty.

Having a visible second ball on your person during a live rally is now an official fault under the 2026 rulebook. If a loose ball falls out of your pocket mid-rally, the point is over.

If you're going to call a ball out, it must be made promptly. You cannot wait to see if your partner returns the ball and then retroactively call it out. If you hesitate, the ball is considered in.

Referees now have the authority to issue verbal warnings or technical fouls during the pre-match warm-up period and briefings — not just during actual play.

The 2026 rulebook strengthens language around physical violence and property damage. If a player throws or strikes a paddle and it hits someone or damages the venue, tournament directors can now forfeit the match — not just issue a warning.

The 2026 rulebook formally establishes the Adaptive Standing Division for players with permanent physical disabilities affecting mobility, balance, or coordination. Eligible players may use a two-bounce rule, where the second bounce can land anywhere on the court. In hybrid doubles, the two-bounce allowance applies only to the eligible player, not their partner.

Players must now clearly indicate a timeout to the referee and opponents, either with the universal "T" hand signal or by saying it out loud. You can no longer silently walk off the court.

If your shot legally clears the net and bounces in the opponent's court, but then the wind or spin carries it into the net post — you win the point. The ball already landed in. Play is over.