Quick reference
These measurements and sequences are enough to get started. The sections below explain when they apply and link the questions that commonly arise during play.
| Topic | 2026 ruling |
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| Court | 20 by 44 feet for singles and doubles — Rule 3.A.1 |
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| Net | 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at center, with a ±0.25-inch tolerance — Rules 3.B.6–3.B.7 |
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| Non-volley zone | 7 by 20 feet on each end; its boundary lines belong to the zone — Rule 3.A.4.c |
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| Opening bounces | The serve and return of serve must each bounce before the next shot — Rule 10.A |
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| Score call | Two numbers in singles; three in doubles under side-out scoring — Rules 6.B.1–6.B.2 |
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1. Start the rally with a legal serve
The server has 10 seconds after the complete score call ends. The serve travels diagonally, must clear the non-volley zone, and may touch the net if it lands in the correct service court. Where the ball lands—not net contact by itself—determines whether the serve is legal. Rules 6.D, 6.D.1, 7.E, 7.E.1 and 7.E.2.
On a volley serve, the paddle moves in a clear upward arc, its head is not above the wrist, and the ball is not above the waist at contact. On a drop serve, release the ball from a natural height without propelling it, allow it to bounce, and then strike it. Rules 7.B–7.D.
2. Follow the two-bounce sequence
The receiver must let the serve bounce. The serving side must then let the return bounce. Only after that may either side volley a legal ball. This requires one bounce on each end; it does not allow two bounces on one end. Rules 10.A, 10.A.1 and 10.A.2.
3. Understand the non-volley zone
The non-volley zone, commonly called the kitchen, is the 7-by-20-foot area beside the net on each end. Its boundary lines are part of the zone. A player may enter or stand there; the restriction is initiating a volley while touching the zone. Rules 3.A.4.c and 11.A.
It is also a fault when momentum from a volley carries the player, something the player wears or carries, or someone in contact with the player into the zone. There is no countdown: the issue is whether momentum from the volley continues. Rules 11.A.1–11.A.3.
4. Keep score and use the correct side
Under standard side-out scoring, a point is scored by serving and winning the rally. In singles, an even server score places the server on the right and an odd score on the left. In doubles, the first server continues until losing a rally, then the partner serves; losing the second server’s rally creates a side out. The opening service rotation of each game begins with the starting server designated as the second server. Rules 4.A, 5.A.1 and 5.B.2–5.B.6.
The score is called with two numbers in singles and three in doubles. Tournaments may use authorized side-out or rally-scoring formats, so confirm the format before the match. Rules 6.B.1, 6.B.2, 14.A and 15.C.
Wrong score calledIf an incorrect score is called and the rally is stopped before the return of serve and before the ball becomes dead, the rally is replayed with the correct score called.How scoring worksUnder standard scoring, only the serving side scores when it wins a rally. If the receiving side wins, it earns no point: in doubles, service passes from the first server to the second, or to the opponents after the second server loses. In singles, service passes to the opponent. Call the serving score, receiving score and, in doubles, server number.Why the game starts 0-0-2The three numbers are the serving team's score, the receiving team's score, and the server number. At the start of each doubles game, the starting server is designated the second server for that team's first service rotation, so the opening call is 0-0-2.Second server and side outAfter a side out, the correctly positioned player on the right begins as first server and the partner is second server. The first server continues until the team loses a rally; then the partner serves. When the second server loses a rally, service passes to the opponents: a side out.Serving side and orderIn singles, serve from the right when your score is zero or even and from the left when it is odd. In doubles, the correctly positioned player starts on the right after a side out; a server alternates right and left after each point won until that team's service turn ends.Rally scoring optionWith rally scoring, the side that wins each rally scores a point, whether it served or received. The 2026 rulebook presents this as a provisional option for singles and doubles; it does not replace standard scoring in every game. 5. Recognize live-ball faults
Except for the wheelchair modification, a player must return the ball before its second bounce. After the serve, contact with a player or anything worn or carried is a fault, except for the paddle and hands below the wrist joint while in contact with the paddle. On the serve, hitting the receiver or their partner before the ball lands is a receiver fault. Rules 10.B, 10.B.1, 10.C, 10.C.3 and 7.E.5.
A player must possess the paddle when striking the ball and may not catch or carry the ball on it. Touching the net or net support system while the ball is live is also a fault. Rules 12.B, 12.B.1, 12.C, 13.G and 13.G.1.
Ball hits a playerAfter the serve, contact with a player or anything worn or carried by that player is a fault even when the ball would otherwise have landed out. The paddle and the player's hands below the wrist joint while in contact with the paddle are exceptions. On the serve, hitting the receiver or their partner, or anything either wears or carries, before the ball lands is a receiver fault under a separate rule.Double hit or carryA ball may be hit more than once only when one player makes a continuous stroke in a single direction. Catching or carrying the ball on the paddle is a fault.Switching handsYes. A player may hold the paddle with one or both hands and may switch it from hand to hand at any time. The player must still possess the paddle when it contacts the ball.Touching the netNet contact is a fault only while the ball is live. Touching the net after the ball is already dead is not a separate net-contact fault, although an earlier event may already have ended the rally or created a fault.Throwing the paddleNo. A player must possess the paddle when it contacts the ball. If the player releases or throws the paddle and it hits the ball, it is a fault.Reaching over the netUsually no. The ball must completely cross to your side before you hit it. You may follow through across the net after a legal hit; a ball that bounces on your side and spins back over the net has a separate exception.Touching the net during playNo. If a player, including the server, or something the player wears or carries touches the net or its support system while the ball is live, that player commits a fault. Contact after the ball is dead is a different situation.Court dimensionsThe court measures 20 feet wide by 44 feet long for singles and doubles. On each side of the net, the non-volley zone extends 7 feet back and spans the court's 20-foot width. The service courts lie beyond that zone.Legal paddlesFor sanctioned play, use a paddle on USA Pickleball's approved list that complies with its specifications. Its combined length and width may not exceed 24 inches and its length may not exceed 17 inches; the rules set no paddle-weight limit.Legal pickleballsUSA Pickleball publishes a list of approved balls. An approved ball may be used indoors or outdoors; the rulebook requires an approved design, a uniform color apart from identification marks, a maker's name or logo, and a durable, smooth molded surface. 6. Make line calls with certainty
In non-officiated play, each side calls the lines on its own end. Call a ball out only when you clearly see space between the line and the ball. If partners disagree, the ball is in. Rules 8.A, 8.E and 8.H.
Communication such as “no” or “bounce it” before the ball lands is not an official call. Calls must be timely, spectators are not consulted, and a player may ask an opponent’s opinion under the procedure in Rule 8.I. Rules 8.F.3, 8.F.4, 8.I and 8.J.
Ball from another courtA stray ball from another court can be a hinder because it is a transient occurrence not caused by a player in the rally. Any player may call the hinder, and a valid hinder results in a replay.Extra ball fallsIn non-officiated tournament play, an extra ball carried by a player must remain concealed and in the player's possession. If it becomes visible to an opponent or falls onto the playing surface while the ball is live, it is a fault against that player.Ball on the lineA returned ball touching a court boundary line is in. A serve is different: it must land in the correct diagonal service court, and a serve on the non-volley-zone line is out because that line belongs to the zone.What counts as a faultA fault is a rule violation that ends the rally with a dead ball. Players should call their own or their partner's faults. Against an opponent, a player may call only a non-volley-zone fault or service foot fault; other suspected faults may be mentioned after the rally but cannot be enforced by that opponent.Let and replayThe 2026 rulebook uses specific replay rules rather than a general serve let. A serve that clips the net stays live if it clears the non-volley zone and lands in the correct service court. A valid hinder or certain net problems can instead require a replay.Spectators at the court edgeThe 2026 official rulebook does not state a numbered playing rule that prohibits spectators from standing or leaning at the court edge. Tournament and facility safety rules govern where spectators may stand.Spectators on the fence or netFor players, contacting the net or net support system while the ball is live is a fault. The 2026 rulebook does not prescribe spectator fence or net behavior; tournament and facility safety rules control that conduct.Calls on the opponent’s sideNo. Players make out calls for lines on their own end. They may call only non-volley-zone and service-foot faults on opponents. An opponent may give a line-call opinion when the responsible player asks.Calling an opponent’s double bounceNo. A double bounce is a fault, but you do not have authority and cannot enforce that fault on an opponent. You may mention it after the rally; the player alleged to have committed it makes the final decision.Partner communicationYes. Saying ‘no,’ ‘bounce it,’ or another warning to your partner while the ball is in the air is player communication, not an official line call.Benefit of doubt on line callsCall the ball out only when you clearly see a space between the line and the ball. If your view leaves doubt, the opponent receives the benefit of that doubt and the ball is in.Coach and spectator line callsNo. Spectators must not be consulted, and coaches or nonplaying captains have no official line-call authority. A captain who is playing has ordinary player authority. Coaching during time-outs or between games does not grant call authority. 7. Separate hinders, replays and unusual situations
A valid hinder, such as a stray ball entering the court, creates a dead ball and replay. Not every distraction or disagreement earns a replay; the rulebook must provide the applicable basis. Rules 9.C, 9.C.1 and 9.C.2.
The ball may travel around the outside of the net post. Certain interference from the net or support system, and a net-system malfunction, require a replay. Rules 13.A.1, 13.B.2, 13.C and 13.J.
8. Apply inclusive-play modifications
A wheelchair player may allow two bounces, and the second may occur anywhere on the playing surface. The player must return the ball before a third bounce. Consult Section 25 for the other positioning, serving and non-volley-zone modifications. Rules 25.A.9 and 25.A.9.a.
9. Distinguish rules, event rulings and facility policy
The rulebook controls play. At a sanctioned event, the referee and Tournament Director also apply the tournament procedures. Spectator safety, facility access and conduct not addressed by a numbered playing rule may depend on venue or tournament policy.
When no numbered rule governs a situation, MYOPL says so rather than inventing a fault. For sanctioned play, the official rulebook and responsible event officials control.
How to use this guide
Use this walkthrough to learn the game, then open a detailed answer when a specific question arises. Each answer page preserves a short ruling, alternate question wording and the citations that control the situation.
Court, kitchen and bounce rules
Court dimensions, the non-volley zone, momentum and the opening bounce sequence.
Serving and scoring
Serve placement, timing, legal releases and score-call corrections.
Serve touches the netYes. A serve may touch the net and remain legal if it clears the non-volley zone and lands in the correct service court. Net contact alone does not create a replay; a serve that lands in the non-volley zone or outside the correct service court is a fault.Ten-second serve ruleThe server has 10 seconds after the complete score call finishes. Serving later is a fault against the server; the clock does not begin at the end of the previous rally.Wrong score calledIf an incorrect score is called and the rally is stopped before the return of serve and before the ball becomes dead, the rally is replayed with the correct score called.Serve on the kitchen lineNo. The non-volley-zone line is part of the non-volley zone. A served ball that lands on that line is out and is a fault against the server.Drop serveRelease the ball from a natural, unaided height without propelling it in any direction, let it bounce on the playing surface, and then strike it. There is no limit on how many times it may bounce before contact.Legal volley serveA volley serve must contact the ball while the paddle moves in a clear upward arc. The highest point of the paddle head must clearly not be above the highest part of the server's wrist joint, and the ball must clearly be no higher than the waist. A forehand or backhand motion is allowed.How scoring worksUnder standard scoring, only the serving side scores when it wins a rally. If the receiving side wins, it earns no point: in doubles, service passes from the first server to the second, or to the opponents after the second server loses. In singles, service passes to the opponent. Call the serving score, receiving score and, in doubles, server number.Why the game starts 0-0-2The three numbers are the serving team's score, the receiving team's score, and the server number. At the start of each doubles game, the starting server is designated the second server for that team's first service rotation, so the opening call is 0-0-2.Second server and side outAfter a side out, the correctly positioned player on the right begins as first server and the partner is second server. The first server continues until the team loses a rally; then the partner serves. When the second server loses a rally, service passes to the opponents: a side out.Serving side and orderIn singles, serve from the right when your score is zero or even and from the left when it is odd. In doubles, the correctly positioned player starts on the right after a side out; a server alternates right and left after each point won until that team's service turn ends.Rally scoring optionWith rally scoring, the side that wins each rally scores a point, whether it served or received. The 2026 rulebook presents this as a provisional option for singles and doubles; it does not replace standard scoring in every game. Live ball, paddle and net
Player contact, paddle possession, net effects and unusual live-ball situations.
Ball hits a playerAfter the serve, contact with a player or anything worn or carried by that player is a fault even when the ball would otherwise have landed out. The paddle and the player's hands below the wrist joint while in contact with the paddle are exceptions. On the serve, hitting the receiver or their partner, or anything either wears or carries, before the ball lands is a receiver fault under a separate rule.Around-the-post shotYes. A ball may be returned around the outside of the net post. It does not have to travel over the net between the posts.Double hit or carryA ball may be hit more than once only when one player makes a continuous stroke in a single direction. Catching or carrying the ball on the paddle is a fault.Switching handsYes. A player may hold the paddle with one or both hands and may switch it from hand to hand at any time. The player must still possess the paddle when it contacts the ball.Ball caught in the netOrdinary contact with the net or its top cable leaves the ball in play. If a returned ball crosses the net and then becomes caught in the net, contacts netting draped on the ground, a deflecting net, a crossbar, or another support inside the court boundaries, the rally is replayed.Touching the netNet contact is a fault only while the ball is live. Touching the net after the ball is already dead is not a separate net-contact fault, although an earlier event may already have ended the rally or created a fault.Net malfunctionA malfunction of the net system during a rally results in a replay of the rally.Throwing the paddleNo. A player must possess the paddle when it contacts the ball. If the player releases or throws the paddle and it hits the ball, it is a fault.Apparel or equipment problemIf a player has an equipment or apparel problem during a rally, play continues until the rally ends.Reaching over the netUsually no. The ball must completely cross to your side before you hit it. You may follow through across the net after a legal hit; a ball that bounces on your side and spins back over the net has a separate exception.Touching the net during playNo. If a player, including the server, or something the player wears or carries touches the net or its support system while the ball is live, that player commits a fault. Contact after the ball is dead is a different situation.Legal paddlesFor sanctioned play, use a paddle on USA Pickleball's approved list that complies with its specifications. Its combined length and width may not exceed 24 inches and its length may not exceed 17 inches; the rules set no paddle-weight limit.Legal pickleballsUSA Pickleball publishes a list of approved balls. An approved ball may be used indoors or outdoors; the rulebook requires an approved design, a uniform color apart from identification marks, a maker's name or logo, and a durable, smooth molded surface. Line calls, faults and hinders
Who may make a call, how doubt is resolved and when a rally is replayed.
Ball from another courtA stray ball from another court can be a hinder because it is a transient occurrence not caused by a player in the rally. Any player may call the hinder, and a valid hinder results in a replay.Extra ball fallsIn non-officiated tournament play, an extra ball carried by a player must remain concealed and in the player's possession. If it becomes visible to an opponent or falls onto the playing surface while the ball is live, it is a fault against that player.Ball on the lineA returned ball touching a court boundary line is in. A serve is different: it must land in the correct diagonal service court, and a serve on the non-volley-zone line is out because that line belongs to the zone.What counts as a faultA fault is a rule violation that ends the rally with a dead ball. Players should call their own or their partner's faults. Against an opponent, a player may call only a non-volley-zone fault or service foot fault; other suspected faults may be mentioned after the rally but cannot be enforced by that opponent.Let and replayThe 2026 rulebook uses specific replay rules rather than a general serve let. A serve that clips the net stays live if it clears the non-volley zone and lands in the correct service court. A valid hinder or certain net problems can instead require a replay.Spectators at the court edgeThe 2026 official rulebook does not state a numbered playing rule that prohibits spectators from standing or leaning at the court edge. Tournament and facility safety rules govern where spectators may stand.Spectators on the fence or netFor players, contacting the net or net support system while the ball is live is a fault. The 2026 rulebook does not prescribe spectator fence or net behavior; tournament and facility safety rules control that conduct.Calls on the opponent’s sideNo. Players make out calls for lines on their own end. They may call only non-volley-zone and service-foot faults on opponents. An opponent may give a line-call opinion when the responsible player asks.Calling an opponent’s double bounceNo. A double bounce is a fault, but you do not have authority and cannot enforce that fault on an opponent. You may mention it after the rally; the player alleged to have committed it makes the final decision.Partner communicationYes. Saying ‘no,’ ‘bounce it,’ or another warning to your partner while the ball is in the air is player communication, not an official line call.Benefit of doubt on line callsCall the ball out only when you clearly see a space between the line and the ball. If your view leaves doubt, the opponent receives the benefit of that doubt and the ball is in.Coach and spectator line callsNo. Spectators must not be consulted, and coaches or nonplaying captains have no official line-call authority. A captain who is playing has ordinary player authority. Coaching during time-outs or between games does not grant call authority. Inclusive and tournament play
Wheelchair modifications, reporting requirements and tournament-specific rulings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the kitchen rule in pickleball?
The kitchen is the non-volley zone. A player may enter or stand in it, but may not volley while touching the zone or one of its boundary lines. Volley momentum also cannot carry the player or anything in contact with the player into the zone.
What is the two-bounce rule in pickleball?
The receiver must let the serve bounce before returning it, and the serving side must let that return bounce before hitting the next shot. After those two required bounces, either side may volley a legal ball.
Can a serve touch the net and still be legal in pickleball?
Yes. A serve may touch the net and remain legal if it clears the non-volley zone and lands in the correct service court. Net contact alone does not create a replay; a serve that lands in the non-volley zone or outside the correct service court is a fault.
How high is a pickleball net at the center?
The top of the net must be 34 inches above the playing surface at the center, with a tolerance of one quarter inch. If the net has a center strap, the measurement includes the strap.
What happens if a shot hits a player before bouncing out of bounds?
After the serve, contact with a player or anything worn or carried by that player is a fault even when the ball would otherwise have landed out. The paddle and the player's hands below the wrist joint while in contact with the paddle are exceptions. On the serve, hitting the receiver or their partner, or anything either wears or carries, before the ball lands is a receiver fault under a separate rule.
Can my partner pull or hold me to prevent a kitchen fault?
A partner may steady or help the volleying player only when neither the partner nor anything involved in that contact touches the non-volley zone. If the volleying player or anything in contact with that player, including the partner, touches the zone because of the volley or its momentum, it is a fault.
Does momentum ever expire after hitting a volley?
There is no time limit measured in seconds. Volley momentum ends when the player regains balance and control or stops moving toward the non-volley zone. Contact caused by that momentum is a fault even after the ball is dead.
How long do you have to serve in pickleball?
The server has 10 seconds after the complete score call finishes. Serving later is a fault against the server; the clock does not begin at the end of the previous rally.
Sources and product references
