1. Court & Equipment
Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court (20 feet wide x 44 feet long).
The net height is 36 inches at the posts and 34 inches in the center.
Players use solid paddles and a plastic ball with holes (similar to a wiffle ball).
2. Serving Rules
Underhand serve only – the paddle must be below the waist at contact.
The serve must be made with at least one foot behind the baseline.
The ball must land diagonally across the net in the opponent’s service box.
Only one serve attempt is allowed unless the ball touches the net and still lands in the correct service box (a “let” serve).
3. Double Bounce Rule
When serving, the ball must bounce once on the receiving side before it is returned.
The return must also bounce once before the serving team can hit it.
After these two bounces, the ball can be hit in the air (volley) or after a bounce.
4. The Non-Volley Zone ("Kitchen")
The 7-foot area near the net is called the kitchen.
Players cannot volley (hit in the air) while standing in the kitchen.
A player may only enter the kitchen if the ball has already bounced.
5. Scoring Rules
Only the serving team can score points.
Games are played to 11 points, but a team must win by 2 points.
In doubles, each partner on the serving team gets a turn to serve before the serve switches sides.
6. Faults & Violations
A fault results in a loss of serve or point and includes:
Hitting the ball out of bounds.
Failing to hit the ball over the net.
Stepping into the kitchen while volleying.
Volleying the ball before it has bounced once on each side after the serve.