To play pickleball, two or four players use solid paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over a 34 inch net on a 20 × 44 foot court. You serve underhand and diagonally, and the serve must clear the 7 foot non-volley zone (the "kitchen"). The return of serve must bounce, and the serving side's next shot must also bounce. After that, players can volley, but never while standing in the kitchen. In standard scoring, only the serving side scores, and a game usually goes to 11, won by 2.
Everything below follows the 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook. If you run a club or teach new players, there's a learn-to-play session plan near the end.
What you need
Item | What the rules say |
|---|---|
Court | 20 × 44 ft for singles and doubles, with a 7 ft non-volley zone on each side of the net |
Net | 36 in high at the sidelines, 34 in at the center |
Paddle | Solid, non-strung; length plus width can't exceed 24 in, and length can't exceed 17 in; must be on USA Pickleball's approved list for sanctioned play |
Ball | A perforated plastic ball on USA Pickleball's approved list; balls with larger holes are customarily used indoors and smaller holes outdoors |
Players | Two for singles, four for doubles |
Court shoes with good lateral support matter more than an expensive paddle. Running shoes aren't built for the side-to-side movement.
The court
The court has three areas on each side of the net:
- Non-volley zone (kitchen): the 7 foot strip next to the net. The line is part of the zone.
- Right service court and left service court: the two 10 × 15 foot boxes behind the kitchen, split by the centerline.
- Serving area: behind the baseline, between the imaginary extensions of the sideline and centerline.
Any ball that lands on a line is in, except a serve that lands on the kitchen line, which is out. For full measurements and runoff, see our pickleball court dimensions guide.
The serve
Every point starts with a serve.
- Stand behind the baseline in the correct serving area, with at least one foot on the ground and neither foot touching the court or the baseline.
- Release the ball with one hand or off the paddle, in a way the receiver can see. Under the 2026 rules, you can't add spin with your hand or paddle as you release it.
- Hit the ball diagonally into the service court across from you. It must clear the kitchen and its line and land in that service court. It can touch the net on the way.
You can use either of two serves:
- Volley serve: hit the ball out of the air with your paddle moving in a clear upward arc, the ball clearly no higher than your waist, and the top of the paddle head clearly below your wrist.
- Drop serve: drop the ball from a natural height without throwing or pushing it, and hit it after it bounces. It can bounce any number of times, anywhere.
You get one attempt per serve. A fault ends your turn, or passes the serve to your partner in doubles.
The two-bounce rule
This is the rule that makes pickleball different from tennis:
- The serve must bounce before the receiver hits it.
- The return of serve must bounce before the serving side hits it.
- After those two bounces, players can volley (hit it out of the air) or play it off the bounce.
The rule stops the serving team from rushing the net and smashing the return. It's why good players hit a soft "third shot drop" into the kitchen and then move forward.
The kitchen (non-volley zone)
The kitchen rules trip up nearly every new player. Per the rulebook:
- You can stand in the kitchen any time.
- You can step in to hit a ball that has bounced.
- You can't volley while touching the kitchen or its line, with your feet or anything else.
- You can't let your momentum carry you into the kitchen after a volley, even if the ball is already dead.
- If you were in the kitchen, both feet must be back outside it before you volley.
The result is a lot of soft shots, called dinks, from the kitchen line, with each side waiting for a ball high enough to attack.
Scoring
Standard scoring
- Only the serving side scores a point, when it wins the rally.
- Games are usually played to 11, and you must win by 2.
- In singles, the server serves from the right when their score is even and from the left when it's odd.
- In doubles, the score is called as three numbers: serving team's score, receiving team's score, then server number (1 or 2). A game starts at "0–0–2," because only one player on the starting team serves before the first side out.
Doubles serving has a few more steps, so we've written a separate pickleball doubles rules guide with a worked example.
Rally scoring
The 2026 rulebook includes rally scoring as a provisional option. A point goes to whichever side wins each rally, the score is called with two numbers, and in doubles only one player serves before a side out. Some leagues and social events use it because games finish in a more predictable time.
Common faults
You lose the rally if you:
- Serve into the kitchen, out of bounds or into the net.
- Volley the return of serve or the third shot (breaking the two-bounce rule).
- Volley while touching the kitchen.
- Hit the ball out, into the net, or under the net.
- Let the ball bounce twice on your side.
- Touch the net or net post with your body or paddle while the ball is live.
- Get hit by the ball anywhere other than your paddle or the hand holding it.
Line calls and etiquette
In recreational play there's usually no referee, so players call the lines on their own side. The rulebook asks players to call a ball out only if they can clearly see space between the ball and the line. If you're not sure, it's in. If partners disagree, the ball is in. Call the score before every serve, and say "not ready" by raising your paddle or turning your back if you need a moment.
Your first game, step by step
- Find three other players at a similar level. Most clubs run beginner open play or clinics.
- Spin a paddle or toss a coin to decide who serves first.
- The first server starts from the right side and calls "0–0–2."
- Serve diagonally, let the return bounce, then play.
- Remember the kitchen. Most first-game faults happen there.
- Play to 11, win by 2. Tap paddles at the net and rotate.
For clubs: a 60 minute learn-to-play session
New players who have a good first hour come back. Here's a session plan that works for 8 to 16 beginners on 2 to 4 courts with one or two coaches.
Time | Activity | Goal |
|---|---|---|
0–5 min | Welcome, paddle grip, safety, court tour | Comfort and basics |
5–15 min | Dinking at the kitchen line in pairs | Control and the feel of the ball |
15–25 min | Serve and return practice | Both legal serves, deep returns |
25–35 min | Two-bounce rule drill: serve, return, third shot, then play | Learn the rule by doing it |
35–40 min | Kitchen rules: what's legal and what isn't | Avoid the most common faults |
40–55 min | Coached doubles games, rally scoring to keep games short | Play real points |
55–60 min | How to score in standard doubles, next steps, open play times | Get them back on court |
Practical tips for running the session:
- Cap it at four players per court plus one or two waiting, so nobody stands around.
- Lend paddles and balls. Many first-timers don't own a paddle yet.
- Send them somewhere next. Point graduates to a beginner open play session, ideally within a week. Our guide to the pickleball rating system explains how to group players by level.
- Charge for it. A small fee makes people show up. Bundle it with a first open play session if you want to encourage a return visit.
Booking courts and clinics
Sports Booking Management lets you list each court or clinic slot with its own hours, booking rules and rates. New players book and pay through a public booking page without creating an account, and you can embed a booking button on your own website. Paddle rental can be added to a booking, and recurring bookings hold courts for weekly clinics and open play. Learn more on our pickleball facility page.