Rules
Pickleball Rules Explained: A Complete Guide
Learn all the rules of pickleball: serving, scoring, the kitchen rule, and more.
MyPickleSpotJanuary 20th, 20247 min read
Pickleball Rules
Pickleball has easy-to-understand rules. Here are the essential rules you need to know.
Court and Equipment
- Court dimensions: 20ft x 44ft (same as badminton)
- Net height: 36 inches at sidelines, 34 inches at center
- Can be played as singles or doubles
Serving Rules
- Serve must be made underhand
- Paddle must be below waist level
- Served diagonally to opposite service area
- Ball must land within boundaries
Two-Bounce Rule
This is pickleball's most important rule:
- When served, the ball must bounce once on the receiving side
- Then when returned, it must bounce once on the serving side
- After these two bounces, volleys are allowed
Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone) Rule
- There is a 7-foot "kitchen" zone on each side of the net
- Volleying (hitting out of the air) is prohibited in this zone
- You can only hit after the ball bounces in this area
Scoring System
- Only the serving team can score points
- Games are typically played to 11 points
- Must win by 2 points
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