Court and Equipment Standards
| Specification | Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Court length (playing area) | 44 ft | 13.41 m |
| Court width (playing area) | 20 ft | 6.10 m |
| Net height at posts | 36 in | 0.914 m |
| Net height at center | 34 in | 0.864 m |
| Non-volley zone (NVZ) depth | 7 ft | 2.13 m |
| Line width | 2 in | ~5 cm |
| Service area (per side) | 2 boxes, each 10x15 ft | 3.05x4.57 m each |
All lines are part of the court. A ball landing on any line — except the NVZ line on a serve — is considered in bounds. A serve landing on the NVZ line (the kitchen line) is a fault.
Ball and Paddle
- Ball must be made of a durable molded material with a smooth surface, with 26-40 round holes.
- Ball diameter: 2.874-2.972 in (73.00-75.49 mm); weight: 0.78-0.935 oz (22.1-26.5 g).
- Paddle must be rigid and smooth; no strings (unlike tennis). Paddle face must not deflect more than allowed by USAP equipment certification.
- Paddle length + width combined: no more than 24 in (60.96 cm). Length alone: no more than 17 in (43.18 cm).
Chapter Summaries
① Court and Equipment
Court dimensions, surface and line specifications. Ball and paddle construction and certification requirements. Net height and post standards.
② Serve and Service Sequence
Serve must be underhand or drop serve. Server contacts ball below waist level; arm motion must be upward. Server must keep both feet behind the baseline. Diagonal court serve required.
③ Scoring
Games to 11 points, win by 2. Only the serving side scores points. In doubles, score is announced as three numbers: server score, receiver score, server number (1 or 2).
④ Two-Bounce Rule
After the serve, each side must let the ball bounce once before hitting it (serve must bounce on receiver's side; return must bounce on server's side). After those two bounces, volleys are permitted.
⑤ Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen)
Players may not volley (hit the ball in the air) while standing in the NVZ or on the NVZ line. Momentum carrying a player into the NVZ after a volley is also a fault. Players may enter the NVZ to play a ball that has bounced.
⑥ Faults
Common faults: ball out of bounds; ball in net; ball failing to clear the net; volleying in the NVZ; volleying before the two-bounce rule is satisfied; serve landing in NVZ; foot fault on serve.
⑦ Match Procedure
Pre-match coin toss or spin determines who serves first. Side switching at 6 points in the third game (or when one side reaches 6 in a match to 11). Tournament formats may vary.
Service Rotation Summary
Doubles: each side gets two serves per rotation (one per player). If the serving team faults, the serve passes to the second server; if the second server faults, serve passes to the opposing team. Singles: one serve per rotation.
Official USAP Rulebook
The content on this page is a reference summary only. For authoritative, binding rules — including the most recent updates and amendments — always consult the official USA Pickleball rulebook directly.
Access the official USA Pickleball rulebook and all current rule amendments at the USAP website.
Official USAP Rules Page ↗Note: USAP updates its official rulebook periodically. The specifications and rules described on this page are based on publicly available USAP documentation at the time of writing. Always refer to the latest official version for tournament play.
