What are the rules?
New to the game? No problem! We've broken down the rules of pickleball in an easy-to-follow format so you can jump right in. Whether you're learning the basics or brushing up on the finer points, everything you need to know is right here.
Set up a pickleball court
Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court (6.1 x 13.4 metres) that is smaller than a tennis court. This compact court makes for fast-paced game play, and can be set up easily indoors or outdoors.
You can use an existing court or simply set one up for pickleball. All you need is a level surface, a net and some way to mark down court lines on the ground.
Start with the serve
- Start each rally with an underhand serve diagonally across the court
- The ball must land in the correct service court, clearing the ‘kitchen’ (non-volley zone)
- A serve that lands on the non-volley zone or 'the kitchen' is considered a fault
The 'two-bounce' rule
The two-bounce rule means the ball must:
- Bounce once on each side after the serve, and
- Return before players can volley.
This stops the serving team gaining unfair advantage by rushing the net.
Stay out of The Kitchen (the non-volley zone)
Players aren’t allowed to volley (hit the ball out of the air) while standing in or touching the kitchen area. The only time you're allowed in the kitchen is when the ball has already bounced in it.
The kitchen is a 7-foot zone on either side of the net that prevents close volleys to help the game remains balanced and strategic.
This non-volley zone extends from sideline to sideline.
Continue each point until a fault
Play continues until a rally is won by hitting a winning shot or one of the four basic ‘faults’ happens. The four basic faults are include:
- Out of bounds: the ball lands behind the baseline or outside the sideline.
- Out of service: the serve lands outside the service area, in the kitchen or on the line.
- Hitting the net: the ball hits the net and falls back on your side
- Double bounce: the ball bounces twice on one side before the player can return it
Players are responsible for calling balls in or out.
Playing doubles
Pickleball can be played one-on-one or as doubles. If playing doubles:
- Serves always start from the right-hand side of the court—whether you’re starting play or the serve passes to the opposing team
- Both players on a team get the chance to serve.
- Player one keeps serving until their team loses a point. Then, player two on the same team serves until their team loses a point.
- Once both players on a team lose the opposing team gets to serve.
How to score
Score by making your opponent miss, hit out of bounds, into the net, or if a player steps into the kitchen while volleying.
First to 11 points, win by 2
- Most games are played to 11 points with a minimum 2-point lead
- You need to win by at least 2 points
- Some tournaments may play to 15 or 21 points, but they also require a minimum 2-point lead.
Only win points on your serve
- Points can be scored via rally score (each point counts) or traditional scoring (only the serving team scores points)
- The third number keeps track of the first or second server in each team
- The serve passes to player 2 if player 1 messes up, changing the third score number to ‘2’.
Scoring doubles
- Pickleball scores are called with three numbers (your score, opponents score and server number (1 or 2))
- For example, 3-3-1 means both teams are tied at 3 and the first server.
Get the gear
Get your pickleball journey rolling with the perfect gear, comfortable clothing, pickleball courts (and, of course, some friends)!
On-court comfort is key when pickleballing. To play pickleball at your best, be sure to wear clothes you’re comfortable moving around in and court shoes—they’re great for quick stops and side stepping action.
Pickleball is played with a solid paddle and a lightweight, perforated plastic ball that has a lower bounce than a tennis ball. Most clubs and venues will have equipment you can rent.
Grab a mate (or three) and get on the court!