Pickleball Rules: Scoring, the Kitchen & Serve
Pickleball is the game everyone is suddenly obsessed with, and for good reason. It mashes up tennis, badminton, and ping pong into one addictive package you can play on a driveway. You serve underhand, keep the ball in a 20-by-44-foot court, respect a no-volley zone called the kitchen, and race to 11. Here is everything you need to play a real game, including the rules people argue about most.
What you need
- A net set 36 in high at the sidelines and 34 in at the center
- Two or four pickleball paddles
- A perforated plastic pickleball (outdoor balls have smaller, harder holes)
- A flat 20 x 44 ft surface (driveway, sport court, or smooth patio)
- Optional: chalk or tape to mark the kitchen and baseline
How to play pickleball
- Set up the court and netMark a 20 ft wide by 44 ft long court. The net is 36 in high at the sidelines and dips to 34 in at the center. A 7 ft non-volley zone (the kitchen) sits on each side of the net.
- Serve underhand and diagonalStand behind the baseline and serve underhand, hitting the ball below your waist. The serve must travel diagonally and land in the opposite service court, clearing the kitchen.
- Honor the double-bounce ruleAfter the serve, the receiving side must let it bounce once before returning, and the serving side must let that return bounce once too. Only after those two bounces can players volley.
- Stay out of the kitchen on volleysYou cannot volley the ball while standing in the 7 ft non-volley zone or touching its line. You can step into the kitchen anytime to play a ball that has bounced, but get out before you volley again.
- Rally until a faultKeep the ball in play over the net and inbounds. A fault happens when the ball goes out, lands in the net, bounces twice, or someone volleys from the kitchen.
- Score only on your serveOnly the serving side can score a point. Win the rally on your serve and you get a point and keep serving; lose it and the serve passes to the other side.
Scoring
- Only the serving team can score points. If the receiving team wins the rally, they win the serve, not a point.
- Games are played to 11 points and you must win by 2.
- In doubles, the score is called as three numbers: your team's score, the opponents' score, and the server number (1 or 2).
- Tournament games are sometimes played to 15 or 21, but 11 win-by-2 is the standard backyard target.
Distance & setup
Fun variations
- Singles: one player per side, same court, more court to cover and a faster cardio workout.
- Doubles: the most common format, two players per side, more strategy at the kitchen line.
- Driveway pickleball: a portable net and chalk lines turn any flat driveway into a court.
- Skinny singles: play only the diagonal half of the court for a tighter, lower-running game.
Pickleball rules FAQ
What is the kitchen in pickleball?
The kitchen is the 7 ft non-volley zone on each side of the net. You cannot hit the ball out of the air (volley) while standing in it or touching its line. You can step in to play a ball that has already bounced.
What are the pickleball serving rules?
Serve underhand with contact below your waist, from behind the baseline. The serve must travel diagonally and land in the opposite service court past the kitchen line. Only one serve attempt is allowed in standard rules.
What is the double-bounce rule?
After the serve, the ball must bounce once on the receiving side before they return it, and the serving side must let the return bounce once before hitting it. After those two bounces, either side may volley.
How do you score in pickleball?
Only the serving side can score. Games go to 11 points, win by 2. In doubles the score is called as three numbers: serving team score, receiving team score, and the server number.
What are the dimensions of a pickleball court?
A pickleball court is 20 ft wide by 44 ft long. The net is 36 in high at the sidelines and 34 in at the center, and the kitchen extends 7 ft from the net on each side.
Can you play pickleball in your driveway?
Absolutely. A portable net and some chalk or tape to mark a 20 x 44 ft court turn most driveways into a playable pickleball court. Outdoor balls hold up better on rough surfaces than indoor ones.
Ready to play?
Grab a set and start your league this weekend. We ranked the best pickleball sets for every budget.
See our top pickleball picks → Printable rules card