Every point in pickleball starts with a serve, and the serve has more rules than any other shot. The good news: you only need a handful of them to serve legally every time. Here are the serving rules in plain English, the two kinds of serve you can use, and the faults that catch new players most.
Pickleball 101 · The short answer
Serve underhand, diagonally, from behind the baseline, and land the ball past the kitchen in the court across from you. You get one try.
- There are two legal serves: the volley serve and the drop serve
- Volley serve: hit it out of the air, below your navel, with an upward swing
- Drop serve: drop the ball, let it bounce, then hit it any way you like
- Keep at least one foot on the ground behind the baseline, and don't touch the line
- A serve that lands on the kitchen line is a fault. One that touches the net and lands in is in play
The two legal serves
You can choose either serve on any point. Most recreational players start with the volley serve. The drop serve has become popular because it has fewer rules and is easier to keep legal.
The volley serve
You hit the ball out of the air, before it bounces. It's the traditional serve, and it comes with three rules about how you swing.
The drop serve
You drop the ball, let it bounce on the court, then hit it. There are no rules about your swing, only about how you release the ball.
Volley serve rules
For a legal volley serve, three things have to be true when the paddle meets the ball.
The volley serve at contact
Underhand, low and upward
1
Below the navel. Contact the ball below your belly button.
2
Paddle head below the wrist. The top of your paddle is lower than the highest part of your wrist.
3
Upward arc. Your paddle moves up through the ball, not sideways or down.
Under the current rules, all three have to be clearly met. If any of them is borderline, it can be called a fault, especially in refereed matches. So don't live on the edge: make contact a little lower than you think you need to, and swing up.
You also have to release the ball without adding spin. Spinning the ball with your hand before the serve has been illegal for years.
Drop serve rules
The drop serve is the simpler option, which is why many coaches now teach it first.
- 1
Drop the ball, don't throw it
Release the ball from one hand, or drop it off your paddle face. You can drop it from any natural height, but you can't toss it up, throw it down or push it.
- 2
No spin on the release
You can't spin the ball with your fingers as you drop it. Let it fall naturally.
- 3
Let it bounce, then hit it
The ball bounces on the court before you hit it. After that, there are no rules about contact height, paddle position or the direction of your swing.
- 4
Spin from the paddle is fine
You can brush the ball with your paddle to put spin on it at contact. Only spin added with your hand is illegal.
Where to stand when you serve
Your position depends on the score. In doubles, your team's starting server serves from the right when your score is even and from the left when it's odd. Here's how the score decides your side.
Within that half of the court, the rules for your feet are the same for both serves. When you hit the ball:
At least one foot down, behind the baseline
One foot has to be on the ground behind the baseline. You can't be in the air with both feet.
Nothing on the line or the court
Neither foot can touch the baseline or the court in front of it.
Inside the imaginary lines
Neither foot can be outside the imaginary extension of the sideline or the centerline. Picture those lines running back behind the baseline.
After contact, you're free
Once you've hit the ball, you can step onto the court. Most players stay back, because of the two-bounce rule.
Where the serve has to land
The serve goes diagonally, crosscourt, into the service court opposite you. It has to clear the kitchen, the non-volley zone in front of the net.
| Where it lands | In or out? |
|---|---|
| Diagonal service court | In |
| Centerline, sideline or baseline | In. All three lines are part of the service court |
| Kitchen line | Fault. The kitchen line is part of the kitchen |
| Inside the kitchen | Fault |
| Touches the net, then lands in | In play. There are no "lets" on the serve |
| Wrong service court, or long | Fault |
The rules before you serve
A few rules come before the ball is even in the air.
Call the score first
The server has to call the score before serving. In doubles, that's three numbers.
10 seconds to serve
Once the score is called, you have 10 seconds to serve.
One serve per point
Unlike tennis, there's no second serve. If your serve is a fault, you lose the serve.
Say "not ready" in time
Any player can signal "not ready", but only before the server starts calling the score. Once the call has started, it's too late.
5 serving faults new players make
-
MistakeHitting a volley serve too high, above the navel.FixLet the ball drop lower before you hit it. Aim for contact around your front hip.
-
MistakeStepping on the baseline as you swing.FixStart a half step behind the line, so your front foot has room.
-
MistakeTossing the ball up for a drop serve.FixJust open your hand and let it fall. No toss, no push.
-
MistakeServing short into the kitchen.FixAim deep, at the back third of the service court. Deep serves are also harder to return.
-
MistakeServing before calling the score.FixMake the call part of your routine: score, pause, serve.
How to hit a reliable first serve
Forget power for now. A serve that lands in every time is worth more than an ace once in a while.
- 1
Pick one serve and stick with it
If the volley serve rules feel like too much, use the drop serve. It's just as legal.
- 2
Set your feet
Stand sideways, about a half step behind the baseline, with your front shoulder pointing toward the target.
- 3
Swing low to high
Use a smooth, pendulum-like swing from your shoulder, finishing up toward the target.
- 4
Aim deep and to the middle
A deep serve near the middle of the court keeps you away from the lines and pushes the receiver back.
Paddles that make serving easier
A forgiving paddle helps the ball go where you aim, even when contact isn't perfect. Wide faces and 16MM cores are the easiest to learn with. These three are in stock now.
Frequently asked questions
Can you serve overhand in pickleball?
Not with a volley serve: it has to be hit below the navel with an upward swing. A drop serve has no swing rules, but the ball can only be dropped, not tossed, so after the bounce you're hitting it low anyway.
Does a serve that hits the net count?
Yes. If the serve touches the net and lands in the correct service court, it's in play. If it lands in the kitchen or out, it's a fault.
Is a serve on the kitchen line in or out?
It's a fault. The kitchen line is part of the kitchen. The centerline, sideline and baseline count as in.
How many serves do you get in pickleball?
One per point. There's no second serve.
Can you bounce the ball before you serve?
Yes, that's the drop serve. Drop the ball, let it bounce, then hit it. You can't throw it down or toss it up.
Can you put spin on a pickleball serve?
Only with your paddle. Spinning the ball with your hand or fingers before or during the release is illegal.
Does the receiver have to let the serve bounce?
Yes. The two-bounce rule means the serve and the return both have to bounce before they're hit.
Which foot has to be behind the baseline?
Either one. At least one foot has to be on the ground behind the baseline when you hit the ball, and neither can touch the line.
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