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Complete Pickleball Kitchen Rules – The NVZ

December 4, 2020Posted inRules
Pickleball Kitchen

Examining the Rules of the Pickleball Kitchen

We are going to look at the Pickleball Kitchen Rules. The official name of the Kitchen is the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ). Below you will find a quick summary followed by a full version of the rules of the kitchen from the Official Pickleball Rules Handbook.

Non-Volley Zone aka The Kitchen

  • The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net.
  • Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone.
  • It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps on the non-volley zone, including the line and/or when the player’s momentum causes them or anything they are wearing or carrying to touch the non-volley zone including the associated lines.
  • It is a fault if, after volleying, a player is carried by momentum into or touches the non-volley zone, even if the volleyed ball is declared dead before this happens.
  • A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball.
  • The non-volley zone is commonly referred to as “the kitchen.”

Here are the Full Rules of The Kitchen

Non-Volley Zone

  • 9.A. – All volleys must be initiated outside of the non-volley zone
  • 9.B. – It is a fault if the volleying player or anything that has contact with the volleying player while in the act of volleying, touches the non-volley zone.
    • 9.B.1. – The act of volleying the ball includes the swing, the follow-through, and the momentum from the action.
    • 9.B.2 – If the paddle touches the non-volley zone during the volley motion, before or after contacting the ball, it is a fault.
  • 9.C. – It is a fault if the player’s momentum causes the player to contact anything that is touching the non-volley zone, including the player’s partner.
    • 9.C.1 – It is a fault even if the ball is declared dead before the player contacts the non-volley zone.
  • 9.D. – If a player has touched the non-volley zone for any reason, that player cannot volley a return until both feet have made contact with the playing surface completely outside the non-volley zone. A maneuver such as standing within the non-volley zone, jumping up to hit a volley, and then landing outside the non-volley zone is prohibited.
  • 9.E. – A player may enter the non-volley zone at any time except when that player is volleying the ball.
  • 9.F. – A player may enter the non-volley zone before or after returning any ball that bounces.
  • 9.G. – A player may stay inside the non-volley zone to return a ball that has bounced. There is no violation if a player does not exit the non-volley zone after hitting a ball that bounces.
  • 9.H. – There is no violation if a player returns the ball while their partner is standing in the non-volley zone.

    • Kitchen Rules Takeaway

    The biggest thing to take away from the rules of the non-volley zone aka kitchen is that you can be in the kitchen anytime you want however you must re-establish yourself outside of it (by placing both feet completely outside of the non-volley zone) before you volley a ball. You DO NOT have to leave the kitchen before hitting a ball that has bounced in the kitchen. If you are volleying a ball you must keep yourself and all parts of you including clothing, paddle, etc from touching inside the kitchen after you contact the ball.

    For more pickleball rules visit our page on Pickleball Rules. If you would like to checkout the full Rules handbook CLICK HERE.

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    Last updated on December 4, 2020