Rules of Serving in Pickleball
Here is a summary of the rules for how to serve in pickleball followed the full rules and regulations from the Official Rules Handbook. The major factors of the serve are an upward arc motion, hitting the ball below the waist and making sure the paddle face are below the wrist.
The Serve Rules Summary
- The server’s arm must be moving in an upward arc when the ball is struck.
- Paddle contact with the ball must not be made above the waist level (navel level).
- The head of the paddle must not be above the highest part of the wrist at contact.
- The service motion is initiated with both feet behind the baseline and its imaginary extension. At the time the ball is struck, the server’s feet may not touch the court or outside the imaginary extension of the sideline or centerline and at least one foot must be behind the baseline on the playing surface or the ground behind the baseline.
- The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court.
- Only one serve attempt is allowed, except in the event of a let (the ball touches the net on the serve and lands on the proper service court; let serves are replayed).
Full Rules of the Pickleball Serve
- 4.A.1 – The entire score be called before the the server begins the service motion.
- 4.A.2 – The service motion begins with the server’s arm movement initiating the swing, backward or forward, to contact the ball.
- 4.A.3 – At the beginning of the service motion, both feet must be behind the baseline and the imaginary extensions of the baseline. At the time the ball is strict, the server’s feet may not touch the court or outside the imaginary extensions of the sideline or the centerline and at least one foot must be on the playing surface or ground behind the baseline.
- 4.A.4 – The ball must be struck without bouncing. A person with a physical disability, such as having the use of only one arm, may bounce the ball before making the service motion.
- 4.A.5 – The server’s arm must be moving in an upward arc at the time the ball is strict and may be made with either a forehand or backhand motion.
- 4.A.6 – the highest point of the paddle head must not be above the highest part of the wrist (where the wrist joint bends) when it strikes the ball.
- 4.A.7 – Contact with the ball must not be made above the waist level (Waist is defined as the navel level)
- 4.A.8 – Placement. The server must serve to the correct service court (the court diagonally opposite the server). The serve must clear the net and the NVZ. The serve may land on any other service court line.
- 4.A.9 – If the serve clears the net or hits the net and then touches the receiver or the receiver’s partner, it is a point for the serving team.
Legal & Illegal Serve from Keith Bing on Vimeo.
Takeaways from Pickleball Service Rules
There are a variety of techniques and strategies to the serve but the most important factor is getting it in. Getting and then keeping the ball in play is a winning strategy, you lose 100% of the serves you don’t get in play. For more rules you can visit our Pickleball Rules page or take a look at the Official Rules Book