Pickleball Rules Summary

USA Pickleball Rulebook 2026

REMEMBER – IT’S JUST A GAME – HAVE FUN!

Contact George Lavezzary, Assistant Coordinator-Sports, with league compliments, questions, or concerns – glavezzary@erieco.gov 

WEATHER HOTLINE  1) The weather hotline is a recorded message, which will inform teams of the status of that day’s games. A message will be recorded at 4pm Monday – Friday. Updates are made as necessary. It is every team's responsibility to call the weather hotline. In case of inclement weather or poor field conditions after a game has begun, the MOD will decide if the court is playable. Every attempt will be made to play; however, safety is the #1 concern of Erie Parks & Recreation.

2) WEATHER HOTLINE NUMBER IS – 303.926.2550 option 4.  This is a voicemail recording. Please listen to the full message as there can be many different fields listed on this recording.  3) You may also access game status information at www.quickscores.com/erie at 4pm Monday – Friday

BE COURTEOUS!  Please notify your partner and George at least 24 hours in advance if you cannot make your scheduled match.

The Game:

Match Rules

• Court: Matches will be played on standard pickleball courts.
• Equipment: Players are responsible for bringing their own paddles. Balls will be provided by the league.
• Scoring: Matches will be played to 11 points, win by 2. Each match consists of the best 2 out of 3 games.
• Serve: 
  • The serve must be made underhand and diagonally cross-court. Each team must serve from the right-hand court at the start of each game.
  • Paddle contact with the ball must not be made above the waist level.
  • The head of the paddle must not be above the highest part of the wrist at contact.
  • Either a volley serve (underhand, waist-level, paddle below wrist) or a drop serve is permitted
  • 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.
  • Only one serve attempt is allowed per rally. A missed or faulty serve is a fault.
• Faults:  A fault occurs when:
  • A serve does not land within the confines of the receiving court.
  • The ball is hit into the net on the serve or any return.
  • The ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side.
  • The ball is hit out of bounds.
  • A ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone.
  • A ball bounces twice before being struck by the receiver.
  • A player, player’s clothing, or any part of a player’s paddle touches the net or the net post when the ball is in play.
  • There is a violation of a service rule.
  • A ball in play strikes a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying.
  • A ball in play strikes any permanent object before bouncing on the court.
  • A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation. A fault by the receiving team results in a point for the serving team. A fault by the serving team results in the server’s loss of serve or side out.
• Serving Sequence:
  • Both players on the serving doubles team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault (except for the first service sequence of each new game)
  • The first serve of each side-out is made from the right-hand court.
  • If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve from the left-hand court.
  • As subsequent points are scored, the server continues switching back and forth until a fault is committed and the first server loses the serve.
  • When the first server loses the serve the partner then serves from their correct side of the court (except for the first service sequence of the game)
  • The second server continues serving until their team commits a fault and loses the serve to the opposing team.
  • Once the service goes to the opposition (at side out), the first serve is from the right-hand court and both players on that team have the opportunity to serve and score points until their team commits two faults.
• Non-Volley Zone: Players cannot volley the ball while standing in the non-volley zone, also known as 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.
• Scoring:
  • Points are scored only by the serving team.
  • Games are normally played to 11 points, win by 2.
  • When the serving team’s score is even (0,2,4,6,8,10) the player who was the first server in the game for that team will be in the right-side court when serving or receiving; when odd (1,3,5,7,9) that player will be in the left-side court when serving or receiving.
  • The ball bounces twice before being hit.
• Two-Bounce Rule:
  • When the ball is served, the receiving team must let it bounce before returning, and then the serving team must let it bounce before returning, thus two bounces.
  • After the ball has bounced once in each team’s court, both teams may either volley the ball (hit the ball before it bounces) or play it off a bounce (ground stroke).
  • The two-bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies.
• Line Calls: 
  • A ball contacting any line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve is considered “in”.
  • A serve contacting the non-volley zone line is short and a fault.
• Determining Serving Team: 
  • Any fair method can be used to determine which player or team has first choice of side, service, or receive. (Example: Coin Flip)

-Playoffs: The season will conclude with a single elimination playoff bracket.

-Forfeits: Forfeited matches will be scored 11-0, 11-0.  If a player or both players are not ready to start at their schedules match time, that player (or both) players will be granted a 10-minute grace period.  At the end of the 10-minute grace period a forfeit will be declared.