Pickleball Court Dimensions and Net Height
Also known as: pickleball court size, how big is a pickleball court, pickleball net height, how high is a pickleball net, pickleball court measurements, kitchen size
A pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, the same for singles and doubles. The non-volley zone, or kitchen, extends 7 feet from the net on each side. The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center.
The court is a rectangle of 20 by 44 feet, about 6.10 by 13.41 meters. Measurements run to the outside edge of the lines, and lines should be 2 inches wide. A centerline splits each half into right and left service courts, from the kitchen line to the baseline. Each service court includes its baseline, sideline and centerline. The kitchen lines are part of the kitchen.
The kitchen is 7 by 20 feet on each side of the net. The net posts should be 22 feet apart, measured inside to inside. The top of the net must be 36 inches above the ground at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center. A center strap may hold it at that height.
The rulebook's minimum playing surface is 30 by 60 feet. That includes the space around the lines. For new and tournament courts it recommends 34 by 64 feet. Many players mark pickleball lines on a tennis court and use a portable net. A portable pickleball net gives the correct heights.
Tips by skill level
Remember three numbers. The court is 20 by 44 feet, the kitchen is 7 feet deep, and the net is 34 inches in the middle.
The net is 2 inches lower in the middle than at the sidelines. Drives and dinks through the middle have a little more clearance.
Example
Players marking a court on a driveway measure 20 by 44 feet to the outside of the lines. They tape the kitchen lines 7 feet from the net and set a portable net to 34 inches in the middle.
Why it matters
Knowing the court size and net height lets you set up a legal court anywhere. It also shows why soft shots and the kitchen shape every point.
Common mistakes
- Measuring to the inside of the lines instead of the outside edge
- Leaving a tennis net at tennis height for pickleball
- Treating the kitchen line as outside the kitchen
- Thinking singles uses a narrower court, as in tennis
Frequently asked questions
How big is a pickleball court?
20 feet wide by 44 feet long, measured to the outside of the lines. Singles and doubles use the same court.
How high is a pickleball net?
36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center, each within a quarter inch.
How big is the kitchen in pickleball?
The non-volley zone runs 7 feet from the net on each side, across the full 20-foot width. Its lines are part of the zone.
Can you play pickleball on a tennis court?
Yes. Many players mark pickleball lines on a tennis court. A portable pickleball net gives the correct heights of 34 inches at the center and 36 inches at the sidelines.
Sources
Related terms
- Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone)The kitchen is the 7-foot non-volley zone on each side of the net. You may not hit a volley (a ball out of the air) while standing in it or touching its line. You must let the ball bounce first.
- Out of Bounds CallAn out-of-bounds call means a ball landed outside the court's sideline or baseline. Any part of the ball touching a boundary line counts as in, not out.
- ServeThe pickleball serve is an underhand stroke hit diagonally into the opposite service box, with contact below the waist and an upward arc. Under the two-bounce rule the striking side cannot follow it to the net, which makes depth and placement — not pace — the qualities that matter.
- Pickleball Rules for BeginnersServe underhand and diagonally into the opposite service court, past the kitchen. The serve and the return must each bounce, and nobody may volley while touching the kitchen. In standard scoring only the serving side scores, and games usually go to 11, win by 2.
- Transition ZoneThe transition zone is mid-court, between the kitchen line and baseline. Players are most vulnerable here: too close to drive, too far to dink effectively.
Related guides & benchmarks
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