Serve In or Out: Line Rules for the Pickleball Serve
Also known as: serve on the kitchen line, pickleball serve on the kitchen line, serve on the baseline pickleball, serve on the centerline pickleball, pickleball serve line calls, serve hits the kitchen line
A serve that touches the kitchen line is out. That line is part of the non-volley zone. A serve that lands on the baseline, sideline or centerline of the correct service court is in. A serve that clips the net is still good if it lands in the right court.
Rule 7.E says the serve must clear the opponent's non-volley zone and land in the service court diagonally opposite. Every line that bounds the kitchen belongs to the kitchen. A serve landing on the kitchen line is therefore a fault, the same as one landing inside the kitchen. Rule 8.C names this case directly.
The other lines work the opposite way. Each service court includes its baseline, sideline and centerline. A serve touching any of them is in. Players must not call a ball out unless they clearly see space between the ball and the line. A serve that lands in the wrong service court is out.
The net and posts follow their own rules. A serve may touch the net, rope or cable and still be good if it lands in the correct court. There is no service let. A serve that touches a net post or any other part of the net support system is a fault. So is a serve that hits a permanent object or the server's partner before landing.
Tips by skill level
On the serve, the kitchen line is out and every other line of the service court is in.
A serve aimed deep has more margin than one that skims the kitchen line. A ball that lands on the baseline still counts.
Example
The server's ball skims the net and lands on the receiver's kitchen line. Some players think a net serve is replayed. In fact, it is a fault. The ball touched the kitchen line.
Why it matters
On the serve, the kitchen line reverses the usual rule that a ball on the line is in. Getting it right avoids arguments on the first shot of the rally.
Common mistakes
- Calling a serve on the kitchen line in
- Calling a serve on the baseline or centerline out
- Replaying a serve that clipped the net and landed in
- Calling a close serve out without seeing a gap between ball and line
Frequently asked questions
Is a serve on the kitchen line in or out in pickleball?
Out. The kitchen line is part of the non-volley zone. The serve must clear it, and a serve touching that line is a fault.
Is a serve on the baseline in pickleball?
Yes. The baseline, sideline and centerline are part of the service court. A serve that touches any of them is in.
Is it a fault if the serve hits the net post in pickleball?
Yes. A serve that touches a net post or any other part of the net support system is a fault. Touching the net itself is fine if the ball lands in.
Sources
Related terms
- Let Serve Rule (Pickleball)A "let" traditionally means a serve that clips the net and lands in is replayed. Current pickleball rules eliminated that provision, so a serve that ticks the net and lands in the correct service court is simply live.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Pickleball Court Dimensions and Net HeightA 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.
- Line Call EtiquetteIn self-officiated play, the side of the court where the ball landed makes the call. Benefit of the doubt goes to the opponent on close or unsure calls, and calls are made immediately, not after the fact.
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