(Revision 1)
USA Pickleball
Website: usapickleball.org
Cover Photo and Design Credit: Steve Taylor, Digital Spatula
© 2010; revised 2024
USA PICKLEBALL was organized to perpetuate the growth and advancement of pickleball on a national level and to set goals for worldwide play and recognition. USA Pickleball is committed to furthering the growth and development of pickleball among all players.
USA Pickleball is the National Governing Body of American pickleball that formulates and interprets all the rules of the sport in a manner that preserves the traditional nature and character of the sport and the skills traditionally required to play the sport. All such decisions by USA Pickleball are final and not appealable.
The purpose of the rulebook is to provide pickleball players with the rules necessary for recreational, social, organized league and tournament play. Some sections of this rulebook are designed to be used only for the conduct of USA Pickleball-sanctioned tournaments. A sanctioned tournament allows players to obtain a rating on a national or international basis.
Non-sanctioned tournaments may also use these sections as guidelines. Tournament Directors for non-sanctioned tournaments may be flexible in the use of these guidelines to better fit the skills, ages, and diversity of their players. USA Pickleball enthusiastically encourages these non-sanctioned tournaments to promote knowledge and growth of the sport, and skill development, while having fun playing pickleball.
USA Pickleball published the sport’s first official rulebook in March 1984.
These rules will not be changed without good cause. Comments and opinions are always welcome. If you have any questions about the rules, please visit:
Faults for incorrect server, incorrect receiver and player position errors are eliminated. The referee will now correct any such player errors before calling the score. Rule 4.B.9 is the primary rule text. Several other rules have been modified or deleted to correlate with this change.
Rule 2.C.6 called for a replay when a ball goes over the net and hits a net that is draped on the ground (except on a serve) but only if the referee determined that the ball was affected by the draped net. This rule, and Rule 11.L.5.b for temporary nets, now call for a replay without qualification. A determination that the ball was affected by the draped net is now not required in officiated or non-officiated play.
Rule 7.L now makes catching or carrying a ball on the paddle a fault without having to determine that the catch or carry was deliberately done.
Rule 13.E.5 calls for a replay when a player overrules to their detriment a line judge’s ‘out’ call as ‘in.’ The player or team may now choose to concede the rally to their opponent if they determine they would have been unable to return the ‘in’ ball.
Similarly, Rule 13.E.4 calls for a replay when the referee overturns a line judge’s out call as in. The player or team who benefitted from the referee’s ruling may now choose to concede the rally to their opponent if they determine they would have been unable to return the ‘in’ ball.
A player is now allowed to use available standard time-outs after the 15-minute medical time-out has expired to allow more time before the player must retire from the match.
Case 5-23 in the USAP Casebook establishes how and when a player can rescind a requested medical time-out, and that the medical time-out would not be charged to the player. The ruling has been revised to require that the requested medical time-out be charged to the player.
Paddle specifications have been updated to address new and emerging paddle technology and features and to clarify the alterations that players are allowed to make to certified paddles.
Mini-Singles (12.O)
Mini-singles is currently an approved format. The specific rules governing mini-singles are now incorporated in the Rulebook.