• Serving – The serving player must keep both feet behind the baseline (back line) when serving. The serve is made underhand. The paddle must strike the ball below the waist of the server and the paddle-face must also be below the wrist of the serving hand. The serve is sent diagonally cross-court. The serve must pass beyond the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ) line. The server only gets one opportunity to get the serve into the proper service area unless the ball touches the net and lands in the service area – in this case the server may make another attempt. At the beginning of each new game the first team to serve is allowed only one fault before relinquishing the serve to their opponents. After this, both members of each team will have a service turn before giving over the serve to the other team. The player on the right-hand court will always be the first to start play.

• Two Bounce Rule – The ball must bounce before the receiving team can return it. After serving the ball, the serving team must also let the first returned ball bounce before hitting it. After the third hit, volleying (hitting the ball before it bounces) is permitted.

• Non-volley Zone – There is an area (seven feet from the net on each side of the court) that a player may not step into or stand in when volleying the ball. If the player volleying the ball stands in, steps into the NVZ or onto the NVZ line while hitting or as a result of their follow through afterward, it will result in a fault.

• Scoring – In regular play, a team scores points only while serving. The player serving will continue until their team makes a fault. When a point is scored the server will trade sides with his partner (playing doubles) and serve diagonally to the other side and player. The player will continue to take turns serving to each of his opponents until the serving side makes a fault.

• Calling the score – The score is called in the following order: a) server’s score, b) receiver’s score c) the server number. For example if the serving player calls this “five – eight – two”, this means: the serving team has five points, the receiving team has eight points and the server’s partner has already served making them the second server on that side. If the serving team were to make a fault, this would result in a side-out (the serve going to the opponents) and the next player serving would report the score as “eight – five – one”.

• Faults – Hitting the ball out of bounds or not clearing the net. Violating the NVZ rule while volleying the ball. Volleying the ball before it has bounced once on each side of the net. Allowing the ball to bounce twice on your side of the net.

• Additional Rules – see USAPA rules or the governing body of pickleball in your country.