Reformated Rulebook

This is a proposal to reorganize the Official Rulebook for 2026 to enable current and future pickleball players to more easily navigate the rulebook and understand and apply the rules in all forms of play. This reorganization does not add, delete, or change the 2025 rules, it only edits and reformats the current rules.

PART I – INTRODUCTION TO PICKLEBALL

Section 1          The Game

Section 2          Definitions

Section 3          Court and Equipment

3.A         Court Specifications
3.B         Net Specifications
3.C         Ball Specifications
3.D         Paddle Specifications

PART II - GENERAL RULES OF PLAY

Section 4          Point Scoring

4.A         Standard Scoring
4.B         Winning the Game

Section 5          Player Positions and Serving Sequence

5.A         Singles
5.B         Doubles
5.C         Questions About Correct Server, Receiver, and Positions

Section 6          Player Readiness and Calling the Score

6.A         Readiness
6.B         Calling the Score
6.C         When to Serve
6.D         10-Second Rule
6.E         After the start of the Score Call
6.F         Challenging the Score Call

Section 7          Serving

7.A         Server Positioning
7.B         Ball Release
7.C         Volley Serve
7.D         Drop Serve
7.E         Serve Placement

Section 8          Line Calls

8.A        Line Calling Responsibility
8.B        “In” Ball
8.C        “Out” Ball
8.D       Code of Ethics for Line Calling
8.E        Line Call Certainty
8.F        “Out” Call and Signal
8.G       Overriding a Call
8.H       Partner Disagreement (Doubles)
8.I         Requesting Opponent’s Opinion
8.J         Spectators

Section 9          Dead Balls, Faults, and Hinders

9.A         Stopping a Rally
9.B         Faults
9.C         Hinders

Section 10        Rally Situations

10.A       Two-Bounce Rule
10.B       Maximum Number of Bounces
10.C       Returned Ball Placement
10.D      Double Hit
10.E       Missed Shot
10.F       Distraction
10.G      Damaged Ball
10.H      Injury
10.I        Player Equipment or Apparel Problem
10.J        Item on Court
10.K       Between Rallies

Section 11        Non-Volley Zone Infractions

11.A       Volleying Action
11.B       Allowable Contact

Section 12        The Paddle During Play

12.A       One Paddle
12.B       Paddle Possession
12.C       Catch or Carry

Section 13        The Net and Net Support System During Play

13.A       Ball Contacting Net
13.B       Ball Contacting Net Support System
13.C       Ball Around Net Post
13.D      Ball Between Net and Net Post
13.E       Ball Under Net
13.F       Ball Crossing Plane of Net
13.G      Player Contacting Net or Net Support System
13.H      Player Contacting Opponent or Opponent’s Court
13.I        Player Crossing Plane of Net
13.J        Replay – Net System Malfunction

Section 14        Variations on Standard Pickleball

14.A       (Provisional Rule) Rally Scoring Option
14.B       Mini-Singles

PART III - TOURNAMENT PLAY

Section 15        Tournament Event and Scoring Policies

15.A       Event Categories
15.B       Event Formats
15.C       Tournament Match and Scoring Options
15.D      Scheduling Matches
15.E       Draws and Seeding
15.F       Two-Match Minimum
15.G      Error Corrections

Section 16        Tournament Director Responsibilities

16.A       Overall Responsibility
16.B       Designee Selection
16.C       Event Formats.
16.D      Draw and Seeding Committee
16.E       Notification of Hazards and Abnormal Conditions
16.F       Local Rules and Exceptions
16.G      Ball Selection
16.H      Starting Server Identification (Doubles)
16.I        Line Judges
16.J        Removal of Referee or Line Judge
16.K       Player Apparel Changes
16.L       Notice of Schedule Changes
16.M     Extending Time to Report to Match
16.N      Court Changes
16.O      Officiating Appeals
16.P       Player Misconduct

Section 17        Referee Responsibilities

17.A       Basic Duties
17.B       Pre-Match Checks
17.C       Pre-Match Briefing
17.D      Officiating Play

Section 18        Player Pre-Match Responsibilities

18.A       USA Pickleball Approved Paddle
18.B       Apparel
18.C       Starting Server Identification (Doubles)
18.D      Electronic Equipment
18.E       Notice of Matches
18.F       Reporting for a Match
18.G      Partner Change (Doubles)

Section 19        Tournament Line Calls

19.A       Match Officiating Options
19.B       Matches Without Line Judges
19.C       Matches with Line Judges
19.D      Appeals
19.E       Referee Makes Call – Without Line Judges
19.F       Referee Overrule of Line Call
19.G      No Definitive Call by Referee
19.H      Immediate Call by Referee
19.I        Player Override of Call

Section 20        Tournament Match Situations

20.A       Confirmation of Score
20.B       Confirmation of Correct Player or Position
20.C       Replay – Server or Position Correction
20.D      Player Repositioning
20.E       Service Faults and Replays
20.F       Damaged Balls
20.G      Coaching
20.H      Hinders
20.I        Distractions
20.J        Officiating Decision Challenge
20.K       Removal of Line Judge
20.L       Removal of Referee

Section 21        Time-Outs and Breaks

21.A       Standard Time-Out
21.B       End Change Time-Out
21.C       Medical Time-Out
21.D      Referee Time-Out
21.E       Equipment Time-Out
21.F       Time-Out Between Games
21.G      Time Between Matches
21.H      Suspended Game

Section 22        Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Related Penalties

22.A       Referee Authorization
22.B       Verbal and Technical Warnings
22.C       Verbal and Technical Warning Consequences
22.D      Technical Fouls
22.E       Technical Foul Consequences
22.F       Game Forfeit
22.G      Game Forfeit Consequences
22.H      Scoring for Game Forfeit
22.I        Match Forfeit by Referee
22.J        Match Forfeit by Tournament Director
22.K       Scoring for Match Forfeit
22.L       Ejection or Expulsion
22.M     Scoring for Ejection and Expulsion

Section 23        Retirements and Withdrawals

23.A       Retirement from Match
23.B       Withdrawal from Bracket

Section 24        Non-Officiated Tournament Play

24.A       Self-Administration
24.B       Change of Starting Server (Doubles)
24.C       Extra Ball
24.D      Request for Referee or Tournament Director
24.E       Paddle Compliance Appeal
24.F       Use of Time-Outs Between Games
24.G      Retirement During Match

Appendix A Faults and Replays

Appendix B Rulebook Priorities and Guiding Principles

The entire 2025 Official Rulebook

This is a proposal to reorganize the Official Rulebook for 2026 to enable current and future pickleball players to more easily navigate the rulebook and understand and apply the rules in all forms of play. This reorganization does not add, delete, or change the 2025 rules, it only edits and reformats the current rules. The benefits of this reorganization are:

• Rules exclusive to tournament play (Part III) are separated from rules that apply to all pickleball play (Part II), making it easier for players to know how the rules are applied in both recreational and tournament play.
• Related rules are grouped together, rather than in different locations.
• Faults are located with the rule to which they apply rather than scattered throughout the rulebook in separate sections.
• The redundancy and restatement of rules, not always using the same language, is eliminated.
• Headings are provided for every rule number for ease of navigating the rules to find specific topics.
• Consistent grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation are used. In addition to providing greater clarity, it will facilitate translation of the rules into languages other than English.

An outline of the reformatted rulebook is included here. A separate file of this outline has also been uploaded. The rulebook is undergoing a comprehensive review to confirm that the current 2025 rules have been completely and accurately incorporated. Upon completion of the review, the full document will be released for public review. If this proposal is approved, all new rule changes adopted for 2026 will be incorporated.

All rules.