Most Misunderstood Rules – Line Calls

The basic pickleball line call rules are:

• The pickleball must land in the correct service court on the serve. All of the lines of the correct service court, except for the Non-Volley Zone line (also known as the Kitchen line), are “in.” This means that if the served pickleball lands on the sideline, centerline, or baseline, the serve is “in.” If the pickleball lands in the Non-Volley Zone (or the Kitchen), on the Non-Volley Zone line, or completely outside of the lines of the correct service court, then the serve is “out.”
• On any shot other than the serve in pickleball, the pickleball is “in” if it lands anywhere on the pickleball court. This includes all of the lines of the pickleball court. In other words, if the pickleball lands on the sideline, centerline, baseline, or the Non-Volley Zone line on any shot, other than the serve, then the pickleball is “in.” If the pickleball lands completely outside of the lines on the pickleball court, then the pickleball is “out.”