Pickleball Serving Rules 2024 | Everything You Need to Know

[@edjupickleball]

Time Stamps: 0:00 - Intro 0:17 - Calling Out Score 0:33 - Placement 0:47 - Nasty Nelson 1:14 - The Moment The Ball Is Served 1:39 - Where Can You Stand on A Serve 2:45 - Test: Is This Legal? 3:13 - Spinning The Ball 4:56 - Hiding The Ball 5:40 - The Volley Serve 5:58 - Upwards Motion 6:48 - Is the Slice Serve Legal? 9:05- Paddle Head Below Wrist 9:51 - Is Tyson McGuffin's Serve Legal? 10:42 - Serve Below Waist 12:11 - The Drop Serve 14:25 - My Recommendation

[@edgramza]

I’ve seen a lot of tutorial Pickleball videos and yours so far is the best I’ve seen! No wasted words to fill content and right to the point with great explanation! Happy I found you keep it up!

[@HaraldHarb]

One of the better videos. Ed has a good manner in his teaching.

[@pamcoblyn5310]

Thank you for all the clarity with the explanations and demos. As usual, this video is a quality production. 👏👏👏

[@edjupickleball]

I’m glad you like it! Thanks for the support 🫶

[@raydyck4088]

And, sorry I forgot to mention - Great video, clear, concise, clarification!!

[@tjradioman]

I've been doing a spin on the serve just like the girl on the video, and have several people complaining. I think I'll just switch to the drop serve to make everybody happy. Great video, learned a ton!!

[@chrisrivo2477]

Hahaha me this morning. Was slicing the serve between the paddle and body. Ace lol

[@KuidongLi]

I have a nasty slice serve but I only do that to people who slice serve me. XD

[@rolypoly7143]

You are such a good teacher! I relearned a lot! Thank you for your hard work to make this.

[@davidsatz8761]

Fantastic video! so well done! Definitely clarified some of the subtly I was a little foggy on. Thank you!

[@TheMegansdad]

Great synopsis. Enjoyed the common sense distinctions you made between recreational and tourney play calls.

[@gregoryhall8414]

This was well worth (and fun) to watch Ed, Great job!!!! Playing in my first tournament Thursday 12 Dec. everything you covered in this vid applies.

[@maheshsankaran7981]

Great video. You took a dry topic and made it interesting. You are funny!

[@BartMigal]

it's absolutely possible to move the paddle downwards at the point of contact and still clear the net while serving (illegal, but possible). a slice ground stroke is a perfect example. Same with serve. If the ball comes off the paddle with any underspin, the paddle is moving down at point of contact. if it's coming off the paddle with topspin, it's moving up at point of contact.

[@melisamelisa8929]

Wow, this video is super helpful for brushing up on pickleball serving rules! Knowing the ins and outs can really up a game. And hey, from my experience, experimenting with different serves using my Oliver-Sport paddle has been a game-changer.

[@innermostbeing]

Being a newcomer to the game, I was looking for the rules and was glad to find your video with that clear explanation. I subscribed to your channel too!

[@scottkouns8578]

Excellent video. Thank you so much for sharing these rules. Very clear and easy understanding!!

[@FFOGHORN]

I would like to note that PPA rules (professional) differ from USAP rules (recreational/amateur). This causes the various clubs I play at recreationally a ton of confusion. For example, new PPA rules for volley serves forbid the server from throwing the ball up; USAP rules allow throwing the ball up so long as contact is made below the waist. Hope this helps!

[@mrsbucky1]

Very well-made video, thank you!

[@ShaneFerguson64culfam7art]

I am new to the sport. Your instruction has helped me. Thanks

[@LoneOakWoodworks]

2:30 on stepping into the court, some more clarification is needed.. You can hit and then step onto the court, but in your example you were fully behind the line at contact. What if you start close to the base line so your body is moving into the court as you contact but before your foot comes down? Contact could be a foot or two into the court, may or may not be an advantage (maybe a surprise backspin short serve), but is it legal?

[@calebho24]

I think the key word is 'contact', so your foot or body can hover over the line but as long as there is no contact with the playing surface using either foot or any part of the body, it is legal. Do look it up further as I am saying this based on my understanding of the rules as an English teacher. I'm not a pro player. Haha!

[@vijayranesongs]

Very well explained.. Thanks for your efforts to justify with actions for easy understanding of viewers! 👍🏻

[@ChocolateCrip]

Loving the frequent uploads and tips, your channel is going to grow a lot this year!

[@jjmorgan1220]

Ed, great video and love your style of presentation ❤

[@joq702]

I have been experimenting drop vs volley serves lately. I find as long as I am indoors, drop serve for me allows greater slice serves WITH consistency. I can be super aggressive and accurate off the drop serve as much as a volley serve.

[@tomski1111]

In a volley serve does the ball need to be released from your hand before the moment of contact? In other words can the ball be hit out of one’s hand?

[@glide1734]

amazing explanation for some of us recreational players 👍👍👍👍 nice job

[@EduardoPalacio-d3n]

I love to hit my serve across the top of the service box for winners with a lot of top speen

[@FrankRollberg]

Great explanations on this. Thank you

[@rgreeneish]

I discovered today that I have a really wicked two handed backhand drop serve. According to the rules it seems it would be legal. Drop serve can be a backhand motion. Didn’t see a two handed restriction. I’ve been struggling with powerful volley serves. But I’m not giving up on them.

[@kennethsmith8073]

Nice video. As far as the comment on the gal who spins her serves and it being controversial where she is actually making contact on an upward swing or downward swing. Just know you can physically hit a ball over the net with a downward swing. Golfers swing downward at impact and the loft of the club propels the ball upward and forward. Your video even at slow motion did not have the greatest angle to see if the swing was actually going upwards. I do agree that swing was nearly impossible to call whether descending or ascending.

[@PinksTech]

Excellent informative vid.....crazy how many people dont understand the point contact

[@usamac4108]

Thanks for this video! Got into a debate with someone about the drop serve rules today12:21.. You make the case that dropping the ball to serve allows for overhead and backhand. Are backhand serves not allowed for a non-drop serve?

[@mlum40]

Thank you so much for this! You're very clear and concise, and have a good energy about you. Question, after contact, does the follow through matter at all?

[@virusehwag293]

Great video. I do a slice spin serve quite the same as your friend, and have been called a cheat...got some vindication after watching this! Question - is there a rule about ball toss/ release point on a volley serve? Can I drop the ball naturally from any height just like the drop serve as long as I am following the rest of the rules about the paddle position, paddle arc etc.?

[@edjupickleball]

The only rule about the toss is you can’t spin it in your hand :-)

[@RJ-ex2ro]

Can I return the serve in kitchen ? Like I am returning the serve and if it lands in kitchen . Is this fine ? Second question please : if I serve and itt touched the net and still land fine in opponent court: is this serve count or I need to redo the serve like in Tennis?

[@daveiwhittle]

So if I use a drop serve I can slice do nward to I part back or side spin ?

[@davidswingle166]

Thanks Ed, your video really helped to support my slice serve. Great video!!

[@edjupickleball]

I’m glad! Cheers

[@sah6373]

Hey Ed, GREAT JOB! Thank you!

[@RachidOH]

Very informative video but you are not addressing tossing the ball on the volley serve. When reviewing Ben’s and Tyson’ s volley serves on slow mo, i have the feeling that both toss the ball slightly (especially Tyson). Can you please clarify that? Great video, thanks,

[@westernmasspickle]

fantastic content thanks!

[@laurapiatchek4465]

Is she tossing the ball in an upward direction before striking the ball?

[@jillrobinson6767]

I bounce the ball on my serve. 8:50 When can my feet touch or go over the line

[@choski76]

Thanks, Ed! Great job

[@daisyy5878]

Hey Ed, great video as usual. Thank you for clarifying for us. I had a question. Say you’re doing a drop serve and the wind blows your drop out of place. Can you drop the ball again ? Thanks.

[@grow2be]

Great explanation! Thanks! But you didn’t mention propelling the ball UP⬆️ on the drop serve! It seems the rule says no propelling it in any direction. Please clarify!

[@kirknorman2403]

So I was taught that you can’t toss the ball up at all! I’ve been trying to break my habit of tossing the ball up. So on a volley serve you ?can? As long as the other stipulations are met! I’ve had many people politely correct me on this but on volley serves I see the toss up all the time in videos!

[@dontichy8952]

Hey there. I know this was made 3 months ago but quick question- If my forehand is my right side and I am serving on the left, can I hug the middle of the court and go down the middle with the ball on that line? Is there a rule saying my paddle cannot be past the line that runs down the middle of the court (vertically)? I hope this question makes sense!

[@ttb1513]

The rule only states where your feet may and may not be on the court. Nothing about where the paddle, ball, contact point or a foot hovering in the air may go. There was confusion about his example at 2:30 because he said in the comments that his serve was supposed to be from the right side, and he hits it to the left half, but is standing to the left. If you don’t watch where he served you might think he was supposed to be serving from the left and his feet were legal but his paddle and contact extending over to the right side were what made it illegal. That is not the example; he was supposed to serve from the right to left in that example.

[@matteopasquotti-un8tz]

What about ball contact in terms of the imaginary centre line. Feet are on the correct side of the line but they drop the ball on the “wrong side” and make contact on the “wrong side” of the centre line. Is that a legal serve?

[@flaw3d37]

Wait @2:33 your feet were fine. Are you saying contacting being made over the extension of the line is also illegal? I didn’t read that.

[@JimboC1957]

I also thought the rule only cares where your feet are at the moment of contact. Just re-watched the section and the rule he quotes does only reference where your feet are, so what he said seems incorrect to me.

[@edjupickleball]

At 2:33, my demonstration was: you can’t step over the left side, if you’re the right side server.

[@JimboC1957]

Ah, didn’t bother to watch where the ball went. Makes sense now that you say it.

[@gweehome]

@@edjupickleballit is quite misleading as nobody will do that 😅

[@unholywarrior9007]

A guy was sidearming the aerve today but also jumping both feet off the ground at point of contact he was behind the line but then he would hand both feet in past the line . Pretty sure one foot has to be on the ground when you hit the ball

[@jmcc405]

I agree that the 2024 volley serve rule allows your arm to move in a downward motion as long as when it makes contact with the paddle it is moving in an upward arc.

[@antonioalm]

I've noticed that in the volley serve a lot of players including professionals, toss the ball a little forward before contact. I'm taking some lessons at my gym and the instructor told me that no toss is allowed and the ball should only be dropped rather than tossed. Is my instructor correct?

[@zeejay9470]

Is it legal when my feet are in the correct positions ( keeping my feet not to cross back and side lines) but my hand out of the side line?

[@roreddick9235]

Thanks for this, especially the clarification on the volleyed spins, although I'm still skeptical with your friend's serve. Her paddle is going upward, yes, but sideways across her body immediately after contact. I hate this serve in rec play. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Playing with several, er, senior citizens and this one guy who could barely walk was doing your friend's serve to my older, slower partner and me (just returning after knee surgery). After 8 of those serves where neither my partner nor I cared to risk our lives to get them I finally had to say something. The *only* person having fun was him. His partner never got to play and neither did we. That's why there's a 2-bounce rule -- to get the game started and at least get some play in. A serve like that, IMO, should not be allowed. Having one good move -- a serve -- does not make someone a good PB player. Purposefully trying to kill play before it gets started seems, to me, unsportsmanlike.

[@charlieytpw]

She hits my server. I’m partially disabled and the slight paddle spin helps me get driving to the base line.

[@chu967]

Thanks Ed, very helpful.

[@michaelbengochea2976]

If you are playing doubles and serving. Do both players have to stand behind the white line?

[@UrsinoPro]

Best serve legality video out there 👍

[@GillAdams-c9o]

Commentators- would it be possible to stick to either surnames or first names…in the last group A mixed doubles constantly changing made it difficult to work out which team you were talking about. Emerson, Gregory, Katie….etc. Many thanks

[@MaryDuprie]

Question, must the arm be still when doing the drop serve. They are not pushing it down, but their arm is in movement when dropping. In other words "static"

[@joannalin6]

Ball visibility is the ball while serving it has to be totally released from hand in the air and could be seen by referee and others. Some servers serving the ball without releasing the ball from hand and directly hit the ball and hand connection.

[@mra2424]

I would have mentioned that a foot (although not able to "make contact" with the court playing surface) may cross the threshold of the baseline as long as it doesn't make contact with the surface...like Tyson.

[@richardsaglimbene5673]

Ed said that

[@charleskiple1113]

Unless you are playing someone who is 7’ tall, hitting at the waist or below will place the paddle on an upward trajectory to get the ball over the net. The essence of the rule is to remove overhand serves.

[@Dad8od]

6:53 - I feel like we need an entire video on this serve! Is there one??

[@aronisink1]

Great video.. for the drop serve .. How about jumping as high in the air and releasing the ball, standing on your tip toes, or a mild springee calf raise..

[@garyfishhead3980]

on a volley serve, when releasing the ball before paddle cantact. the ball spins a little from leaving the hand, is that legal serve. in the video of the women. she has a small under hand toss- up of the ball. is that legal?

[@maheshdevireddyfb]

What is the latest on Let rule? I was watching Johnson/Waters and Bright/James mixed doubles finals and they did reserve when the serve hit the net and cleared NVZ. Can you please cover that in a video with latest update on this rule.

[@edjupickleball]

For PPA pro division, the re-serve on lets. Everyone else follows normal USAPA rules.

[@Bee-of5xz]

Thank you Ed!

[@charlieytpw]

What about breaking head position above wrist on drop server?

[@chrisrivo2477]

Must both feet stay on the ground on serve ? Can you do a little hop??

[@greggrimm407]

While making a volley serve can the ball be “tossed up slightly” before striking the ball? (Ball strike is below waist upward motion)

[@charlesmuller120]

You can toss it up to the moon buddy!

[@williamk1800]

Am I allowed to slice the ball on a downward motion if I drop-serve?

[@LyndaBillars]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@TheBridget1953]

can we download a copy of the rules from the app store?

[@Schultz365]

Is it legal to serve where both feet are on the center line extended but the ball is hit as volley serve on the OPPOSITE side of the centerline?

[@brianbarrett192]

Hey Ed. I assume tossing the ball very high (to get the ball to bounce high before the moment of contact) on a drop serve is also against the rules?

[@martinfield7610]

If I do a prop serve, do I still need to swing my paddle in an upward motion?

[@kathymurphy7745]

I do a drop serve. I am worried I'm hitting it not in an upward motion. Can I hit it more sideways. Because I'm dropping it. Later gator.

[@BRIANGALTON]

At about 2.5 minutes. Look at what you called illegal and clarity. The last time I read the Rules it stated that 1 foot had to be behind the baseline indicating that I could have the other foot outside the baseline as long as 1 foot is behind it. Did this rule change?

[@jnnx]

We are just about ready for the 2025 update video!

[@khpickleball]

I need that “ILLEGAL!” sound bite on a button so I can press it during a match. 😂

[@robinwatts1235]

be sure to look at the table on page 21 of the rulebook. Receivers cannot call illegal serves.

[@ttb1513]

Is there a link to "this rulebook"? I didn’t see a link in the description.

[@hacdang8922]

can you toss the ball up on a volley serve if there's no spin?

[@my2cents581]

Question: does the person receiving the serve have to stand behind the white line at the back of the court until the ball has been struck by the servers paddle? In other words, the receiver of the serve cannot step on to the court until server’s paddle has hit the ball. Hope this made sense. Thank you for all the help, I have learned so much! ❤️🇨🇦

[@edjupickleball]

The receiver is allowed to stand ANYWHERE. However, strategically, it’s best to stand a couple feet behind the baseline. If your opponent serves DEEP (which good opponents will consistently serve deep), then you have space to return still. If you had been standing inside the court and your opponent served DEEP, then you would have to run backwards and most likely hit a bad return.

[@christiansabia8500]

I toss my volley serve quite high with no spin. Catch it quite low for optimal top spin. Assume it’s legal though not addressed. Works for me.

[@imperialduckm3]

in a non-officiated matches your serve would illegal as define by rule 4.A.5. But many recreational games does not really enforce the rules as we are all out there to have fun and trying to improve on our own skills. :)

[@AlohaHoward-ui7df]

@@imperialduckm3 4.A.5. says: "The serve shall be made with only one hand releasing the ball." It doesn't say you can't throw the ball up. Drop serve rule 4.A.8.: the ball must not be propelled upward. However the Volley Serve 4.A.8. does not say you can not propel the ball upwards and the chart that show the difference between the two serves indicates that the throwing the ball up on the volley serve is not prohibited.

[@ttb1513]

Perhaps a point of confusion is OP saying he "catches it quite low for optimal top spin." I assume he means that he hits (not catches) the ball when the ball is quite low to the ground and swings up to generate optimal top spin. Not that the ball has any spin prior to paddle contact.

[@TomGarcia-p1o]

I believe you are wrong in the 9:28+ minute of your video. The highest point of the paddle head must not be above the highest part of the wrist WHEN the paddle strikes the ball. The paddle must be below the wrist (it can't be 90 degrees or above) at the point of contact.

[@MrJameDeans]

I am not 100% sure on a specific serve type. I understand where the feet have to be for a legal serve. Let's say you are right at the center line, but your feet are planted on the correct side of the center line. As you swing thru and make contact with the ball, that point of ball contact is on the other side of the enter line, but your feet are good. Is this a legal serve?

[@jeffdewd6499]

Thanks for the video Ed. What paddle are you using? Is it oversized?

[@edjupickleball]

Luxx control air! (Invikta shape)

[@shawnwsl]

i really need a detailed video for your volley serve . or is there any videos for lefties too hah

[@richardsaglimbene5673]

It’s sucks, but you can use a mirror for video.

[@patriciadelano5401]

I was told you can not do a drop serve. Is this now permitted and if so revised in 2024?

[@mehoynehoy]

What are the rules on serves hitting the net and either landing in the right area or not.

[@imperialduckm3]

During serving if the ball hits the net but clear the NVZ (aka Kitchen) then it's a legal serve. If it lands on the NVZ and/or hits the NVZ line- then it's a fault.

[@janetkile1690]

Drop serve info- interesting!

[@dr.edgoold4095]

Just curious about on the volley serve can you throw the ball up?

[@RichardFKeith]

Need to stress that the ball must be released from the hand before contact. Some people hold the ball against the paddle, then slice the paddle across the ball while still held to get lots of spin. Need to see space between the ball and hand before contact is my understanding.

[@guittadabe5214]

Does an illegal serve have to be replayed, or does the server lose that serve?

[@66Threshold]

What happens if someone does not call the score? Is it a fault or a re-serve? Or a dead ball to start with therefore a re-serve?

[@dianallamas7135]

Wow! Thanks YT algorithm for randomly suggesting this because truly this is fantastic! So easy to understand this whole breakdown. The graphics and effects to drive the point (no pun intended) for what is legal and illegal. Definitely sharing with my family and friends. Thank you.

[@jinetduran6621]

And what about the net ? Cos I heard it was a "legal" serve but I saw a match on video YT when the serve has been played again after the ball touched the net. Thanks for your answer.

[@maheshdevireddyfb]

Same question I have too. I watched couple of videos and it was recalled re-serve and commentator’s mentioned it is similar to tennis.

[@jinetduran6621]

@@maheshdevireddyfb I have the answer now. There are rules from PPA and other rules from MLP !-)

[@jameshenderson4205]

What happens if the ball touches the net, but still lands in the serve area? Is this e re-serve like in tennis?

[@HalShoenfield-fs3bp]

Very good video and the rules do apply for 2024 because all the rules were in effect in 2023! Just saying nothing new for 2024.

[@h0ckeypuck]

8:00 ish. Her serve is probably legal as you say but your camera angle makes it difficult to determine conclusively. You really need a view directly along the baseline to clearly see if her paddle is ascending at impact. If people complain, just let it bounce first. You can get just as much or more spin on it and there will be no question.

[@MarcGreene-fm4rj]

Ed, We have some folks that hide the ball in their hand while serving. There is a big debate as to legality of such a serve. I believe the receiver must clearly see the ball dropped from the server. I understand the penalty is a reserve. Can you clear up for us? Thanks for all your good information!

[@edjupickleball]

4.A.6. To summarize: in both officiated and unofficated matches the release of the ball needs to be visible to both referee and receiver. However, there is no penalty fault if the ball isn’t visible. Meaning: in an official tournament, the referee would probably call a re-serve, as you have suggested :)

[@skchow]

Is it legal for a server to drop the ball while walking forward and do a drop serve? Is the forward walk considered propelling the ball forward?

[@ttb1513]

"4.A.8.b When releasing the ball, the ball shall not be propelled in any direction or in any manner prior to striking the ball to make the serve." I would think any walking forward must be done in a way that does NOT propel the ball forward.

[@mikelb5]

Would have liked to see a drop serve from the paddle