Know the common faults that stop play

A fault in pickleball ends the rally and results in either a point for the opponent (rally scoring) or a side-out/lost serve (traditional scoring). Knowing faults helps you avoid giving away free points.

Service Faults

• Serve doesn't land in the diagonal service court
• Serve lands in the kitchen or on the kitchen line
• Foot steps on or over the baseline before contact
• Overhand serve motion or paddle above the wrist at contact

Play Faults

• Volleying from inside the Non-Volley Zone
• Violating the double-bounce rule
• Hitting the ball out of bounds
• Ball hitting a player's body or clothing
• Hitting the ball into the net

Tips

• When in doubt about a line call, the ball is "in" — benefit of doubt goes to the opponent
• The 2026 rules require out calls to be made before the opponent hits the ball, not after