Pickleball rules

The kitchen: pickleball’s non-volley zone

Where it is, when you can step in, and the edge cases that catch players out.

Checked against the USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, 2026 edition, Rule 11.ALast checked Read the official rulebook ↗
The rule in one line

No volleying while you, or anything you wear or hold, touches the kitchen or its lines.

Where the kitchen is

KITCHEN Net The kitchen line is part of the kitchen 7 ft
Each side of the net has its own kitchen, 7 feet deep and the full width of the court.

When you can and can’t be in it

The kitchen isn’t out of bounds. Stand in it or walk through it any time. Just don’t volley there. Rule 11.A

ALLOWEDStep in to hit a ball that bouncedAny bounced ball can be played from the kitchen. Rule 11.A
FAULTVolley with a toe on the lineThe line is part of the kitchen. Rule 3.A.4.c, 11.A.1
FAULTVolley, then step in to keep your balanceThe swing, follow-through and momentum all count. Rule 11.A.2
FAULTPaddle touches the kitchen during a volleyAnything you wear or hold counts as you. Rule 11.A.1
ALLOWEDVolley after both feet are back outsideLeave the kitchen, land both feet, then volley. Rule 11.A.3
ALLOWEDVolley while your partner stands in itFine, as long as you aren’t touching them. Rule 11.A.1

Common mistakes

  • “You can’t go in the kitchen.”You can. You just can’t volley there.
  • “It only counts while the rally is on.”Momentum into the kitchen is a fault even after the ball is dead. Rule 11.A.2
  • “My partner was in the kitchen, so it’s a fault.”Only the player who volleys must stay out. Rule 11.A.1
Scoring itA kitchen fault ends the rally. In the free scorer, give the rally to the other side.
Score a match

Related rules

The two-bounce rule → Faults → All pickleball rules →

Rules are written by 1SCOR in our own words and checked against the official rulebook. They are not the rulebook: for anything official, read the rulebook itself.