Table tennis rules

The table tennis serve

What makes a serve legal, the cases umpires call, and the myths players repeat.

Checked against the ITTF Statutes, 2026 edition, Section 2: The Laws of Table Tennis, Law 2.6Last checked Read the official rulebook ↗
The rule in one line

Toss the ball at least 16 cm from a flat, open palm, then hit it as it falls, from behind your end line and in full view, so it bounces once on each side.

A legal serve, step by step

1Open palmhand still 216 cmToss 16 cm+nearly straight up 3Hit as it fallsbehind the end line 4Two bouncesyours, then theirs
Open palm, a toss of at least 16 cm, hit as it falls from behind the end line, one bounce on each side.

What is and isn’t a legal serve

Most service faults happen before the racket touches the ball: the hand, the toss, or where the ball is. Law 2.6

ALLOWEDBall resting on a flat, open palmThe hand is still before the toss. Law 2.6.1
FAULTBall held in cupped fingersIt must rest freely on the open palm. Law 2.6.1
FAULTToss lower than 16 cmIt must rise at least 16 cm (6 in) after leaving the palm. Law 2.6.2
FAULTHit while the ball is still risingStrike it as it falls. Law 2.6.3
FAULTBall hit over the tableIt must be behind your end line until it is struck. Law 2.6.4
FAULTBall hit below table heightIt must stay above the level of the playing surface. Law 2.6.4
FAULTBall hidden from the receiverNot by your body, your arm or your doubles partner. Law 2.6.4, 2.6.5
FAULTNo bounce on your own sideThe serve bounces on your side first, then directly on theirs. Law 2.6.3
ALLOWEDDoubles serve on the centre lineThe centre line is part of each right half. Law 2.1.6
FAULTDoubles serve into the left halfIt must go right half to right half. Law 2.6.3

Common mistakes

  • “A serve that hits the net is a fault.”It is a let, if it is otherwise good. Serve again. Law 2.9.1.1
  • “You can’t put spin on the serve.”Only the toss must be spin-free. Spin from the racket is fine. Law 2.6.2
  • “The umpire always warns you first.”Only once a match, for a doubtful serve. After that it is a fault. A clearly illegal serve is a fault straight away. Law 2.6.6, 2.6.6.1
  • “In doubles you can serve anywhere.”Right half to right half, every time. Law 2.6.3
Scoring itA fault serve loses the point. In the free scorer, give the rally to the receiver. A net serve that lands in is a let: score nothing.
Score a match

Related rules

Lets → Doubles → Whose serve it is → All table tennis 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.