How To Do A Legal Serve In Pickleball (2024 Edition)

A legal serve in pickleball must follow specific rules: the server must serve diagonally to the opposite service court, ensuring the serve clears the non-volley zone. When serving, at least one foot must be behind the baseline, and no part of the server's feet may touch the baseline or the court inside it. 

Service Rules in Pickleball: The Must-Know Basics

What Does Legal Pickleball Serve Mean?

A legal pickleball serve adheres to the specific rules set forth by the official governing bodies of the sport, ensuring fair play and consistency in gameplay.

The primary authority on pickleball rules in the United States is the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA), which collaborates with the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) to ensure standardization of rules globally. These organizations are responsible for:

When a question arises about the legality of a serve or any other aspect of gameplay, players, coaches, and officials refer to the rulebook published by these organizations. The most recent version of the rulebook is always available on the USAPA and IFP websites, providing a comprehensive guide to all rules governing pickleball, including detailed specifications for legal serves.

How to Serve in Pickleball?

Mastering the serve in pickleball is crucial for setting the tone of each point and can give you a strategic advantage in the game. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to serve in pickleball, ensuring your serve is both legal and effective.

Step 1: Understand the Serve Rules

Before you begin, familiarize yourself with the basic rules for a legal serve in pickleball:

• The serve must be underhand, with the paddle making contact with the ball below the waist level.
• The serve must be hit in an upward arc.
• At least one foot must be on the ground behind the baseline when serving, and neither foot may touch the baseline or court until after the ball is struck.
• The serve must land in the opposite diagonal service box.
• Only one attempt is allowed, except for let serves (when the ball hits the net but still lands in the correct service box), which can be retaken.

Step 2: Position Yourself

• Stand behind the baseline, ensuring that both feet are behind the line to avoid faults.
• Position your body facing the diagonal service box where you intend to serve the ball. This helps in aiming and ensures the serve goes to the correct area.

Step 3: Grip and Paddle Position

• Hold the paddle with a firm yet comfortable grip. Beginners may start with a continental grip, where you hold the paddle like you’re shaking hands with it.
• Keep the paddle below your waist to comply with the underhand serve rule. The paddle head should be below your wrist at the point of contact.

Step 4: The Serve Motion

• Start by holding the ball in front of you with your non-paddle hand. The ball should be at waist level or lower to ensure the underhand motion.
• If you’re volley serving, drop the ball and hit it mid-air before it bounces, aiming below the waist in an upward trajectory.
• When drop serving, drop the ball from a natural height (no tossing), and let it bounce once or more before serving it in any preferred manner.
• Swing your paddle in an underhand motion, striking the ball in an upward arc. Ensure the paddle head is moving upwards at the point of contact to make the serve legal.
• Follow through with your swing towards the target area in the opponent’s service box. This helps in directing the ball accurately.

Step 5: Practice Different Serve Techniques

• Power Serve: Aim for depth and speed to push your opponent back, making it harder for them to return aggressively.
• Soft Serve: Focus on placing the serve near the service line to force a shallow return, setting up an opportunity for a more aggressive second shot.
• Spin Serve: Experiment with adding spin to the ball (topspin, sidespin) to make the return more difficult for your opponent. Remember, the spin should still comply with the underhand motion rule.

Step 6: Serve Consistently

• Practice your serve regularly to improve consistency. Consistent serving can pressure your opponents and reduce your own unforced errors.
• Work on placing your serves in different areas of the service box to keep your opponents guessing and off-balance.

Step 7: Play According to the Rules

• Remember, the serve must land in the opposite diagonal service box. If it lands outside or in the non-volley zone (the kitchen), it’s considered a fault.
• Keep track of the score to determine the correct serving position (right or left court) based on whether your score is even or odd.

Check out the video below for more details on how to do a legal serve in pickleball:

By following these steps and practicing regularly, you’ll develop a reliable and strategic serve in pickleball. A good serve sets the stage for offensive play and can significantly contribute to your overall game strategy.

Also read our article on the 9 most effective tips for a killer serve.

Legal Pickleball Serve Types: Volley Vs. Drop Serve

In pickleball, the two recognized legal serve types are the volley serve and the drop serve:

1. Volley Serve: Also known as the “out-of-the-air serve,” involves the server hitting the ball directly out of the air after dropping it themselves. The serve must be performed with an underhand motion, ensuring the paddle contacts the ball below the waist level. The paddle head must be moving in an upward arc at the point of contact to make the serve legal. This serve does not allow the ball to bounce on the ground before being hit.
2. Drop Serve: This serve allows more flexibility. The server drops the ball from any height without throwing it downwards, letting it bounce on the ground once before hitting it for the serve. There are no restrictions on how the ball is hit after the bounce, meaning the server can use any part of the paddle and any motion to hit the ball. This serve was introduced to offer an alternative to players who might struggle with the precision required for a traditional volley serve.

Both serve types must land in the correct service box diagonally opposite the server and clear the non-volley zone (the kitchen) to be considered legal.

So What Constitutes an Illegal Pickleball Serve?

An illegal pickleball serve violates the game’s serve rules. Here are key instances that constitute an illegal serve:

• Hitting above waist level: The point of contact must be below the server’s waist; serves struck above this height are illegal.
• Paddle position: The paddle head must be below the wrist at the point of contact for a traditional serve. Violating this rule results in an illegal serve.
• Non-underhand motion: The serve must be hit with an underhand motion. Overhand serves or serves that don’t follow an upward trajectory at the point of contact are illegal.
• Serving before the ball bounces: In the case of a drop serve, hitting the ball before it bounces on the ground is not allowed.
• Foot faults: The server must serve from behind the baseline without stepping on or over the line before hitting the ball.
• Wrong service court: The ball must land in the correct diagonal service court; serves landing outside this area are illegal.
• Not clearing the net or non-volley zone: Serves that fail to clear the net or land in the non-volley zone (including its line) are illegal.
• Throwing the ball: For a drop serve, the ball must be dropped without imparting force; throwing the ball downwards before serving is not permitted.
• Multiple bounces: In a volley serve, the ball must be hit out of the air without bouncing; in a drop serve, it must be hit after it bounces (it can bounce multiple times).

Is a spin serve legal in pickleball?

Yes, a spin serve is legal in pickleball, but with specific conditions. For spin serves, the rule that came into effect restricts players from imparting additional spin on the ball by using their hand or any part of their body before the serve. For a time, there were experimental rules allowing players to use their paddle, hand, or body to impart spin on the ball before striking it on the serve.

However, the current regulations require that any spin on the ball must result from the natural contact between the paddle and the ball during the serve. Players are not allowed to use their non-paddle hand to impart spin on the ball before hitting it with the paddle.

Is a slice serve legal in pickleball?

Yes, a slice serve is legal in pickleball and is a commonly used technique among players of all skill levels. A slice serve involves hitting the ball with an angled paddle face at the point of contact, imparting sideways or downward spin on the ball.

This spin affects the ball’s trajectory and bounce, potentially making it more challenging for the opponent to return.

Can You Jump During A Pickleball Serve?

Jumping during a serve is not directly banned in pickleball, but the serving rules make it impractical.

The requirement to keep the paddle below the waist and hit the ball in an upward arc is hard to meet while jumping. This means a traditional jump serve, common in tennis or volleyball, likely doesn’t fit within pickleball’s serving rules.