Pickleball Basics · 5 of 10
The Kitchen Rule
The famous rule — simpler than it sounds.
What is the Kitchen Rule?
The 7-foot zone right by the net is called the kitchen. Its official name is the non-volley zone, and the name is the rule: no volleys in the kitchen. If the ball hasn't bounced, you can't hit it while you're standing in the kitchen or on its line.
You can absolutely play a ball in the kitchen — just let it bounce first. Step in after the bounce, tap it over, step back out. Simple.
And if you volley from outside, your follow-through can't carry you into the kitchen either. Wait for the bounce and you're always safe.
The Rule in Plain Words
- ✕No volleys here — no hitting the ball in the air while in the kitchen
- ✕The kitchen line counts as in the kitchen for volleys
- ✓You can play any ball in the kitchen after it bounces
- ✓Standing in the kitchen is fine — volleying from there is not
Quick Facts
- ✓Zone depth: 7 ft (2.1 m) from the net
- ✓Official name: The non-volley zone
- ✓Volleys inside: Not allowed
- ✓Bounced balls inside: Fair game — play them
Go deeper · from the blog
Pickleball kitchen rules, explained simply →The long-form guide on this topic — more detail, more examples, same plain words.
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