Pickleball Kitchen Rules

pickleball kitchen rules

The area of the pickleball court that is technically known as the non-volley zone in pickleball, but is more commonly referred to as the kitchen may be the source for more confusion on the court than any other playable area.  For this reason, we wanted to compose an article that sums up the pickleball kitchen rules so both beginning pickleball players and experienced players can have a refresher for what play is allowed and not allowed in this area of the court.

What is the Kitchen in Pickleball?

The USA Pickleball rulebook does not make one reference at all to the word “kitchen” in the official pickleball rulebook.  However, the area of the court that extends for seven feet from the net, from sideline to sideline on either side of the court will almost always be referred to as the “kitchen” when you play on your local courts. 

Many will tell you when you first start to play that a pickleball game is won at the kitchen line so make it a point to learn how to play in this area of the court which means you need to have quick reactions to return the fast volley shots that will be coming your way. 

How Big is the Kitchen in Pickleball?

The dimensions of a standard pickleball court are 20 feet wide from sideline to sideline by 40 feet long.  The kitchen area of the pickleball court extends seven feet wide from each side of the net.

That means on each side of the net, the kitchen is 20 feet wide by 7 feet deep which means the total area of this space is 140 square feet. 

Why is it called the Kitchen in Pickleball?

No one really knows why this area of the pickleball court is called the kitchen, but we will give you the fun answer first and then a plausible answer that may make more sense.

The invention of the game of pickleball is widely credited to three dads from the State of Washington.  The fun story behind the use of the word kitchen in pickleball stems from the dads coming up with this term because they were told so many times at home that “if they can’t stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen”. 

We will talk about the kitchen rules in pickleball a bit later, but it stands to reason that a pickleball player must not be standing in the kitchen when volleying to their opponent so that phrase may have been appropriately applied to the kitchen area of the pickleball court. 

A more sensible reason might be a comparison to the game of shuffleboard which also has a kitchen area as part of that game.  The area behind the scoring zone in shuffleboard where players will lose ten points if they land their puck in this area is also called the kitchen.  This area in shuffleboard is sometimes also known as the “10 off” zone. 

When asked, shuffleboard enthusiasts also don’t have an answer as to why this area is called the kitchen.   

Pickleball Shots – Useful Definitions

Before we jump in to the pickleball rules about the kitchen we need to explain the difference for clarification purposes between two often used shots on the pickleball court.

Volley:  this shot is any ball hit out of the air by a player before it bounces

Groundstroke:  this shot is any ball hit by a player after it has first bounced on their side of the net

10 Key Pickleball Rules Every Player Should Know

Pickleball Kitchen Rules Summary

Rather than write a long and drawn-out summary of the kitchen rules we are going to make these explanations as short and precise as possible.  Here is the racketandroll.com summary of the pickleball kitchen rules:

Hitting a Volley while standing in the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ)

No.  Hitting a volley while standing in the non-volley zone is considered a fault

Can one or both feet touch the non-volley zone line while hitting a volley?

No, having one or both feet touching the non-volley zone line while hitting a volley is considered a fault

A player hits a volley and their cap/keys/sunglasses falls in to the kitchen after hitting the volley

No, this rule states that if a player or anything that has contact with the volleying player while in the act of volleying touches the non-volley zone, this is considered a fault.  This fault rule would also include the players paddle that may touch the kitchen area while hitting a low volley.  That touch of the paddle would also be considered a fault.  

Momentum and the non-volley zone

When hitting a volley, if a players momentum causes them to enter the non-volley zone or step on the NVZ line, that would be considered a fault.  This is true both while hitting the volley, and even after the ball lands in the opponents court.

If playing doubles and your partner is standing outside of the non-volley zone, your partner may hold you back so your momentum does not carry you in to the non-volley zone.  This is permitted. 

Also know that, when hitting a ball that bounces first, also known as a groundstroke, if the players momentum carries them into the non-volley zone immediately after hitting a groundstroke that is permitted.

When Can I Step into the Kitchen in Pickleball?

As long as the ball bounces first, you can step into the non-volley zone to hit a shot.  The main consideration is for a player not to volley a ball out of the air while standing in the non-volley zone. 

Can I stand in the non-volley zone during a rally?

A player may stand in the non-volley zone at anytime during a rally, but that player may not volley a return until both feet have been re-established outside of the non-volley zone area with both feet on the playing surface area of the court. 

It is considered a fault if a player standing in the non-volley zone jumps in the air to hit a volley and lands outside of the NVZ area after hitting the volley shot. 

Why is there a Non-Volley Zone in Pickleball?

Let’s go back to the term we used when mentioning the fun reason why the kitchen area of the pickleball court was given this name, “if you can’t stand the heat then you need to get out of the kitchen”.

The kitchen area extends seven feet wide on either side of the net so that places players fourteen feet apart from each other to defend their side of the court. 

This fourteen foot wide area of the court can often see some rapid fire shots coming from both sides of the net which require quick reactions and fast hands from all players up at the kitchen line. 

If players were allowed to play right up at the net and crush winners to their opponents side of the court, the game of pickleball would almost be unplayable. 

I like to say that there are two elements of the game of pickleball that make it a more strategic and enjoyable game for enthusiasts.  One is the double bounce rule which keeps players back on both sides of the court until a rally is established. 

And the other is the brilliance of the pickleball games creators to have the non-volley zone area of the court in place to keep players back and away from the net which allows for longer rallies and a more enjoyable playing experience. 

Final Thoughts

Now that you have a better idea of what you can and can’t do in and around the pickleball non volley zone, share your knowledge with your friends who may be new pickleball players so we all become better players by being more familiar with the rules of the game. 

I hope to see you out on the courts – but behind the kitchen line!