The original USAPA organization published the first Pickleball rulebook in March 1984. When the USAPA was reformed and reincorporated as the USA Pickleball Association in 2005, the book was revised and updated to conform to the rules used today. Shortly after its founding, the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) adopted the USA Pickleball Association rulebook with the approval of the USA Pickleball Association.
This was an important step for international growth, as the adoption of a unified set of rules ensures consistency and uniformity in play wherever Pickleball is played. The full members of the GPF and the affiliated member organizations representing their respective countries have all agreed to follow the "USA Pickleball/GPF Official Tournament Rulebook" in their countries.
As a full member of the GPF, we adhere to the rules of the GPF.
The 2024 edition is now available for download. Click on the cover below.
7 Pickleball Rule Changes You Should Learn for 2022
The official rule book is reviewed each year and revised and updated as necessary, as pickleball rules are constantly evolving as the sport develops. Therefore, it is important to stay up to date with pickleball rule changes so you can make the right decisions on the court (especially if you plan to participate in a pickleball tournament).
For the 2022 calendar year, there are some important additions, deletions, and other revisions to the pickleball rules that you should be aware of. These include the following:
1.) The so-called chainsaw serve will be banned - The 2022 pickleball rule changes largely focus on the hottest topic on the courts in 2021 - the serve. The 2022 pickleball rule changes start with the ban on the chainsaw serve. In other words, a player will only be allowed to throw the pickleball with the non-racket hand when serving (unless the player cannot use the non-racket hand, in which case they will be allowed to use the racket to pop the pickleball up and serve). No player will be allowed to use the racket or racket hand to throw the ball or otherwise impart spin to it. However, a player will be allowed to use their non-racket hand (as long as it is only the non-racket hand) to impart spin to the pickleball. So beware of the one-handed spin serve that is sure to make waves in 2022.
2.) Drop Serve is here to stay - Drop Serve was introduced as a provisional rule in 2021. After a year of testing, Drop Serve has now gone into effect and is a full rule.
3.) Visibility is a must - When serving, the referee (if there is one) and the receiving player must be able to see the pickleball when it is thrown or dropped. If the pickleball was not visible, the game will be replayed.
4.) Incorrect score? Play on - If an incorrect score is displayed, a player cannot stop play after serving because of the incorrect score. Play should continue until the end of the rally and the correction of the result should be made before the next serve. Therefore, if a player stops play after serving because an incorrect score is displayed, then the player who stopped the rally has committed a fault. Also, if comments are made on the court about the score during a rally, they should be ignored.
5.) Extra balls are allowed - Sometimes players like to carry extra balls on the court, be it in their hand, bag, etc. The 2022 Pickleball rules change allows players to carry extra balls as long as the balls are not visible to opponents during play. However, if you are one of those players who likes to carry extra balls, beware! If an extra ball falls onto the court during a rally, a fault will be called against you.
6.) No Disturbing on the Court - The 2022 pickleball rule changes specifically prohibit headphones or earplugs during competitions. However, prescribed hearing aids are allowed. So there will be no music during a competitive pickleball game in 2022. However, you can still play with your headphones during recreational games.
7.) Additional Revisions to Eliminate Conflict Between Players and Referees - The Official Rulebook is being revised in general to preserve the integrity of the sport for years to come, in a way that is best for players. The Official Rulebook is also being revised to reduce the potential for conflict between referees and players on the pickleball court. For example, there are a handful of revisions to clarify when fouls may be called, what verbal warnings may be given by referees, what questions players may ask a referee, and more.
The original USAPA organization published the first pickleball rule book in March 1984. When the USAPA reformed and reincorporated as the USA Pickleball Association in 2005, the book was revised and added to to resemble the rules used today. Shortly after its formation in 2010, the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) adopted the USA Pickleball Associations rule book, with the approval of the USA Pickleball Association.
This was an important step for international growth, as the adoption of a single set of rules ensures consistency in gameplay and rules wherever pickleball is played. The IFP full members and affiliate member organizations representing their respective countries have all agreed to follow the "USA Pickleball/IFP Official Tournament Rulebook" within their respective countries.
As a full member of the IFP, we adhere to the IFP's rules.
The 2021 edition is now available to download. Click on the cover below.