Pickleball court dimensions
Official pickleball court dimensions, the non-volley zone, the net height, and how to lay pickleball courts out on a tennis court.
A pickleball court is 20 feet wide by 44 feet long (6.10 m by 13.41 m), the same for singles and doubles. The non-volley zone, the kitchen, runs 7 feet from the net on each side. The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the centre. Lines are 2 inches wide. The rulebook sets a minimum playing surface of 30 by 60 feet, and recommends 34 by 64 feet for new courts and tournaments.
The court itself
| Element | Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Court width | 20 ft | 6.10 m |
| Court length | 44 ft | 13.41 m |
| Non-volley zone, each side | 7 ft | 2.13 m |
| Service area, each box | 10 × 15 ft | 3.05 × 4.57 m |
| Net at the sidelines | 36 in | 91 cm |
| Net at the centre | 34 in | 86 cm |
| Line width | 2 in | 5 cm |
| Minimum playing surface | 30 × 60 ft | 9.14 × 18.29 m |
| Recommended for new courts and tournaments | 34 × 64 ft | 10.36 × 19.51 m |
The 44 feet are measured to the outside of the lines, and the court is the same size whether two or four people are playing, which is one of the reasons the game spread so fast: one court fits every format.
The kitchen, and why it is drawn first
The non-volley zone extends 7 feet from the net on both sides, across the full width. No player may volley while standing in it, or while touching it, which is what keeps pickleball from turning into a game decided at the net. When you are marking out a court, draw the kitchen lines before anything else: they are the lines players look at all game.
Space around the court
The 20 by 44 feet are the lines. Players need room behind the baseline and beside the sidelines to chase a ball. The USA Pickleball rulebook sets 30 by 60 feet as the minimum playing surface, and recommends 34 by 64 feet for new construction and tournament play, where officials and spectators also need space. Stadium courts go to 50 by 80 feet.
Putting pickleball on a tennis court
A tennis court has room for several pickleball courts, which is how most clubs start: lines are added in a contrasting colour, portable nets are set up, and the tennis court keeps its own markings. Two practical points decide whether it works:
- Line colour. Pickleball lines must contrast with the surface and with the tennis lines, or players hesitate on every call.
- Net height. A tennis net is 3 feet 6 inches (42 in) at the posts and 3 feet (36 in) at the centre, higher than a pickleball net at both points. Portable nets are what most clubs use rather than adjusting the tennis net.
In the booking system, each playable surface is its own court with its own sport, so a tennis court that also hosts pickleball can be listed twice and booked for either game, and the grid shows exactly what is free.
Sources
- USA Pickleball, Official Rulebook, 2026 edition, section 3 (courts and equipment): court size (3.A.1), playing surface (3.A.3), non-volley zone (3.A.4), net heights (3.B.6–7). Read on 22 September 2026.
- International Tennis Federation (ITF), Rules of Tennis, for the tennis net heights quoted in the comparison.
