| Drop serve: releasing the ball | Drop it from a natural height, without tossing it up or pushing it down. 7.D.1, 7.D.2 | Release it from any height, with no added spin, force or manipulation. 5.3.3 |
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| Drop serve: bounces before you hit | Any number, anywhere on the playing surface. 7.D.3, 7.D.4 | One bounce at most, anywhere on the playing surface. 5.3.3 |
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| Drop serve in pro play | The rulebook has no separate serve rule for pro brackets; the drop serve is a legal serve. 7.D | Not allowed in pro brackets: the volley serve is mandatory. PR 3.1.2 |
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| A serve too close to call | In officiated play the referee may call a replay when not sure a serve requirement was met (and must in some cases). 20.E.2 | If the serve's legality can't be clearly confirmed by sight, it is a fault. 5.3 |
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| Coaching | Only during time-outs and between games. 20.G | Between rallies and during time-outs; never during a live rally. 11.1 |
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| Standard time-outs per game | Two in games to 11 or 15, three in games to 21; up to one minute each. 21.A, 21.A.5 | One in games to 11 or 15, two in games to 21; one minute each. 10.3.2 |
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| Medical time-out length | Up to 15 minutes, once per player per match. 21.C.3, 21.C.6 | Three minutes on court, or up to five in total when treated off court or for bleeding; once per player per match. 10.4.1, 10.4.5 |
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| Changing ends mid-game | Only in single-game matches and the deciding game of a match (at 6, 8 or 11 points). 21.B | At the midpoint of a game in every match format, including multi-game matches (at 6, 8 or 11 points). 4.4.1 |
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| Penalty points | A technical foul takes a point off the offender's score, or adds one to the opponent if the offender has zero. 22.E.1 | A Foul adds a point to the opponent's score. After a first Mark, every further Mark or Foul also gives the opponent a point. 12.3.3, 12.5 |
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| Getting back out of the kitchen before a volley | Both feet must touch the ground outside the non-volley zone. 11.A.3 | Each foot that touched the non-volley zone must touch outside it; if only one foot went in, only that one. 9.4 |
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| Reaching over the net | A fault if you, or anything you wear or carry, crosses the plane of the net before you hit the ball. 13.I, 13.I.1.a | A plane-of-the-net fault only if your body completely crosses before you hit; reaching your paddle across is not one (it can still be a distraction). 8.3.1 |
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| Ball hits a portable net's crossbar after bouncing | Replay. 13.B.2 | The player who hit it over wins the rally. Replay only if it hits the bar before landing. 8.2 |
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| Broken ball | Replay if all players agree (or, with a referee, the referee decides) a broken or cracked ball affected the rally. 10.G.1, 20.F.1 | Replay only if the crack runs from one hole to another or the ball splits in two. 6.7 |
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| Distraction | A fault when the referee judges a player distracted an opponent about to hit. 20.I, 20.I.1 | A deliberately high bar. The rally is never stopped; afterward, the distracting side loses the rally if it won it, or gets a Mark if it lost it. 6.4 |
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| Asking your opponent about a line call | Their clear call stands, unless the referee overrules it on appeal. 8.I, 19.D.2 | Their clear call stands, and it can't then be appealed to the referee. 7.6 |
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| Calling an opponent's fault with no referee | You may call kitchen faults and service foot faults on an opponent; if the teams disagree, replay the rally. 9.B.3, 9.B.3.b | You can raise any suspected fault, but only the player accused can enforce it; if they don't agree, the rally stands. 15.3 |
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| Hinders with no referee | Any player may call one, and the rally is replayed. 9.C.1, 9.C.2 | Replayed only if all players agree; otherwise the rally stands. 15.4 |
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| Rally scoring | A provisional option for singles and doubles. Tournaments may use it, except double-elimination doubles events and 2026 Golden Ticket and National Championship events. 14.A, 15.C.2 | The Tournament Director may allow it for singles. Its appendix is marked In Progress in version 0.9. TO 2.3; Appendix E |
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| Approved paddles | For sanctioned play, the paddle must be on the USA Pickleball Approved Paddle List. 3.D.1, 18.A | A paddle on the UPA-A list is encouraged and one on the USA Pickleball list is permitted. Pro brackets need a paddle approved for pro play. 3.2.2, PR 2.1.1 |
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| Arriving late to a match | Game forfeit after 10 minutes; in a multi-game match, match forfeit after 15. 18.F.1, 18.F.2 | A point to the opponent every four minutes, then game forfeit at 10 minutes and, in best of three, match forfeit at 15. A one-game match is forfeited at 10. 13.4.1 |
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| Doubles partner retires injured | The partner may decide to keep playing. 21.C.9 | Once a partner retires, the other may not play on. Instead of retiring, a player can abstain: the partner plays on alone, and each rally the abstaining player would receive is a point to the opponents. 13.2.1, 13.2.2 |
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| Phones and earbuds | No headphones, earbuds or audio devices while playing, except hearing aids. 18.D | No headphones, earbuds or audio calls; texting is allowed during a break in play. Pro brackets ban phones and connected devices once the match starts unless an exception was approved and disclosed. 11.4; PR 5.1 |
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| Recommended space for tournament courts | 34 by 64 feet. 3.A.3 | 40 by 60 feet. 3.1.1 |
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