Learn / 5 min read / reviewed July 2026
Pickleball faults: the calls you will hear most
Learn the most common pickleball faults, why the rally stopped, and how to avoid repeating the same call on your next point.
A fault is a rule violation that ends the rally. The most common are a missed serve, a ball out, a two-bounce-rule mistake, a kitchen volley, or a ball that bounces twice.
Serve and return faults
A serve must reach the correct diagonal service court and clear the kitchen line. A return that lands out, hits the net, or bounces twice before it is played also ends the rally.
The two-bounce rule fault
After the serve, the return must bounce before the serving team plays it; then the serving team must let that return bounce. A volley before those two required bounces is a fault.
Kitchen and net faults
You may enter the kitchen to play a bounce, but not to volley. Touching the net, net post, or a ball in play with anything you are wearing or carrying can also stop the point.
- On a serve, the kitchen line is short.
- On most other shots, a ball on a line is in.
- If you are unsure on your side of the court, give the benefit to the opponent.
Rules, schedules, and safety guidance can change. Confirm the current official faults summary.
Common questions
A little more clarity before you play.
Does a fault always give the other team a point?
In traditional side-out scoring, a receiving-team fault gives the serving team a point. A serving-team fault usually ends that server's turn or creates a side out.
Is a ball on the line in?
Yes, except that a served ball touching the non-volley-zone line is short and is a fault.