A Definitive Guide to the Non-Volley Zone: "The Kitchen"

When learning to play pickleball, one of the first things you’ll probably be told is, “you can’t go into the kitchen.” Once you start playing, you quickly find that it’s a lot more complicated than that. What happens if the ball bounces inside the kitchen and you can’t reach it? What if you hit the ball outside the kitchen and then step in? For me, figuring out the kitchen rules was one of the hardest parts of pickleball to get a grasp of.

So What is the Non-Volley Zone A.K.A. “the Kitchen”?

The kitchen is the area within seven feet from each side of the net. In this area, you’re not allowed to hit a volley (striking the ball before it bounces). The kitchen only extends the width of the court, so you’re allowed to stand on the side of the non-volley zone, although it’s best not to in most situations. And yes, the lines also count as part of the non-volley zone.

What do I need to know about the kitchen?

 1. You can be in the kitchen whenever you want.

Contrary to popular belief, you actually can be inside the kitchen as long as you want, but try not to get too comfortable there. If you hit a volley, or are hit with the ball, while in the non-volley zone, it’s a fault. This makes it less than ideal to sit in there. However, it is useful to enter the kitchen in anticipation of a dink or drop shot. You can step in the kitchen and get in position to return the ball as long as you don’t volley it.

And, unlike rule two below, you can hit a ball that’s bounced and enter the kitchen if your momentum takes you there. Just try to get back out as soon as possible.

2. If you hit a volley, your momentum can’t bring you or anything on you into the kitchen

You already know that you can’t hit a volley while you’re in the kitchen. However, you’re also not allowed to have your momentum carry you into the kitchen once you hit a volley. Momentum is the continued motion after contacting the ball and momentum ends when a player regains balance or stops moving forward towards the non-volley zone.

This means that you can’t jump from outside the kitchen, hit the ball in the air, and land in the non-volley zone. You also can’t run forward to hit the ball and run into the kitchen after a volley. Even if the ball is considered dead before you are in the kitchen, it’s still a fault.

More than likely, you will be sitting on the edge of the kitchen and hit a volley, causing you and your momentum to bring you forward. If you do this and touch the non-volley zone, it’s still a fault. Also, anything that’s touching you can’t touch the non-volley zones, so you can’t use your paddle to balance you. And if you’re wearing a hat or sunglasses and they fall off while you hit a volley, you better hope that they don’t touch the non-volley zone or else it’s a fault too.

Not so pro tip: If you’re about to fall into the kitchen, your partner can save you by grabbing you. As long as they aren’t in the non-volley zone at the time.

3. If you enter the kitchen, you have to completely leave before hitting a volley

If you find yourself in the kitchen for any reason, you have to exit before you’re allowed to volley the ball before. Basically, this means that you can’t hit a volley while backing out of the kitchen or jump backwards from inside the kitchen to hit a volley close to the net. Once in the kitchen, both of your feet must touch the ground outside the kitchen for you to be able to hit a volley.

Hopefully this helps explain how to play around the non-volley zone. For the complete rules, see section 9 of the official rulebook.