USA Pickleball has released the Official Rulebook for 2025.
Below is a summary of a couple of key changes. You can find a document of all of the changes on the USA Pickleball site as well.
- Redefining the Volley: The act of volleying begins when the ball is struck out of the air before bouncing (volleyed) and ends when the player’s movement from the follow-through action (momentum) stops.
- The primary impact of this change for 2025 is that the volley starts when making contact with the ball and it will no longer be a fault if a player touches the non-volley-zone (NVZ) before hitting the volley.
- Adding to the Not Ready Signals definition
- Verbal indicators to stop play such as “stop” and “wait” will be recognized.
- Change to the Serve rules to add that the paddle may be used to release the ball.
- The serve shall be made with only one hand or the paddle releasing the ball.
While some natural rotation of the ball is expected during any release of the ball , the
server shall not impart manipulation or spin on the ball with any part of the body or the
paddle as a result of the release. Exception: The server may allow the ball to roll off the
face of the paddle by gravity.
- The serve shall be made with only one hand or the paddle releasing the ball.
- Calling faults on your partner
- The rule adds that players are expected to call faults on their partners as well as themselves.
- Calling faults on opponents
- Added the rule that any disagreement between the partners on an opponent fault call will be decided to the benefit of their opponents. The general principle is that when partners disagree, they express doubt, and the benefit of that doubt should go to their opponents.