Pickleball Court Dimensions: Size, Kitchen & Net
An official pickleball court measures 20 feet wide by 44 feet long. The dimensions are the same for singles and doubles.
Each side of the net has a 7-foot Non-Volley Zone, commonly called the Kitchen. The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches high in the center.
The painted court itself is only part of the space you need. USA Pickleball recommends a total playing surface of about 30 by 60 feet at minimum so players have room beyond the baselines and sidelines.
This guide breaks down every important measurement and explains what each part of the court is used for.
Pickleball court dimensions at a glance
| Measurement | Official / standard size |
|---|---|
| Court width | 20 ft |
| Court length | 44 ft |
| Singles court | 20 × 44 ft |
| Doubles court | 20 × 44 ft |
| Kitchen depth | 7 ft from the net on each side |
| Kitchen width | 20 ft |
| Service court width | 10 ft |
| Service court depth | 15 ft |
| Net height at sidelines | 36 in |
| Net height at center | 34 in |
| Net-post spacing | 22 ft |
| Net length | At least 21 ft 9 in |
| Typical line width | 2 in |
| Recommended minimum playing area | About 30 × 60 ft |
If you’re still learning what the different areas mean during play, our How to Play Pickleball guide explains the basic rules that go with the court layout.
How big is a pickleball court?
The regulation court is:
- 20 feet wide
- 44 feet long
That gives the marked playing court an area of 880 square feet.
The net divides the court into two equal halves, so each side measures 20 feet wide by 22 feet long.
Are singles and doubles courts the same size?
Yes. Unlike tennis, pickleball does not use wider sidelines for doubles.
Both singles and doubles use the same 20 × 44-foot court.
What changes is the way players cover the space. In singles, one player must defend the full 20-foot width. In doubles, two teammates divide the same court.
How big is the Kitchen?
The Kitchen is officially called the Non-Volley Zone.
It extends 7 feet from the net on each side and spans the full 20-foot width of the court.
Together, the two Kitchen areas create a 14-foot-long zone centered around the net.
| Kitchen depth per side | 7 ft |
| Total Kitchen area across both sides | 14 ft × 20 ft |
| Kitchen area per side | 140 sq ft |
The Kitchen line itself is part of the Non-Volley Zone. That matters when volleying and when serving. Our Pickleball Kitchen Rules guide explains those situations in detail.
How big is each service box?
Behind the Kitchen, each side of the court is split into a left and right service court by the centerline.
Each service court is approximately:
- 10 feet wide
- 15 feet deep
The 10-foot width comes from dividing the 20-foot court in half. The 15-foot depth comes from the 22 feet between the net and baseline minus the 7-foot Kitchen.
When serving, the ball must travel diagonally into the opposite service court and clear the Kitchen. See our Pickleball Serving Rules guide for the complete serving requirements.
Pickleball net dimensions
A regulation pickleball net is slightly lower in the middle than at the sidelines.
- 36 inches high at the sidelines
- 34 inches high at the center
- At least 21 feet 9 inches long
- At least 30 inches high from bottom edge to top
The net posts should be about 22 feet apart, placing them outside the 20-foot court width.
This lower center height is one reason crosscourt dinks can travel over a slightly lower part of the net than balls hit near the sidelines.
Where are the court lines?
A pickleball court uses five main types of line:
- Baselines: the lines at each end of the 44-foot court.
- Sidelines: the long outer lines defining the 20-foot width.
- Non-Volley Zone lines: parallel to the net and 7 feet away from it.
- Centerlines: divide the area behind each Kitchen into left and right service courts.
- Net line: the net runs across the midpoint of the 44-foot court.
Standard pickleball court lines are typically 2 inches wide.
Do the lines count as in?
Generally, a ball touching a court boundary line is considered in.
The important serving exception is the Non-Volley Zone line.
A serve must clear the Kitchen completely, so a serve landing on the Kitchen line is a fault.
How much total space do you need for a pickleball court?
The painted lines measure 20 × 44 feet, but building a playing area exactly that size would leave nowhere to run outside the court.
USA Pickleball recommends a total playing surface of approximately 30 × 60 feet as a minimum.
That gives players additional space behind the baselines and outside the sidelines.
| Area | Dimensions | Approx. area |
|---|---|---|
| Painted court | 20 × 44 ft | 880 sq ft |
| Recommended minimum playing surface | 30 × 60 ft | 1,800 sq ft |
More surrounding room can be useful for competitive play, courts with fencing, wheelchair play, and facilities where players regularly chase balls well beyond the baseline.
Why is extra space behind the baseline important?
The 44-foot measurement tells you where the court lines end, not where player movement ends.
Players often move behind the baseline when:
- receiving a deep serve;
- defending a drive;
- hitting a third shot;
- running down a lob.
A court squeezed into a 20 × 44-foot space may technically contain the lines, but it does not provide enough room for normal movement.
Can you put a pickleball court on a tennis court?
Yes. Tennis courts are much larger than pickleball courts, so they are commonly converted or temporarily marked for pickleball.
The important part is measuring the pickleball lines independently rather than assuming existing tennis lines match the required dimensions.
Temporary tape or other removable markings can be used when permanent pickleball lines are not appropriate.
Can you make a temporary pickleball court?
Yes. A temporary court can be created on a sufficiently large, hard, level surface using removable court tape or similar markings and a portable net.
For the basic rectangular court, the most important measurements to remember are:
- Mark a rectangle 20 feet wide by 44 feet long.
- Place the net halfway along the 44-foot length.
- Measure 7 feet from the net on each side for the Kitchen lines.
- Split each 20-foot-wide area behind the Kitchen down the middle to form two 10-foot-wide service courts.
For a permanent court, construction involves additional considerations such as drainage, surfacing, fencing, lighting, orientation, and surrounding clearance.
Pickleball court vs badminton court
A standard pickleball court uses the same basic 20 × 44-foot overall dimensions commonly associated with a badminton doubles court.
However, the markings and net setup are different, so an existing badminton court still needs the correct pickleball Kitchen, service-area, and net configuration.
The easiest measurements to remember
If you only want to memorize the essentials, remember:
- 20 × 44: court size
- 7 feet: Kitchen depth on each side
- 10 × 15: approximate size of each service court
- 36 / 34 inches: net height at the sides / center
- 30 × 60: practical minimum overall playing area
Those measurements are enough to understand the basic layout of almost any standard pickleball court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the official dimensions of a pickleball court?
A regulation pickleball court is 20 feet wide by 44 feet long.
Is a singles pickleball court smaller?
No. Singles and doubles both use the same 20 × 44-foot court.
How far is the Kitchen line from the net?
The Non-Volley Zone line is 7 feet from the net on each side.
How high is a pickleball net?
The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches high at the center.
How much room do you need to build a pickleball court?
The court lines occupy 20 × 44 feet, but USA Pickleball recommends about 30 × 60 feet as a minimum total playing surface so players have room beyond the boundaries.
Sources & Further Reading
- USA Pickleball — Court Construction, Dimensions & Netting
- USA Pickleball — What Is Pickleball?
- USA Pickleball — Official Rulebook
