Pickleball Court Dimensions

Size of a Pickleball Court

When you first look at a pickleball court you notice it’s smaller than a tennis court, but around the same size as a badminton court.  A pickleball court measures 44 feet long (inclusive of lines) and 20 feet wide (inclusive of lines).  Actually, when tennis and/or country clubs convert a standard tennis court with side and baseline space, four pickleball courts can be created!  Now you know what clubs are making the move to install more pickleball courts. 

More courts = more members = more monthly dues!

Ideally, all together with sideline and baseline out of bounds space, pickleball courts take up an area of around 30 feet x 60 feet.

Pickleball Court Sections

There are a few defined sections of a pickleball court: the sidelines, the baseline, the transition area, the non-volley zone (NVZ, also known as the kitchen).

The pickleball court sideline is 44 feet in length, from one baseline to the other.

The pickleball court baseline is 20 feet in length, from one sideline to the other.

The distance from the baseline to the non-volley zone is 15 feet. 

The distance from the non-volley zone line to the net is 7 feet. 

See the image for a visual display of the pickleball court dimensions.

Pickleball Non-Volley Zone

As mentioned, the non-volley zone (NVZ) is 20 feet wide and 7 feet long. It runs the entire width of the court and measures exactly 7 feet on either side of the net, for a total length of 14 feet. Also called the kitchen, the NVZ should be painted a consistent color on both sides of the net, but usually contrasts slightly with the rest of the pickleball court. 

Pickleball Left Service Area

The left service area is made up of the left sideline, the baseline, and the centerline. It also sits directly underneath the NVZ, however, the kitchen lines are not considered as part of the service area. Both the left and right service areas measure 10 feet wide and 15 feet long.

Pickleball Right Service Area

The right service area is made up of the right sideline, the baseline, and the centerline. It measures 10 feet wide and 15 feet long, including lines. 

Both sides of the pickleball court are symmetrical and have the exact same measurements. Similar to tennis, it’s common for competing teams to switch sides of the court during a pickleball match to ensure no team has an advantage due to sun, wind, or other court factors.

 Pickleball Net

The net height is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches high in the middle.

How Does a Pickleball Court Differ from a Tennis Court?

Sheer surface area size is the number one difference, however the configuration of the court sections also differ.  A pickleball court is 20x44 feet, whereas a tennis court is 36x78 feet, with the 36 feet including the doubles alleys.

Another main difference is the net height.  The pickleball net is 34 inches in the center, whereas the tennis net is 36 inches in the center.