The kitchen rule: you can stand in it
The kitchen isn't off limits. What you can't do is volley while you're touching it, and the line counts as part of it.
From the series Rules, Explained
The rule in one line
Stand in it. Never volley while touching it.
What the kitchen is
The kitchen, or non-volley zone, runs 7 feet from the net on both sides. The kitchen line belongs to the kitchen.
What you can do
You can walk into the kitchen and stand there. You can hit a ball that has bounced there.
What you can’t do
You can’t volley, which means hitting the ball before it bounces, while any part of you is touching the kitchen or its line. If the ball bounces first, you’re free to play it from inside.
Take it to the court
Before you volley, glance at your feet. Toes behind the line means you’re clear.
Sources
- USA Pickleball Official Rulebook (2026), rule 11.A, the non-volley zone
How this was made: Written from the Pickleorium lesson B02 script and checked against the 2026 rulebook.