How to serve in padel (and keep it legal)
The 6 rules that make a padel serve valid, what counts as a let or a fault, and the questions beginners ask most. New to the basics first? Start with our padel rules for beginners.
A quick note before you read on
I'm not a padel official, just someone who plays and has put this together from the official rulebooks plus my own time on court — and I'm still learning the finer points myself. I've checked every rule below against the official FIP rules and the LTA's padel rules page (sources at the bottom), but if your club or umpire ever says something different, always go with them first.
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Serve target — top-down view
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Control beats power
If you've played tennis, forget everything about the serve. Padel's serve is underarm, below the waist, and about accuracy rather than pace — which honestly makes it one of the easier parts of the game to pick up once the rules click. Here are the 6 things that make a serve legal.
What makes a padel serve legal
One foot stays behind the service line
You must serve from between the centre service line and the side wall, with at least one foot behind the service line, and you can't step on or over that line until after you've hit the ball.
Drop the ball — don't throw or toss it
The ball has to bounce once on the ground before you hit it. Throwing it down hard to make it bounce higher, or tossing it up in the air like a tennis serve, isn't allowed.
Hit it at or below waist height
Contact with the ball has to happen at or below waist level — most people take that as roughly navel height — with at least one foot still touching the ground.
Serve diagonally into the box opposite you
Just like tennis, the ball has to cross the net and land inside the correct diagonal service box on the other side. The first serve of a game goes into the box on the receiver's left; after a point is won, the next serve goes to the box on their right, alternating from there.
A serve that clips the net can still be good
If the ball touches the net cord or post and then lands correctly in the right box, it's a let — you simply retake that serve, no penalty either way.
Watch the fence (or "cage") after it bounces
If your serve lands in the box and then hits the metal fence (cage) before it would have bounced a second time, it's ruled a fault — the fence only comes into play once the point is properly under way.
What happens when you fault
✓ Two goes each time
Exactly like tennis, you get two attempts per point — a first serve and a second serve. Break one of the rules above on your first go, and you simply take a second serve instead.
✗ Double fault
Fault on both attempts and the point goes straight to your opponents — so there's no need to panic over a single miss.
Bounce first, glass second — the order matters
| What happens | Ruling |
|---|---|
| Serve bounces in the box, then hits the glass | Legal — play on |
| Serve hits the glass before it bounces in the box | Fault |
| Serve bounces in the box, then hits the fence (cage) | Fault |
Can you volley the serve back?
No — the returner has to let it bounce. The serve must land once inside the correct service box before the receiver's racket touches it; take it out of the air on the volley, and the point goes straight to the server, no argument.
However your group decides
Officially it's a coin toss. Casually, it's just as common to play a quick warm-up point instead and let the winner serve first, or to simply have someone volunteer (or get volunteered) — if it's a social game, agree it between you and get on with playing.
Depends how you're scoring
In a formal, scored match, serve passes to the next player after each game. Playing a points-based social format like an Americano? Serve usually rotates every 4 points instead (some groups use 8) — either way, each player on a team alternates who receives too, so everyone gets a turn at both.
Serve questions beginners ask most
What happens if the serve hits the net?
If the ball touches the net cord and still lands inside the correct service box, it's a let — the server just retakes that serve, no penalty. If it clips the net and lands outside the box, or hits the metal fence (cage) before its second bounce, it's ruled a fault instead.
Can I throw or toss the ball to serve?
No — the rules call for a drop, not a throw or a toss. You let the ball fall from your hand and hit it after that single bounce. Throwing it down hard to bounce it higher, or tossing it up like a tennis serve, isn't a legal padel serve.
How many serve attempts do you get?
Two, just like tennis — a first serve and a second serve. Fault on your first attempt and you simply take your second. A double fault (missing both) gives the point to your opponents.
Can the serve hit the side fence after it bounces?
Not before its second bounce. If your serve lands correctly in the box and then hits the metal fence (cage) before it would have bounced again, that's a fault — the fence only becomes fair game once the point is properly under way.
How high can I hit the ball on the serve?
At or below waist height at the moment of contact — most people take that as roughly navel height. It's the single biggest habit to unlearn if you've come from tennis, where the serve is the opposite: as high and as hard as you can hit it.
Can the serve hit the glass wall?
Yes — as long as it bounces inside the correct service box first. After that, it's allowed to rebound off the back or side glass and still be a good serve. Hit the glass while the ball's still in the air, before it's bounced in the box, and it's a fault instead.
Can you volley the serve back?
No — the serve has to bounce once inside the correct service box before the receiver touches it. Volleying it out of the air, even if you can reach it, gives the point straight to the server.
Nobody serves perfectly on their first go
Faults happen to everyone early on — your group or coach will usually just call it kindly and let you try again. The rules click faster than you'd think once you're actually out there. Once the serve feels comfortable, our padel shots guide covers the lob, volley and bandeja next — or try our free match organiser.
Where this guide's rules come from
Every rule above was checked against these two sources. Worth a read yourself if you want the full, official wording rather than my summary of it.
- 1. International Padel Federation (FIP) — Official Rules of Padel, Rule 6 "The Service" and Rule 7 "Service Fault". This is the governing body's own rulebook and the most authoritative source going.
- 2. LTA Padel — Padel Rules: Scoring, Serving, Walls & Faults. The UK's national tennis and padel body's plain-English rules page, useful for double-checking anything that reads ambiguously in the official FIP wording.
Rules can be reviewed and updated by the FIP from time to time — I'll do my best to keep this page in step, but always defer to your club or umpire on the day.
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