Serve
The short version
Putting the ball in play to start a rally.
From the rulebook
Manner (Legal Serve) The server must come to a complete stop in the service zone before beginning the serve. The serve is begun by bouncing the ball to the floor in the service zone, and purposely struck by either hand or fist before the ball bounces twice so that so that it contacts the wall first and on the rebound contacts the floor in the receiving zone, unless played on the fly. Refer to Rule 4.3.C & D.
— One-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve
How to do it
How to serve
Wait for the referee to announce the score; a serve may not be made before then.
One-wall 4.1(e) (rule)Stand anywhere in the service zone. No part of either foot may touch the floor beyond the outer edge of either line of the zone.
One-wall 4.1(c) (rule)Come to a complete stop in the service zone before you begin the serve.
One-wall 4.1(d) (rule)Bounce the ball to the floor in the service zone, then strike it with either hand or fist before it bounces twice.
One-wall 4.1(d) (rule)One-wall: the ball must hit the wall first and, on the rebound, the floor in the receiving zone, unless the receiver plays it on the fly.
One-wall 4.1(d) (rule)Four-wall: the ball must hit the front wall first and, on the rebound, the floor behind the short line, with or without touching one of the side walls.
Four-wall 4.1(d) (rule)Stay in the service zone until the served ball passes the short line; a violation is called a foot fault.
One-wall 4.1(c) (rule)Serve (hit the ball) within 10 seconds of the referee announcing the score.
One-wall 4.1(e) (rule)
Quick Qs
How long do I have to serve?
Within 10 seconds of the referee announcing the score.
One-wall 4.1(e) (rule)What is a foot fault?
Letting any part of either foot touch the floor beyond the outer edge of either line of the service zone, or leaving the service zone before the served ball passes the short line.
One-wall 4.1(c) (rule)Related
Where it shows up
- One-wall · Rule 1.4 Points and outs Points are scored by the serving side when it serves an ace (a serve which is untouched by the receiver’s hand) or wins a rally (exc…
- One-wall · Rule 2.5 Eye protection … to wear eye protection properly. If the referee sees that a player is about to serve or receive and is not wearing eye protection, the referee should immediately st…
- One-wall · Rule 3.4 Referee …n a forfeit. 6.) Start game. Introduce players, toss coin to determine order of serve and signal start of game. 7.) Time. The assigned referee should be present 15 m…
- One-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals …ort or other service fault, and the appeal is upheld, the server is awarded the serve over. If the server had one short, the call would cancel the previous fault cal…
- One-wall · Rule 3.8 Scorer …urnament director. As a minimum, the progress record shall include the order of serves, outs, points, and total points scored each inning by each server.
- One-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve Order In singles, the player winning the toss of a coin serves first in the first game. The other player serves first in the second game. If a…
- One-wall · Rule 4.2 Doubles …llowed throughout the game. Only the first server on the first serving team may serve the first time up. This player must continue to serve first throughout the game…
- One-wall · Rule 4.3 Defective serves Defective serves are of four types and result in the following:
- One-wall · Rule 4.4 Return of Serve Legal return After the ball is legally served, one of the players on the receiving side must strike the ball either on the fl…
- One-wall · Rule 4.5 Changes of serve …ntil he/she or his/her side makes an out. When the server or the side loses the serve, they become the receiver or receiving side, and the receiving side becomes the…
- One-wall · Rule 4.6 Rally … is defined as when the ball is legally returned and kept in play after a legal serve is executed. Play during rallies must be in accord with the following rules:
- One-wall · Rule 4.7 Dead-ball Hinders Situations 1.) Court hinders. If, after the ball has been legally served, in the referee’s opinion, an erratic bounce is caused by a court obstruction o…
Show 18 more
- One-wall · Rule 4.8 Avoidable hinders …ayer may make a call that is otherwise reserved for the referee, such as “short serve” “out,” or “hinder.” Play shall immediately be stopped and the referee shall co…
- One-wall · Rule 4.10 Timeouts …st a timeout, but not after the referee has announced the score, called “second serve” after a fault serve, or called “first/second serve, one hinder serve” after a …
- Four-wall · Rule 1.4 Points and outs Points are scored by the serving side when it serves an ace (a serve which is untouched by the receiver’s hand) or wins a rally (exc…
- Four-wall · Rule 2.5 Eye protection … to wear eye protection properly. If the referee sees that a player is about to serve and is not wearing eye protection, the referee should immediately stop the game…
- Four-wall · Rule 3.4 Referee …and 4.7.A.1). 8) Start game. Introduce players, toss coin to determine order of serve and signal start of game. 9) Scoring. Announce the scores before each rally. (S…
- Four-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals …ort or other service fault, and the appeal is upheld, the server is awarded the serve over. If the server had one short, the call would cancel the previous fault cal…
- Four-wall · Rule 3.8 Scorer …urnament director. As a minimum, the progress record shall include the order of serves, outs, points, and total points scored each inning by each server.
- Four-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve Order In singles, the player winning the toss of a coin serves first in the first game. The other player serves first in the second game. If a…
- Four-wall · Rule 4.2 Doubles …llowed throughout the game. Only the first server on the first serving team may serve the first time up. This player must continue to serve first throughout the game…
- Four-wall · Rule 4.3 Defective serves There are four types of defective serves which result in the following:
- Four-wall · Rule 4.4 Return of Serve Legal return After the ball is legally served, one of the players on the receiving side must strike the ball either on the fl…
- Four-wall · Rule 4.5 Changes of serve …ntil he/she or his/her side makes an out. When the server or the side loses the serve, they become the receiver or receiving side, and the receiving side becomes the…
- Four-wall · Rule 4.6 Rally … is defined as when the ball is legally returned and kept in play after a legal serve is executed. Play during rallies must be in accord with the following rules:
- Four-wall · Rule 4.7 Dead-ball Hinders Situations 1) Court hinders. If, after the ball has been legally served, in the referee’s opinion, an erratic bounce is caused by a court obstruction o…
- Four-wall · Rule 4.8 Avoidable hinders … not move sufficiently to allow his/her opponent his/her shot. This may include serves. Part 4, Rule 4.8.A: Interpretation No. 13 The legal position a player can assu…
- Four-wall · Rule 4.10 Timeouts …st a timeout, but not after the referee has announced the score, called “second serve” after a fault serve, or called “first/second serve, one screen” after a screen…
- Four-wall · Rule 2.1-three Courts …for outdoor play unless opponent requests one be worn. Under Rule 4.3 Defective Serves. Under C. Fault Serves. 5) Long Serve. Any served ball that first hits the fron…
- Four-wall · Rule 2.1-one Courts …of the referee’s call. Part 4, Rule 4.3 B. (1): Interpretation No. 5 The hinder serve, like any other hinder, is based on interference affecting the play. The refere…
In GAA / 60×30 rules
- GAA rules allow the choice of a number as an alternative to the coin toss for the order of serve, on a three-year trial from 2026 (GAA rule 4.1.A).
Ref questions
The served ball hits the front wall then two side walls before the floor.
Answer: Fault (three-wall serve)
Front + two side walls on the fly is a three-wall serve — a fault.
The served ball hits the front wall then the ceiling before the floor.
Answer: Fault (ceiling serve)
Touching the ceiling after the front wall is a fault serve.
The served ball rebounds off the front wall and strikes the back wall on the fly.
Answer: Fault (long serve)
Carrying to the back wall untouched by the floor is a long serve — a fault.
After a fault serve, the referee should:
Answer: Announce "second serve" (do NOT re-call the score)
Do not re-call the score after a fault — only after a hinder or timeout.
Whose score is announced first?
Answer: The server’s
Always call the server’s score first, e.g. "12 serving 8".
Once the score is called, the server must contact the ball within:
Answer: 10 seconds
The 10-second service rule; exceeding it is an out.
Four-wall: the serve’s first bounce lands 5 ft from the front wall (short line at 20 ft, back wall at 40 ft). Ruling:
Answer: Short serve (fault)
5 ft → short serve (fault).
Four-wall: the serve’s first bounce lands 10 ft from the front wall (short line at 20 ft, back wall at 40 ft). Ruling:
Answer: Short serve (fault)
10 ft → short serve (fault).
Four-wall: the serve’s first bounce lands 15 ft from the front wall (short line at 20 ft, back wall at 40 ft). Ruling:
Answer: Short serve (fault)
15 ft → short serve (fault).
All Serve questions (40) · All Cadence questions (29) · All Serve depth questions (21)