The USAPA Board collaborated with a committee comprised of selected individuals, both “Standing Players” and “Wheelchair Players” to develop rules specific to wheelchair pickleball. The following rules have been finalized and have been added as “Section 16 – Wheelchair Pickleball” to the IFP Pickleball Rule Book.
SECTION 16 – WHEELCHAIR RULES
A. Basic Play
The wheelchair is considered part of the player’s body and all applicable rules that apply to a player’s body will apply to the wheelchair except in non-volley zone as listed below.
All applicable rules which apply to standing players apply to those in a wheelchair except as listed below.
B. Two Bounce Rule
The wheelchair pickleball player is allowed two bounces of the ball on his or her side of the net. The second bounce can be anywhere inside or outside of the court boundaries.
C. Service
C.1. Server shall be in stationary position, and then allowed one push before striking ball.
C.2. At the time the server strikes the ball, the server shall not touch with any wheel: any baselines, sidelines, center lines or the extended center or sidelines.
D. Non-Volley Zone (NVZ) (two bounce rule applies)
D.1. When a wheelchair player strikes a ball in the NVZ, on a volley, it is a fault only if the larger-rear wheels contact NVZ.
D.2. Upon exiting the NVZ, after striking a bounced ball, the player’s larger-rear wheels must return to outside the NVZ boundaries (so no rear wheel contact is made in the NVZ) before hitting a volley, or it is a fault.
E. Wheelchair/Standing Pickleball
E.1. When a wheelchair pickleball player is playing with or against a standing person in singles or doubles, the rules of pickleball for standing players shall apply to all standing players while the wheelchair pickleball rules shall apply to all wheelchair players.
F. Singles Wheelchair Pickleball
F.1. Singles play with one or both players in a wheelchair shall be played on half court. The server and the receiver shall serve, receive and play the entire point from their respective service and receiving court.