Padel service faults: every way a serve can be out
A padel serve is a fault if it breaks the serving rules (position, bounce, foot or height), if you miss the ball, if it lands outside the receiver's box, if it hits you or your partner, if it touches the metal fence before the second bounce, or if it leaves through a gate on a court without a safety zone (FIP Rules 7a to 7f). Two faults in a row lose the point (Rule 13q). Here is each one, with the situations that cause most arguments.
There are six types of service fault in the FIP rules, listed as Rule 7a to 7f. Lines are good, glass after the bounce is good, and a net serve that lands in the box is replayed. Mesh after the bounce, a serve that hits your partner, and a serve through a gate on a court without a safety zone are all faults.
What the rules say
FIP Rule 7 lists the service faults. Here they are in plain English.
| Rule | Fault | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 7a | Breaking Rules 6.1 to 6.6 | Wrong position, no bounce, foot on the service or central line, contact above the waist or both feet off the ground, wrong box |
| 7b | Missing the ball | A swing intended to hit the ball counts as a serve, so an air shot is a fault |
| 7c | Landing outside the box | The ball must land in the receiver's box; balls on the lines are good |
| 7d | Hitting the server's pair | The serve touches the server, the partner or their equipment |
| 7e | Touching the mesh | The ball lands in the box and touches the metal fence before its second bounce; glass is fine |
| 7f | Through the gate | On a court without a safety zone, the ball lands in the box and leaves through a gate |
Two consecutive service faults cost the point (Rule 13q). That is the padel double fault.
7a in detail: the serving technique
Rule 7a covers any breach of Rules 6.1 to 6.6. You must stand with at least one foot behind the service line, inside your service box, and stay there until the ball has been served (6.1), bounce the ball in your own box behind the service line without it crossing the service line or the imaginary central line before you strike it (6.2), keep both feet off the service line and the imaginary central line (6.3), and strike the ball at or below waist height with at least one foot on the ground (6.4). The serve goes diagonally into the receiver's box (6.5). The height rule causes the most debate; see the waist-height rule for how to judge it.
7c and the lines
The receiving box is bounded by the net, the service line, the central line and the side wall; its lines are good, so a ball touching any of them is in. A ball landing beyond the service line, in the wrong box, or in the server's own court is a fault.
7e: glass vs mesh
After a good bounce in the box, the serve may hit the glass and stays in play. If it touches the metal fence before its second bounce, it is a fault. This is the key difference between serves and rallies: in a rally, a ball that bounces and then hits the mesh is in play (Rule 12), but on the serve it is a fault. More on that in when the ball hits the fence.
7f: the gate rule
Some courts have openings in the side walls. On a court without a safety zone around it, a serve that lands in the box and then leaves through a gate is a fault.
Lands on the line of the receiver's box (Rule 7c). Bounces in the box and then hits the side or back glass. Touches the net and lands in the box without touching the mesh: replayed, not a fault (Rule 9.1a).
Bounces in the box and touches the mesh before the second bounce (Rule 7e). Hits your partner at the net (Rule 7d). Swung at and missed (Rule 7b). Lands beyond the service line (Rule 7c).
Real match situations
The serve that clips the line
Your serve lands with part of the ball on the service line. Verdict: good serve (Rule 7c). The lines belong to the box.
The serve that hits your partner
Your partner is standing at the net and your serve hits them in the back. Verdict: fault (Rule 7d), not a point to the receivers. Partners at the net should stand a little wide of the line of the serve.
Net, then the fence
The serve clips the net, lands in the box and then runs into the side mesh. Verdict: fault. Rule 9.1a only allows a replay if the serve does not touch the metal fence before its second bounce, so the mesh contact turns it into a fault under Rule 7e.
Net, then your partner
The serve clips the net tape and drops onto your partner standing close to it. Rule 9.1b says that is a net: the serve is repeated, not faulted. Compare this with the previous scenario: a serve that hits your partner without touching the net first is a fault under 7d.
Wrong side
You serve your first serve from the left when you should have been on the right, and it is a fault. Nobody notices until the next point. Rule 6.7 says the mistake is corrected when it is noticed, points already played stand, and a first-serve fault already made still counts.
The second-serve fault
Your first serve hits the mesh after the bounce and your second lands beyond the service line. Verdict: double fault, point to the receivers (Rule 13q).
Common misconceptions
- "A net serve is a fault." Only if it then lands outside the box or touches the mesh. If it lands in the box, it is replayed (Rule 9.1a).
- "A serve onto the line is out." Lines are good (Rule 7c).
- "A serve that hits the receiver's partner is a fault." Rule 7d is about the server and the server's partner. A serve that hits either receiving player before it bounces is a point to the server (Rule 8.5).
- "The glass is out on the serve." No. After the bounce, the glass is fine. Only the mesh makes it a fault (Rule 7e).
- "You get a third serve after a let." A let on the first serve replays the whole point with two serves (Rule 9.2b). A let on the second serve repeats only the second serve (Rule 9.2c). For more, see let and net serve rules.
Social games vs official matches
With an umpire, every fault is called by the officials. In social games, the receiver calls whether the serve landed in or out and whether it touched the mesh, because the ball is on their side. The server calls their own foot faults and partner hits, which are usually obvious. Waist-height faults are the grey area; many groups agree before the match to call only clear overhead serves. That is a convention, not an FIP rule, so check it with your opponents before you start.
Reducing your own faults
- Aim for the middle of the box on second serves. Depth is a bonus; a double fault is a free point.
- Avoid the mesh. On courts with mesh panels near the service area, aim for the glass side of the box.
- Same routine every time. A consistent bounce and stance removes most foot and height faults.
- Tell your partner where you are serving. It helps them avoid the line of the ball and the Rule 7d fault.
Practise serving to targets in the drills section, and read the serve and return guide for technique.
Frequently asked questions
How many serves do you get in padel?
Two. Two consecutive faults lose the point (Rule 13q). Net serves that land in the box and lets are replayed and do not count as faults.
Is the line in on a padel serve?
Yes. A ball touching the lines of the receiver's box is good (Rule 7c).
Can the serve hit the glass?
Yes, after bouncing in the correct box. Only the metal fence makes it a fault (Rule 7e).
What happens if my serve hits my partner?
It is a fault (Rule 7d). If it touched the net first and then hit a player, it is a net and is repeated (Rule 9.1b).
Is missing the ball on the serve a fault?
Yes. Any intentional attempt to hit counts as a serve (Rule 6.6), so a miss is a fault (Rule 7b).
For the scoring side of a double fault, see padel scoring, or browse the rules hub.