Pickleball Net Height: 36 Inches at the Sidelines, 34 at the Center

The court · Net height · Updated 2026-08-07

Under USA Pickleball rules, the net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches high at the center. In metric, that is 91.44 cm (0.91 m) at the sidelines and 86.36 cm (0.86 m) in the middle. The height is identical for singles and doubles, indoors and outdoors, on every regulation court.

This guide gives you the exact numbers in every unit, shows how to measure and set a net in under a minute, explains why the two inch center drop quietly shapes strategy, and covers the one adjustment you need when converting a tennis net for pickleball.

The regulation height, exactly

USA Pickleball specifies one net for every level of play: 36 inches tall at each sideline and 34 inches tall at the center of the court. The two inch difference is not slack or wear - it is written into the rules, so a correctly hung net always dips slightly in the middle. The net stretches across the full 20 foot width of the court, and because singles and doubles share the same 20 x 44 foot court, there is no separate singles net or singles height. Whether you play in a gym, on a dedicated outdoor court, or on a taped driveway, the target numbers never change.

Two rounding notes for the metric figures: 36 inches converts to exactly 91.44 cm, which most sources round to 0.91 m, and 34 inches converts to exactly 86.36 cm, rounded to 0.86 m. If you are checking a net with a metric tape, aim for the centimeter figures rather than the rounded meter values - a net set to an even 0.90 m is more than a full centimeter low at the sidelines.

Why the net is two inches lower in the middle

The center drop standardizes something every suspended net does naturally: sag. Rather than letting tension vary from court to court, the rules fix the middle at exactly 34 inches, about 5.6 percent lower than the sidelines. A center strap or adjustable tension system holds the net at that height so a court in a rec center gym plays exactly like a dedicated outdoor facility.

That two inch dip quietly shapes strategy. A ball hit over the middle of the court clears a 34 inch barrier; the same ball hit down the line near the sideline has to clear 36 inches. This is one reason the crosscourt dink dominates doubles. Hit from one kitchen line corner toward the diagonally opposite kitchen, the ball crosses the net at its lowest point and gets a longer flight path in which to drop. The math is striking: a straight ahead dink travels about 14 feet - 7 feet from your kitchen line to the net, then 7 more to the far kitchen line - while a corner to corner crosscourt dink covers up to about 24.4 feet, the diagonal of a 20 by 14 foot rectangle. That is roughly 10 extra feet of margin over a lower stretch of net.

How to measure and set a net

1. Measure the center first: Hook a tape measure over the top of the net cord at the middle of the court and measure straight down to the playing surface. You want exactly 34 inches. Measure to the top edge of the net where the ball actually crosses, not to the bottom of the white binding tape.
2. Check both sidelines: Repeat the measurement where the net crosses each sideline. Both sides should read 36 inches. If one side is high and the other low, the net is mounted unevenly rather than mistensioned, so fix the posts before touching the tension.
3. Adjust the center strap or frame: On permanent nets, tighten or loosen the center strap until the middle sits at 34 inches. On portable nets, most frames have a center support post; adjust it or the side tension buckles until all three numbers match the spec.
4. Re-measure after tightening: Tension changed at one point moves the rest of the net. After any adjustment, quickly re-check all three spots: sideline, center, sideline. The whole routine takes under a minute once you have done it twice.

Setting a tennis net to pickleball height

A tennis net hangs 36 inches high at its center, which is exactly 2 inches higher than a pickleball net's 34. If you are playing pickleball on a tennis court, you have two options: crank the tennis net's center strap down until the middle measures 34 inches, or ignore the tennis net entirely and set up a portable pickleball net on your taped lines. One tennis court footprint of roughly 60 by 120 feet commonly hosts up to four pickleball courts - four minimum 30 by 60 foot playing areas tile that space exactly - so shared facilities usually go the portable net route. See the full tennis to pickleball conversion guide for line layouts and post placement.

Portable nets, driveways, and gyms

Portable net systems are built to the same 36 and 34 inch specification, but they drift. Frames flex, tension buckles slip, and a net that measured perfectly out of the box can sag an inch low after a season of car trunks and gym closets. Measure the center every few sessions, and always before anything competitive. Indoors, the heights are identical; there is no separate gym specification. For a home setup, remember that the net is only part of the footprint: USA Pickleball recommends a minimum total playing area of 30 by 60 feet and prefers 34 by 64, so check the space requirements guide before you buy a net for a driveway that cannot hold the swing room around the court.

Common net height mistakes

• Measuring to the bottom of the binding. The height is taken from the playing surface to the top of the net cord where the ball crosses, not to the lower edge of the white tape.
• Setting a converted tennis net to 36 at the center. That leaves the middle 2 inches high and punishes every dink; the center of any net you play pickleball over should read 34 inches.
• Pulling the net drum tight until the middle reads 36. A perfectly flat net is out of spec. The 2 inch center drop is required, not optional.
• Assuming singles uses a lower or higher net. Singles and doubles use the same court and the same 36 and 34 inch net.
• Trusting a portable net's factory setting. Legs settle unevenly on rough ground, and a quick center measurement catches it before it changes how the game plays.

How net height connects to the rest of the court

The net is one number in a tightly linked system. The court is 20 by 44 feet for both singles and doubles, the same footprint as a doubles badminton court. The non-volley zone extends 7 feet from the net on each side, line included, which puts the two kitchen lines 14 feet apart with the net's lowest point exactly halfway between them. Serves are struck from behind the baseline, 22 feet from the net, and must clear it on a diagonal into the far service area; see the serving rules for the full motion requirements. If you are laying out a court from scratch, start with the court dimensions guide and set your net posts before you tape a single line.

Set the net, then let Dink handle the score. Once the net reads 34 at the center, the last thing left to track by hand is the score. Dink: Pickleball Score Keeper by Panda Taps calls the full three number score out loud, tracks the server number and side-outs automatically, and supports both side-out and rally scoring. It runs on iPhone and Apple Watch, works offline, and needs no account, so it is ready on any court from public park to taped driveway. Download Dink: Pickleball Score Keeper on the App Store.

Frequently asked questions

How tall is a pickleball net?

A regulation pickleball net is 36 inches tall at the sidelines and 34 inches tall at the center. In metric, that is 91.44 cm at the sidelines and 86.36 cm at the center.

Is the net height the same for singles and doubles?

Yes. Singles and doubles are played on the same 20 x 44 foot court with the same net, 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center.

Can you use a tennis net for pickleball?

Yes, with one adjustment. A tennis net is 36 inches high at the center, 2 inches higher than pickleball's 34, so lower it with the center strap until the middle reads 34 inches or use a portable pickleball net instead.

Why is a pickleball net lower in the middle?

The 2 inch drop from 36 to 34 inches is written into the specification so every court plays the same. It also rewards shots hit over the middle of the court, which is one reason crosscourt dinks are so effective.

Keep reading

• Pickleball Court Dimensions in Feet and Meters (With a DIY Layout Plan)
• Pickleball vs Tennis Court: Size, Net and Conversion Compared
• What Is a Dink in Pickleball (and Why It Wins Games)