Padel out of bounds happens when the ball leaves the court area. The glass walls and metal mesh are IN play - balls rebound off them. The fence above the walls and the ceiling or any overhanging structure are OUT. Lines count as in. A ball that rebounds off a wall and then goes over the fence without bouncing on the floor is out.
Three zones: in, rebound, out
Think of the padel court as having three zones where the ball can go:
| Zone | Status |
|---|---|
| The floor and lines | In play |
| Glass back walls and side walls | In play - ball rebounds |
| Metal mesh on side wings | In play - ball rebounds |
| The fence above the walls (top section) | Out |
| Anything outside the enclosed court | Out |
| Ceiling, lights, overhangs | Out |
Why walls are in play
The defining feature of padel is that walls are part of the game. A ball that lands in your opponents court and then rebounds off their back glass is still in play - they can try to return it off the wall.
The same applies to the side walls. Side wings are made of glass closer to the back and metal mesh toward the front. Both count as in play. A ball that bounces on the floor, rebounds off the side mesh, and is returned over the net is a perfectly legal shot. See our off the glass guide for technique.
When the ball is out
A ball is out when it leaves the court area without being legally playable. The specific situations:
- Over the fence: The ball clears the top of the court enclosure (usually 3-4 metres high) and lands outside
- Hits the ceiling: On indoor courts, the ball strikes the ceiling, lights or any overhanging structure
- Exits through the entrance: The ball travels through the court entrance and leaves the playing area
- Caught outside: The ball leaves the court and a player tries to retrieve it from outside - cannot be played back
Line calls: when a ball touches a line
Any ball that touches any part of a painted court line is considered IN. The line itself counts as part of the playing area on both sides.
This matters most during serves (where the ball must land in the correct service box) and at the back of the court. A ball that lands on the service line is in. A ball that clips the baseline is in.
Ball goes over the fence after rebound
This is the edge case that catches most new players. If your hit bounces on your opponents floor, rebounds high off their back glass, and then flies over the back fence without coming back down into the court - that is out, and the point goes to you.
The test is whether the ball is still playable inside the court boundary. Once it leaves the enclosed space without having been returned over the net, the point is over.
The "por cuatro" shot
Some padel courts have openings in the side walls to allow players to run outside the court to retrieve deep lobs or wall rebounds. This is called "por cuatro" or "out-of-court" play.
If a ball has bounced and is rebounding outside the court through one of these openings, a player can legally exit the court, play the ball outside, and hit it back over the net. This is legal and part of advanced play. Not all clubs have courts built with these openings - check before relying on it.
Common misunderstandings
A few scenarios where players frequently misjudge in vs out:
- Thinking a ball that hits the mesh must be out because it made a different sound - the mesh is in play
- Assuming a ball that hits the corner where glass meets mesh is out - that whole area is in play
- Assuming a ball that bounces on a painted line must be out - lines are in
- Thinking a ball is out just because it hit the back glass hard - only going over the fence after that counts as out