Table Tennis Serve Rules Explained (UK Guide)

Table Tennis Serve Rules Explained: Toss, Hiding and Lets

What the ITTF Laws actually say about a legal serve, who serves when, and what happens if the ball clips the net

What is a legal serve in table tennis?

A legal serve starts with the ball resting on your flat, open palm. You toss it almost straight up, without spin, at least 16 cm, and hit it as it falls so that it bounces once on your side and then on your opponent's side. From start to finish the ball must stay above the table and behind your end line, and you must not hide it from the receiver.

Those requirements come from Law 2.6 of the ITTF Laws of Table Tennis, which Table Tennis England and local leagues follow. Here is each part in plain English.

The serve, step by step

Open palm, hand still. The ball rests freely on the open palm of your stationary free hand (Law 2.6.1). No cupping, no pinching between fingers.
Toss near vertically, at least 16 cm. You project the ball near vertically upwards, without imparting spin, so it rises at least 16 cm after leaving your palm and falls without touching anything before you strike it (2.6.2). 16 cm is roughly the height of the net (15.25 cm), which is a handy reference.
Hit it on the way down. The ball must touch your court first and then directly the receiver's court (2.6.3).
Above the table, behind the end line. From the start of the serve until you hit it, the ball must be above the level of the playing surface and behind your end line (2.6.4).
No hiding. The ball must not be hidden from the receiver by you, your partner or anything you wear or carry (2.6.4). As soon as you have tossed the ball, your free arm and hand must be moved out of the space between the ball and the net (2.6.5).

Doubles: serve diagonally

In doubles the ball must touch the right half of the server's court and then the right half of the receiver's court (2.6.3). The order of serving also rotates: at each change of service the previous receiver becomes the server (2.13.5).

What happens if the serve touches the net?

It is a let, and the serve is replayed, provided the serve was otherwise correct (2.9.1.1). A let is also called if you serve before the receiver is ready, as long as the receiver does not try to hit the ball (2.9.1.2). There is no limit on the number of net lets in a row.

Warnings and faults

It is the server's job to serve so that the umpire can see it is legal (2.6.6). If the umpire is not sure, they may warn you once in a match; after that, any serve by you or your doubles partner that is not clearly legal is a fault and the point goes to the receiver (2.6.6.1). The umpire may relax the rules for a player whose physical disability prevents compliance (2.6.7).

Who serves when?

Serve changes after every 2 points (2.13.3).
At 10-10 (deuce), each player serves 1 point in turn, and the game is won by the first to lead by 2 (2.11.1, 2.13.3).
Whoever served first in one game receives first in the next (2.13.6).
If a game lasts 10 minutes, the expedite system starts unless 18 points have been scored. Players then serve 1 point each in turn, and the receiver wins the point if they make 13 correct returns in a rally (2.15).

Common faults to fix in practice

Tossing the ball backwards or sideways rather than near vertically.
Throwing it lower than net height.
Hitting it while it is still rising, or from below table height.
Leaving the free arm in front of the ball, which hides the contact.

Once your toss and contact are clean, you can work on spin. Our guide on how to serve backspin and sidespin picks up from there, and our equipment rules guide covers bats, rubbers and balls.

FAQ

Can you serve anywhere on the table in singles?

Yes. In singles the ball can land anywhere on the receiver's court after first bouncing on yours. Only doubles requires diagonal serves.

Does the ball have to go 16 cm above the table or above my hand?

The Law says it must rise at least 16 cm after leaving the palm of your free hand.

Can I serve from the side of the table?

The ball must be behind your end line and above the table level until it is struck. The end line is treated as extending indefinitely in both directions (2.5.14), so you can stand wide, as long as the ball is behind that line.