Padel Let Rule Explained: When Is a Serve Replayed?

The let is one of the most misunderstood rules in padel, especially for players coming from tennis. In simple terms, a let means the serve is replayed — no point is won or lost, no serve attempt is consumed. Here is everything you need to know about when and why a let is called.

What Is a Let in Padel?

A let occurs when the served ball clips the top of the net cord and still lands correctly inside the service box. Because the net interfered with the ball’s path but the serve was otherwise good, the rules treat it as a do-over. The server takes the same serve again — first serve if it was a first serve, second serve if it was a second serve.

This is different from tennis in one important way: in many tennis competitions, a net cord on serve is now played as live. In padel, a net cord on the serve is always a let — the point is never played out.

When Is a Let Called on the Serve?

The FIP Rules of Padel specify two situations where a let is called:

1. Ball Clips the Net and Lands in the Box

The ball touches the net cord, crosses over, and bounces inside the correct service box. The serve is replayed. It does not matter how much the ball’s trajectory changed — if it lands in the box, it is a let.

Important: the ball must land in the box and must not hit the metal fence before bouncing a second time. If the ball clips the net, lands in the box, and then immediately strikes the side fence before the second bounce, that is a fault, not a let.

2. The Receiver Was Not Ready

If the server delivers the ball before the receiver is ready — and the receiver does not attempt to return it — the serve is replayed as a let. If the receiver swings at the ball, they are considered to have been ready regardless of the outcome.

Let vs Fault: The Key Distinction

The confusion between lets and faults is the most common rule dispute among beginners. Here is the simple test:

Ball clips the net and…	Result
Lands in the correct service box	Let — replay the serve
Lands outside the service box	Fault
Lands in the box, then hits the fence before 2nd bounce	Fault
Hits the net post (not the cord) and lands in the box	Fault
Does not cross the net	Fault

The distinction is clear: a let only happens when the serve would have been good except for the net cord interference. If the ball ends up anywhere it should not be, it is a fault.

For a complete list of all fault scenarios, see faults and lets.

How Many Lets Are Allowed?

There is no limit. If the server clips the net cord and lands in the box five times in a row, all five are lets and the serve is replayed each time. In practice, consecutive lets are rare, but the rule is absolute — no penalty, no matter how many times it happens.

First Serve Let vs Second Serve Let

The serve attempt is preserved:

• Let on a first serve — the entire point is replayed, and the server has both serves again
• Let on a second serve — only the second serve is replayed; the first-serve fault still counts

This is a detail many recreational players get wrong. A second-serve let does not reset the count back to a first serve.

Lets During a Rally

Lets are not limited to the serve. During a rally, a let can be called if:

• A ball from another court rolls onto the playing area and could have affected the point
• An unexpected hazard enters the court (an animal, a fallen object, or a person walking through)

When a rally let is called, the entire point is replayed from the first serve — not just the interrupted shot. This protects both teams from being disadvantaged by the interruption.

The referee (or players in self-officiated matches) decides whether the intrusion could have affected play. If the ball from the adjacent court landed well away from the action, play may continue. See interference for the complete rules on external disturbances.

Net Cord During a Rally — Not a Let

This is the rule players confuse most often. If the ball hits the net during a regular rally (not a serve) and crosses over into the opponent’s court, it is in play — the rally continues. There is no let. The receiving team must play the ball.

Only on the serve does a net cord trigger a let. During rallies, the net cord is just part of the game. See ball in play for more on rally rules.

Summary

Situation	What happens
Serve clips net, lands in box	Let — replay serve
Serve clips net, lands out	Fault
Receiver not ready, does not swing	Let — replay serve
Rally ball clips net, crosses over	In play — rally continues
Ball from adjacent court enters play	Let — replay entire point
Multiple consecutive lets on serve	All replayed, no limit

For the full FIP serve requirements and fault list, see serve rules and faults and lets.