Yes, but only after it bounces. Once your shot has bounced in the other half, it can hit their glass, their fence, even the lights, and it still counts. If it hits their glass or fence before it bounces, it's out. And your own fence is never yours to use.
Fence, cage, mesh. People call it all three. The FIP rulebook calls it the "metallic fence", and it treats the mesh and the whole metal frame holding it as one thing (Rule 12.4).
Below is every surface on a padel court, for your side and theirs, with the FIP rule next to it. I've used the current FIP Rules of Padel, which apply from 1 January 2026, so you can point at the exact line when a point gets disputed.
Three questions settle almost every call
- Has the ball bounced in the opponents' half yet?
- Whose half is the surface in?
- Is it a serve or a rally?
Answer those three and the tables do the rest.
In a rally: every surface, your side and theirs
"Your side" means your shot touches something in your own half before it crosses the net. "Their side" splits into before and after the ball bounces in their court.
| Surface | Your side, before crossing | Their side, before the bounce | Their side, after the bounce | FIP rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back glass | Allowed, if it then crosses and bounces in their court | Out. You lose the point | In. Rally goes on | 14.1 b, 13.1 g, 14.1 c |
| Side glass | Allowed, same as the back glass | Out | In | 14.1 b, 13.1 g, 14.1 c |
| Mesh fence | You lose the point | Out | In | 13.1 l, 13.1 g, 14.1 c |
| Fence frame and metal uprights | Counts as fence, so you lose the point | Out | In | 12.4, 13.1 l, 13.1 g |
| Net or net post | Fine, if the ball then lands in their court | Out if it goes off the net or post straight into their glass or fence | Does not apply | 14.1 e, 13.1 h |
| Ceiling or roof | You lose the point | You lose the point | Your shot counts | 13.1 g, 14.1 d |
| Lights | You lose the point | You lose the point | Your shot counts | 13.1 g, 14.1 d |
The pattern is simple. The ground in their half has to come first. After that bounce, every wall, every bit of mesh and even the roof is fair game. Before it, only your own glass is.
On the ceiling and lights after a bounce, the rulebook calls your shot a correct return (Rule 14.1 d). Your opponents still have to play it before it bounces again. If it comes off a light and they can't reach it, that's your point.
When the ball is coming at you
After the ball bounces in your half, it can come off your glass or your fence and it's still live. You just have to hit it before it bounces a second time (Rule 12.3).
You can also hit it into your own back or side glass to get it out of trouble, as long as it then crosses the net and bounces in their court (Rule 14.1 b). That's legal. What isn't legal is your shot touching your own mesh on the way. That point is gone (Rule 13.1 l).
One thing worth knowing about the fence. The FIP's own court specs ask for walls that give a uniform bounce, and say plainly that the bounce off metal fencing is not uniform. So don't plan your next shot around a fence rebound. The LTA's rules page turns that round: in a rally, it suggests aiming your shot to bounce into their cage to create an awkward rebound.
On the serve: the fence is the big difference
The serve has stricter rules on the mesh. Learn this table and you settle a lot of social arguments before they start.
| What your serve does | Ruling | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Bounces in the box, then hits the back or side glass | Good. Play on | FIP 7.1 e only faults the fence; LTA rules page |
| Bounces in the box, then touches the fence before bouncing again | Fault | FIP 7.1 e |
| Clips the net, lands in the box, then touches the fence | Fault, not a let | FIP 9.1 a, 7.1 e |
| Clips the net, lands in the box, stays off the fence | Let. Take the serve again | FIP 9.1 a |
| Bounces in the box, then goes out through the door on a court with no out-of-court play | Fault | FIP 7.1 f |
| Bounces in the box, then flies out over the fence | Not a fault | 2017 edition, Rule 7, Case 2 |
| Hits your own glass, fence or a light before crossing the net | Fault | 2017 edition, Rule 7, Case 1 |
So in a rally, their fence after a bounce is fine. On a serve, it isn't. If you remember one line from this page, make it that one.
The odd ones
Some calls only come up now and then. Here's how they go.
- Stuck in the mesh or on top of the wall. After a bounce in their court, both are your point (Rules 15.1 a and 15.1 b). Our padel rules sheet covers this one in full.
- The top of the fence frame. If your shot bounces in their court and then hits the frame along the top of the fence, it's good and play goes on. That holds whether it drops back into the court or flies out on a court with out-of-court play (2017 edition, Rule 12, Case 1).
- The corner. A ball that lands right where the wall meets the floor counts as a good bounce (Rule 14.1 i), however little it comes up.
- Over the wall. If your shot bounces in their court and then clears the glass or fence, it's a good shot. On courts set up for out-of-court play, they can run out through the door and try to return it. On courts without it, the point is yours (Rules 13.1 d, 13.1 e and 16).
- A white strip high on the fence. Some courts raise the fence to stop balls leaving. The 2017 FIP edition says a white strip should mark the normal 3 m or 4 m height, and a ball hitting that strip is out.
- A low roof. The FIP asks for at least 6 m of clear height over the court, with no spotlights inside that space, and suggests 8 m for new courts. If a roof feels low and your club posts a house rule about the roof, agree it with your opponents before the first serve, not at 30-40.
Looking for a court near you? Our guide to UK padel clubs goes region by region.
Where to go from here
If you're new to the game, the beginner's guide to padel covers booking, kit and your first session, and how to play padel walks through a single point from serve to winner. Coming over from tennis? The padel vs tennis guide puts the courts, serves and walls side by side, and tennis habits that lose padel points covers what to unlearn.
Plenty of disputes on a padel court come down to a fraction of a second. Did it bounce first, or touch the mesh first? That argument is printed on our Focus tee: an optician's eye chart that spells out WAS IT IN WAS IT OUT. It's a heavyweight tee in 100% cotton at 305 g/m2, cut oversized, so size down if you want a regular fit. It's £48, and it's in the 2 for £90 deal with the rest of our heavyweight tees. Wear it to the bar after, where the arguing carries on.
FAQ
Can you hit the ball off your own fence in padel? No. Your own glass is fine, as long as the ball then crosses the net and bounces in their court. If your shot touches the mesh or the metal frame in your own half, you lose the point (FIP Rule 13.1 l).
Is a serve out if it hits the fence? Yes, if it bounces in the service box and then touches the fence before bouncing again. That's a fault (FIP Rule 7.1 e). If it hits the back or side glass instead, the serve is good.
What happens if the ball hits the ceiling or a light in padel? It depends on the bounce. If your shot bounced in their court first, it counts and they still have to play it (FIP Rule 14.1 d). If it touched the ceiling or a light before bouncing in their court, you lose the point.
Does the metal frame count as part of the fence? Yes. The FIP rules treat the mesh and the whole frame as the fence (Rule 12.4), so the same rulings apply to the posts and uprights that hold it.
Is it out if the ball hits the white strip on a raised fence? Yes. Some courts raise the fence above the normal height to keep balls in. The 2017 FIP edition says a white metal strip should mark the normal 3 m or 4 m line, and a ball that hits the strip is out.
