Is my Pickleball Paddle Legal in 2025?

Is Your Pickleball Paddle Still Legal in 2025? Here's What You Need to Know

It’s 2025, and the past year in the world of pickleball paddles has been nothing short of chaotic. From the banned JOOLA Gen 3's to the newly outlawed JOOLA Mods (from 1st July 2025), and the Ronbus Ripple fiasco, where paddles were approved, delisted, reapproved, and delisted again almost overnight, it’s been a turbulent time for the sport. With brands scrambling to keep up and players left scratching their heads with paddles that were once legal and now aren’t, the confusion is real.

So, where is all this coming from? What does the stamp on your paddle actually mean? And what really is the difference between the United Pickleball Association (UPA) and USA Pickleball (USAP)?

Is My Paddle Legal?

One of the most common questions we get at The Pickleball Store is: "Is my paddle actually legal?" The confusion stems from a wave of recent delistings from the USAP-approved list. If you're a beginner buying your first paddle or a seasoned player looking to upgrade, it can feel overwhelming just looking at all the paddle brands on the market let alone with the chance that the paddle you buy now may not be legal in a months time.

Right now, two major governing bodies are shaping the sport when it comes to paddle development and testing. But as we speak they are only in the United States (there’s currently no global paddle-testing organisation or one specific to the UK). These two bodies are:
United Pickleball Association (UPA)
USA Pickleball Association (USAP)

Each has its own approach to certification and regulation, meaning your paddle’s approval depends on where you’re playing, what event you’re playing in and what rulebook they use.

Understanding Paddle Stamps

Take a look at your paddle. If it has a USA Pickleball stamp, it’s been approved for tournament play by USAP. However, with the rise of UPA and its new certification process, things are shifting.

UPA vs. USAP – What’s the Difference?

The United Pickleball Association (UPA) and USA Pickleball (USAP) have very different views on how the sport should evolve.

• USAP is focused on tradition, stability, and consistency, setting the official rules, approving paddles, and developing the game at a grassroots level.
  
  

• UPA, on the other hand, is all about innovation and change, launching a new Interim Certification Programme that prioritises paddle performance, measuring factors like deflection force and spin potential (RPMs).
  
  

From 2025, professional players competing in UPA-sanctioned events, including the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and Major League Pickleball (MLP) must use UPA-certified paddles. That’s why you’ll see paddles like the JOOLA 3Ss with only UPA stamps, they’re designed for PPA and MLP players.

USAP vs. UPA: A Quick History

Here's a quick history of both to help you understand where each falls in the world of Pickleball.

USA Pickleball (USAP) - 

Founded: USA Pickleball has been around the longest, being founded only 19 years after the sports inception. Created in 1984 and initially known as the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (USAPA), which was later rebranded as USA Pickleball in 2020. 

Role: The main role of the USAP is and has been to be the traditional governing body of sport in the U.S., responsible for official rules, equipment certification, and grassroots development.

Focus: Their main focus as an organisation is on community development through education and tournament, and since 1984 have been setting the standards and rules that tournaments and paddles must abide by. If any of you readers have completed your IPTPA course chances are you’ve studied the rule book they create and update. 

Criticism: The biggest frustration here is that USAP has an incredibly slow equipment approval processes, frustrating players and manufacturers. Emphasised massively by the delisting JOOLA Gen 3 Paddles last May

United Pickleball Association of America (UPA-A)

Founded: May 2024 (created to oversee PPA & MLP events)  Really what seemed as a result of the frustration caused by a delayed approval processes and range of delistings and uncertainty.

Role: A modern alternative to USAP,  with a focus on professional tournaments and innovation, here you’ll find paddles with more pop, more power and more grit/spin.

Focus:  Revolutionising the game, introducing rally scoring, partnering with DUPR for player ratings, and streamlining paddle approvals.

Criticism: The biggest criticism of the UPA is that it has created division in the sport, with different rulebooks, equipment standards, and tournament structures rivaling the existing USAP guidelines.

Key Differences

So, Which Paddle Do You Need?

If you're playing in major UK tournaments like the English Nationals or the English Open, you’ll most likely need a USAP approved paddle. Most UK/ European referees are trained using the USAP rulebook, so it’s best to stick to paddles that meet their standards.

However, if you’re planning to play in PPA tournaments or lucky enough to be drafted into Major League Pickleball, you’ll need a UPA approved paddle.

The Good News?

By mid-to-late 2025, we’re seeing a shift towards dual-rated paddles, meaning they’ll be approved by both USAP and UPA-A. The JOOLA Gen IV and Franklin C45 are two examples of new paddles certified for both governing bodies. What this means though is the price of paddles is likely to rise due to the cost of dual approval.

Final Thoughts

So, is your paddle legal? That depends on where you’re playing and who’s making the rules. If you’re still unsure, get in touch, we’re here to help.

This article was written by Lloyd for the World Pickleball Magazine.