UPA-A Paddle Certification Explained: Fees, Process and What the Lab Requires

The UPA-A is the governing body for professional pickleball: the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball. Its paddle certification is required for all professional events at both, including PPA Challenger Series, PPA Pro Qualifiers, PPA Tour Asia, PPA Europe and PPA and MLP events in Australia. Amateur competition accepts UPA-A certified paddles too, but does not require them. This guide explains what the certification asks of a brand, using what the UPA-A has published for 2026.

Why it exists

The UPA-A describes the purpose plainly: standards so that the outcome of a professional match is decided by the players, not the equipment. The testing is done with an independent lab, Pickle Pro Labs, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, which has long served as a testing facility for Major League Baseball. The UPA-A also states that its standards are meant to improve materials and build processes, which in practice means better quality control and longer paddle life, not only limits on speed and spin.

What the paddle needs when it is submitted

The UPA-A's 2026 certification checklist sets out the submission. In plain terms:

• Five paddles per submission. All built to the same specification that will be sold.
• Grips installed. Paddles are tested as they will be played.
• Brand, model name and model number permanently marked and readily visible. The model number is how the paddle is identified on the approved list and on the paddle itself.
• No production artwork on the test paddles. Artwork is submitted and approved digitally, and a physical sample can be requested if the cosmetics might conflict with UPA-A guidelines. The expedited service has an exemption.
• No UPA-A logos or marks on the submitted paddles. The stamp artwork is provided after submission, and the certified paddle must carry the UPA-A stamp when sold.

The process

1. Submit the official Paddle Certification Request Form before shipping anything. The form asks for the model, model number, core material, surface material, thickness, shape, surface finish, honeycomb cell size, and whether a carbon fiber surface uses Toray fiber.
2. Ship the five paddles to the certification lab, Pickle Pro Labs in Boca Raton, Florida.
3. Email the tracking details to the lab.
4. The lab confirms receipt and handles follow-up by email.
5. Testing takes up to eight weeks at the standard service level.

Fees published for 2026

The UPA-A publishes its fees on the paddle testing page, and they are paid to the UPA-A, not to the manufacturer. For 2026:

• Annual brand fee: $10,000 per brand, prorated for new brands.
• Each paddle: $3,000, valid for 24 months, standard turnaround up to eight weeks.
• Expedited service: $2,500 additional for a four-week turnaround.
• Super expedited: $7,500 additional for a two-week turnaround.
• Re-submission of a failed paddle: $2,000.

Two things follow from those numbers. First, UPA-A certification is a program cost for a brand, not a line item on a paddle: the annual fee applies whether you certify one model or ten. Second, the re-submission fee makes it expensive to submit a paddle that is not ready, which is why we validate before anything ships to the lab. Check the UPA-A site for current figures before budgeting; fees change year to year.

New materials and constructions

The UPA-A encourages any manufacturer developing new materials, technologies or construction types to request a pre-submission consultation before submitting for certification. If a paddle is a genuine development, a foam core, an unusual surface material, a new construction, this consultation is where to start, because it can save a failed submission and the fee that comes with it. The application form also asks you to flag non-traditional surface materials or innovative construction techniques.

How it fits with USA Pickleball approval

USA Pickleball approval is for amateur sanctioned play; UPA-A certification is for professional play. A paddle can hold both, and a brand that wants a paddle in both amateur tournaments and pro events certifies with both bodies. A paddle meant only for amateur events needs USA Pickleball approval and is not required to hold UPA-A certification. The Build Room lets you mark a build for USA Pickleball, UPA-A or both, and our guide to USA Pickleball approval covers that side.

What we do

For a UPA-A build we design the paddle inside the standards with a safety margin, validate it by testing, produce the five-paddle certification set at the exact specification of the production run, mark the paddles as required, and support the request form with the technical details it asks for. Fees are paid by the brand to the UPA-A. Certification is the UPA-A's decision and is never guaranteed; our job is to make sure the paddle we send is the paddle we would bet on.

Common questions

Is UPA-A certification required to sell a paddle?

No. It is required for a paddle to be used in professional PPA and MLP events. Amateur play accepts UPA-A certified paddles but does not require them; a USA Pickleball approved paddle is enough there.

How many paddles does the UPA-A require for testing?

Five paddles per submission, with grips installed, brand and model permanently marked, and without production artwork unless the expedited service exemption is used.

How long does UPA-A certification take?

Up to eight weeks at the standard fee. The UPA-A publishes expedited options of four weeks and two weeks at additional cost.