The United Pickleball Association of America this week announced new pricing for manufacturers to get their paddles certified for use in PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball events and also said it will become a nonprofit in the coming months.

The organization recently began requiring full certification of paddles at the pro level. Previously, it had been granting paddles and paddle brands provisional approval or interim certification, which was based on paddles having already received USA Pickleball certification.

Now the UPA-A has moved entirely away from recognizing USAP certification, and has its own paddle testing and certification process.

To make this certification more accessible and encourage broader brand participation,
UPA-A is reducing its fees for 2026:

Annual fee: Reduced from $20,000 (2025) to $10,000

Per paddle certification: $3,000 (standard 8 week turnaround)

Expedited service (4 weeks): $2,500 additional

Super expedited service (2 weeks): $7,500 additional

Retest after failure: $2,000

The UPA-A said in a news release that the new structure reflects feedback from manufacturers who certified in 2025 as well as those who opted not to, “demonstrating UPA-A’s commitment to listening, learning, and lowering barriers while maintaining the integrity of the game.”

Read next: What I learned during my tour of the UPA-A paddle testing lab

The organization is also in the transition phase of going from an LLC under the broader UPA umbrella to a fully independent 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization. The change is expected to be completed soon and is meant to “ensure pickleball remains fair, fun, and competitive for all participants, while reinvesting in the growth of the game.”

Paddle certification for 2026 is now open for registration on the UPA-A website.