A full BWF-standard badminton court is 13.4 metres long. The width differs by format: 6.1 metres for doubles play and 5.18 metres for singles play. The sidelines for singles and doubles are marked separately, so the court is always the same physical rectangle but the in-bounds area narrows for singles.
| Measurement | Dimension |
|---|---|
| Court length (both formats) | 13.4 m |
| Court width — doubles | 6.1 m |
| Court width — singles | 5.18 m |
| Net height at centre | 1.524 m |
| Net height at posts | 1.55 m |
| Short service line from net | 1.98 m |
| Doubles long service line (inside rear boundary) | 0.76 m from rear boundary |
The net is slightly higher at the posts (1.55 m) than at the centre (1.524 m) because the net sags slightly in the middle under its own weight. The short service line applies to both singles and doubles: a serve that lands between the net and this line is a fault. In singles, the serve must land between the short service line and the rear boundary of the court. In doubles, the long service line is marked 0.76 m inside the rear boundary — a serve landing behind that line is out.
A BWF-legal shuttlecock has exactly 16 feathers embedded in a rounded cork base. The feathers must measure between 62 mm and 70 mm in length. The overall weight of the shuttle must fall between 4.74 g and 5.50 g. The tips of the feathers form a circle 58 mm to 68 mm in diameter. Shuttles are available in different speeds (numbered 75–79 approximately) to account for altitude and temperature — slower speeds are used at higher altitudes or warmer temperatures where the air is thinner.
Badminton uses rally point scoring under BWF rules. This means a point is scored on every single rally — it does not matter who served. The first side to reach 21 points wins a game. Matches are the best of three games.
When the score reaches 20-all, the game enters deuce. From this point, the first side to open a 2-point lead wins the game. There is no sudden death at 20-all; you must lead by two. However, if the score reaches 29-all, the very next point wins the game outright at 30 — regardless of the margin. This prevents deuce games from running indefinitely.
A 60-second interval is allowed when the leading player’s score reaches 11 points in any game. A 2-minute rest interval is permitted between games. These intervals are regulated — players cannot take additional breaks during a rally or between points outside of these provisions.
Scoring summary: First to 21 wins (must lead by 2). At 20-all, play continues until a 2-point lead is established. At 29-all, next point wins at 30. Best of 3 games.
Service in badminton is governed by a detailed set of rules. Violating any of them is a service fault, and the receiver wins the rally.
Both the server and receiver must stand within their respective service courts (diagonally opposite each other) without touching any boundary line. Neither player may move their feet until the serve is struck. The server must have at least part of both feet in contact with the ground in a stationary position.
The entire shuttlecock must be below the server’s waist — specifically, below the lowest rib — at the moment of impact. The server’s racket shaft must point in a downward direction at the moment of contact, meaning the racket head must be below the server’s wrist and hand. This rule was traditionally interpreted by eye, but BWF introduced a fixed height limit (1.15 m from the floor for non-elite play) as a clearer standard in 2018 for international competition.
The serve must be struck in one continuous forward motion — there can be no feinting or pausing mid-swing to deceive the receiver. Once the forward swing begins, it must continue through to contact without interruption.
In singles, the server serves from the right service court when their score is even (0, 2, 4…) and from the left service court when their score is odd (1, 3, 5…). In doubles, the same principle applies to determine which court to serve from, but only the serving side scores points. When the serving side loses a rally, the serve passes to the opposing pair, and the player on the receiving side in the correct court becomes the new server.
A fault ends the rally immediately, and the opposing side wins the point. Common faults include:
If the shuttle lands on a boundary line, it is considered in. The line is part of the court. This applies to all boundary lines: the sidelines, the baseline, and the short service line. A shuttle that clips the very edge of a line is ruled in. Only if the shuttle lands completely outside the line is it out.
This was true under the old “side out” scoring system used before rally scoring was universally adopted. Under modern BWF rules, rally point scoring applies: the receiver can and does score a point whenever the serving side faults or hits out. Many recreational players still play under the old scoring system by habit — be aware of which set of rules applies in your match.
In singles, the service court changes (right or left) based on the server’s score, but the same player keeps serving until they lose a rally. The serve does not rotate between the two players on each point. In doubles, the same serving player continues to serve until their side loses a rally — there is no “second server” handoff between partners in current BWF rules (the second server rule was removed in 2006).
A serve that clips the top of the net and still lands in the correct service court is good — it is not a let and is not a fault. This differs from tennis, where a net-touching serve results in a let (re-serve). In badminton, the shuttle need only clear the net and land in bounds.
Understanding the rules on paper is one thing — applying them under match conditions is another. iLoveTest’s free badminton rules practice test covers scoring, service, faults, court dimensions, and common misconceptions with instant explanations for every question.
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Test Your Badminton Rules KnowledgeRally point scoring means that a point is scored on every rally, regardless of which side served. Before rally scoring was introduced, only the server could score — if the receiver won the rally, the serve simply changed sides without a point being added to either score. Under rally point scoring, if the receiver wins the rally, the receiver scores the point and takes the serve.
Yes. Under rally point scoring, if the server commits a fault or hits the shuttle out, the receiver wins the rally, scores a point, and becomes the server for the next rally. This is one of the most important differences between modern BWF rules and the older side-out scoring system.
In doubles, the serve changes sides when the receiving pair wins a rally. The player on the receiving pair who is in the correct service court (diagonal from the server) then becomes the new server. The same server continues to serve until their side loses a rally — there is no rotation between the two partners while the serve is held.
When the score reaches 20-all, the game enters deuce. Play continues until one side gains a 2-point lead, at which point that side wins the game. If the score reaches 29-all, the very next point wins the game outright at 30, regardless of the margin.