RULES · COURT
Badminton court lines made simple
The court looks busy, but the rule is simple: singles uses the inside side lines, doubles uses the outside side lines, and a doubles serve stops before the back line.
Reviewed against the BWF Laws of Badminton · Updated 31 August 2026Remember these three things
- 01Singles: use the inside line on each side.
- 02Doubles: use the outside line on each side.
- 03Doubles serve: use the outside side lines, but the nearer back service line. After the return, the full back line is in again.
INTERACTIVE 3D COURT
Tap a choice and the right lines light up.
Choose singles or doubles, then choose whether you are serving or already playing the point. Drag the court to look from another angle.
Loading interactive court…
Singles after the serve: use the inside side lines and the farthest back line.
Drag to rotate · Double-click to reset01 / DIMENSIONS
You do not need to memorize every number
Beginners only need to recognize the right lines. These four measurements are here when you want the exact court size.
- 13.40 m
- Length of the full court
- 5.18 m
- Width used in singles
- 6.10 m
- Width used in doubles
- 40 mm
- Width of every court line
Singles: look at the inside side lines
For both serving and normal play, use the two inside lines at the sides and the farthest line at the back. The serve must also travel diagonally into the opposite service box.
Doubles serving: the court is shorter at the back
Use the outside lines at the sides. On the serve, use the nearer back service line. As soon as the receiver returns the serve, the farthest back line counts again.
04 / QUICK REFERENCE
All four cases at a glance
| When | Line at the side | Line at the back |
|---|---|---|
| Singles: after serve | Inside side line | Farthest back line |
| Singles: serving | Inside side line | Farthest back line |
| Doubles: after serve | Outside side line | Farthest back line |
| Doubles: serving | Outside side line | Nearer back service line |