Badminton rules

Badminton rules, in plain words.

How to serve, score and play, singles or doubles. One picture per rule, and every rule names the Law it comes from.

Checked against the BWF Laws of Badminton, Version 5.0, in force since 26 April 2025Last checked Read the official rulebook ↗

The badminton court

Net DOUBLES ONLY DOUBLES ONLY Service court Service court Service court Service court 1.98 m 0.76 m Short service line Long service line (doubles) 13.4 m (44 ft) 6.1 m (20 ft) Singles: 5.18 m (17 ft)
One court for both. The blue strips only count in doubles.
  • 13.4 × 6.1 m (44 × 20 ft) for doubles Law 1.1
  • Singles uses the inner side lines: 5.18 m (17 ft) wide Law 1.1
  • The lines are part of the court: on the line is in Law 1.3
  • Net top 1.524 m (5 ft) in the middle, 1.55 m (5 ft 1 in) at the posts Law 1.10

How to score badminton

Serving side wins the rally Point to them. They serve again. 4–3 5–3 +1 POINT Receiving side wins the rally Point to them, and the serve. 4–3 4–4 +1 AND SERVE
  • Every rally wins a point, whoever served Law 7.3
  • Win the rally and you serve next Law 10.3, 11.3
  • Games to 21. A match is best of 3 games Law 7.1, 7.2
  • The winner of a game serves first in the next Law 7.6
  • From 4 January 2027, BWF games go to 15 What changes Law 7.2

The deuce rule: 20-all and 29-all

At 20-all: play on until one side is 2 ahead 20–2021–2021–2122–21… Game ends when the gap is 2, e.g.23–21GAME At 29-all: the next rally wins 29–2930–29GAME. 30 IS THE MOST
  • At 20-all, play on until one side leads by 2 Law 7.4
  • At 29-all, the next point wins. 30 is the most a game can reach Law 7.5

Breaks and changing ends

Game 111 60 s break 2 minchangeends Game 211 60 s break 2 minchangeends Game 3, if needed11 60 s break+ change ends
  • Up to 60 seconds when the leader reaches 11, in every game Law 16.2.1
  • Up to 2 minutes between games Law 16.2.2
  • Change ends after each game, and at 11 in the third Law 8.1

Badminton service rules

1.15 m (3 ft 9 in) Net 1.524 m Both feet down, still Whole shuttle below the line at contact Flies upwards, over the net, diagonally
  • The whole shuttle below 1.15 m (3 ft 9 in) when you hit it Law 9.1.6
  • Serve diagonally, upwards and over the net Law 9.1, 9.1.3
  • Both feet on the floor and still until you hit it Law 9.1.4
  • One forward movement: no pause, no restart Law 9.1.2, 9.1.7
  • No spin on the release. Hit the base first Law 9.1.5
The service, in full →

Service courts in singles and doubles

Singles: long and narrow LEFT: score odd RIGHT: score even net Doubles: short and wide LEFT: score odd RIGHT: score even net Green: the right service court. Bold green lines are its outer edges
  • Server’s score even (0, 2, 4…): serve from the right. Odd: from the left Law 10.1, 11.1.1, 11.1.2
  • Singles: the service court runs to the back line, but not into the side strip Law 1.1
  • Doubles: it takes the side strip, but stops at the doubles long service line Law 1.1
  • Server and receiver stand in diagonally opposite courts, off the lines Law 9.1.3

Faults

A fault loses the rally: the other side scores and serves. Law 7.3

Shuttle lands out Law 13.3.1
Shuttle doesn’t clear the net Law 13.3.2
You or your racket touch the net Law 13.4.1
Hit the shuttle on their side of the net Law 13.4.2
Shuttle touches a player Law 13.3.4
12Hit twice in a row, or by both partners Law 13.3.7, 13.3.8
Shuttle touches the ceiling or a side wall Law 13.3.3
Service breaks a service rule Law 13.1

Lets: when a rally is replayed

A let stops play. No point: the last server serves again. Law 14.3

Shuttle caught on or in the net, after the return of service Law 14.2.3
?Served before the receiver was ready Law 14.2.1
Server and receiver both fault at the service Law 14.2.2
The shuttle’s base comes off Law 14.2.4
Something unexpected stops play Law 14.2.7

Badminton doubles rules

Serving side wins LEFT RIGHT A1A2 Same server. Partners swap courts. Receiving side wins LEFT RIGHT B2B1SERVESstaysscore 8: even Nobody moves. Court for the new score serves.
Partners only swap courts when they win a point on their own serve.
  • Each side has one serve at a time. Lose the rally and it passes over Law 11.3
  • Serving side wins: the same player serves again, from the other court Law 11.3.1, 11.1.5
  • Receiving side wins: nobody moves. Whoever is in the court for the new score serves Law 11.1.5, 11.1.6
  • The receiver is the player diagonally opposite the server Law 11.1.4
  • The serve passes A1 → B2 → A2 → B1, where A1 served first and B1 received first Law 11.4
  1. A1
  2. B2
  3. A2
  4. B1
  5. A1 again

Common questions

How do you score badminton?

Every rally wins a point, whoever served. The side that wins the rally serves next. Games go to 21, and a match is the best of three games.

What is the deuce rule in badminton?

At 20-all, play goes on until one side leads by two points. If it reaches 29-all, the next point wins, so 30–29 is the highest possible score.

Is badminton changing to 15 points?

Yes. BWF members voted for best of three games to 15 points, which takes effect on 4 January 2027. At 14-all a side needs a two-point lead, and at 20-all the next point wins.

How high can you serve in badminton?

The whole shuttle must be below 1.15 metres (about 3 ft 9 in) from the floor at the moment the racket hits it.

Is a shuttle on the line in?

Yes. The lines are part of the court, so a shuttle that lands on a line is in. For a service, the line of the correct service court counts as in too.

Where can the server’s partner stand in doubles?

Anywhere in their own court, as long as they don’t block the opposing server’s or receiver’s view.

NextFormats and variations3×21, 3×15, one game to 21 and best of five to 11. HistoryRule changesGames to 15 from 2027, and the no-spin service.

Rules are written by 1SCOR in our own words and checked against the official rulebook. They are not the rulebook: for anything official, read the rulebook itself.