In badminton singles, the court is long and narrow: the inner sidelines and the back baseline, for both the serve and the rally. The side alleys (tramlines) are out. You serve from your right service court when your score is even and your left when it's odd, diagonally into the opponent's box, which runs from the short service line all the way to the back line.
That's the core of the badminton singles rules in the BWF Laws (Law 10). Everything else, like scoring, faults and lets, is the same as doubles. Tap the court below to call landings for yourself.
Badminton singles rules: court lines
The singles court uses these lines (Law 1):
- Sides: the inner (singles) sidelines, 5.18 m (17 ft) apart. The 0.46 m (1 ft 6 in) alley outside each one is out.
- Back: the back boundary line (baseline), 6.70 m from the net. The doubles long service line, 0.76 m inside it, doesn't matter in singles.
- Front, serve only: the short service line, 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) from the net. A serve must reach it.
- Middle, serve only: the centre line, which splits each half into left and right service courts.
Far side at the top. Tap anywhere on the court.
Tap the court to call a landing.
The lime area is “in” for a singles serve, served from the blue box. Try the tramlines and the back alley.
- In area
- 2.59 m × 4.72 m
- Your calls
- 0 in · 0 out
Badminton singles rules: in and out
| Where it lands | Singles serve | Singles rally |
|---|---|---|
| On any boundary line | In | In |
| Side alley (between the sidelines) | Out | Out |
| Back alley (behind the doubles long service line) | In | In |
| Between the net and the short service line | Out (short) | In |
| The other service box (same side of the net) | Out (wrong court) | In |
Tramline arguments are the classic singles dispute. The rule is simple: if any part of the shuttle's base touches the inner sideline, it's in; if it lands fully in the alley, it's out. More on line calls in is it in or out?
Badminton singles rules: the serve
Which box you serve from depends only on your own score (Law 10.1):
- Even score (0, 2, 4…): serve from the right service court; the receiver stands in their right.
- Odd score (1, 3, 5…): serve from the left; the receiver stands in their left.
If you win a rally on your serve, you score and serve again from the other court. If the receiver wins, they score and become the server, choosing their court by their new score. At 0–0 at the start of a game, the server is in the right court.
The service itself follows the same laws as doubles: whole shuttle below 1.15 m, both feet still and in the box, hit the base first, one continuous forward motion. See every detail on the serve rules page. In singles, the long, high serve to the back line is a real weapon because the service court runs all the way back.
Singles rally rules
Once the serve is returned, both players can stand anywhere on their side of the net, and the in-area is the full length of the narrow court. The usual faults apply: shuttle out or into the net, touching the net, hitting the shuttle twice, the shuttle hitting your body, or reaching over the net to play it before it crosses. See the full list on faults and lets.
Scoring in singles
Singles uses the same rally scoring as everything else: 21-point games, win by two from 20-all, cap at 30, best of three (until 3 January 2027; 15-point games after that). The scoring guide has a simulator that shows the singles server's court rally by rally.
Why is the singles court long and narrow?
One player has to cover the whole court alone, so the narrower width keeps rallies playable, while the full depth rewards clears, drops and high serves that move the opponent front to back. Doubles flips this: a wider court for two players, but a shorter service box because two people can cover the back. See the doubles rules for the comparison, and every measurement on the court dimensions page.
Frequently asked questions
Are the side alleys in or out in singles?
Out. In singles the inner sidelines are the boundary for the whole game, serve and rally, so a shuttle landing fully in the side alley is out. Touching the inner sideline is in.
Is the back alley in for singles?
Yes. In singles the back boundary line is the limit for both the serve and the rally. The doubles long service line, 0.76 m inside it, only applies to doubles serves.
Which side do you serve from in singles?
From the right service court when your score is even (including 0) and from the left when it's odd. The receiver stands in the diagonally opposite court.
Can a singles serve land in the front of the court?
No. A serve that lands between the net and the short service line is short, a fault. In the rally, that area is fully in.
Can you stand anywhere when serving in singles?
Anywhere inside your service court, but not touching its lines, with part of both feet on the floor and still until the shuttle is hit.
What happens if you serve from the wrong court?
It's a service court error. It's corrected when discovered while the shuttle is not in play, and the score stands (Law 12).