Many players lose points to faults without understanding why. A serve looks fine but is called illegal, a racket brushes the net in the heat of a rally, or a partner reaches for a shuttle that was already yours. This guide explains every main type of fault in badminton as defined in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Laws of Badminton, with what each rule means in practice, why it exists and how to avoid it.
This article focuses on faults. For the scoring system, serving order and intervals, see our badminton rules and scoring guide. Note that from 4 January 2027 the BWF Laws switch to games of 15 points (capped at 21), with the mid-game interval and the third-game change of ends at 8 points. The faults described below are not affected.
What Is a Fault in Badminton?
A fault is a breach of the Laws that ends the rally. Under rally scoring, the side that did not commit the fault wins the rally and scores a point. If the fault was committed by the serving side, the serve passes to the opponents; if it was committed by the receiving side, the server scores and serves again.
A fault is different from a let. A let stops play without anyone scoring, and the rally is replayed. We cover lets at the end of this article, because players often confuse the two.
The faults fall into four groups:
- Service faults
- Faults when the shuttle is out of play (landing out, net, ceiling and so on)
- Contact and net faults during a rally
- Conduct faults (obstruction, distraction and misconduct)
Service Faults
The serve has the most detailed rules in badminton, and service faults are the ones most often called on club players who have never had their serve checked.
1. Shuttle Struck Above 1.15 m
Rule: At the moment it is hit by the server’s racket, the whole shuttle must be below 1.15 m from the court surface.
In practice: In BWF competition this fixed-height rule, introduced from 2018, replaced the older rules that required the shuttle to be below the server’s waist and the racket shaft to point downwards. At major events, service judges use a measuring device to check the height. The older waist rule is still allowed as an alternative service law, and some local leagues and clubs apply it, so check the regulations of your competition.
Why it exists: It stops the server gaining an unfair attacking advantage by hitting the serve from a high point, and a fixed height is easier to judge consistently than a player’s waist.
Avoid it: Hold the shuttle at a consistent, comfortably low height and contact it below your hip. Film your serve from the side to check.
2. Not Hitting the Base of the Shuttle First
Rule: The server’s racket must initially hit the base (cork) of the shuttle, not the feathers.
Avoid it: Drop or present the shuttle cork-first towards the racket. Clipping the feathers first is a fault even if the serve goes over.
3. Feet Moving or Lifting Before the Serve Is Struck
Rule: From the start of the service until it is delivered, some part of both feet of the server and the receiver must stay in contact with the court surface in a stationary position.
In practice: You may shift your weight, but you may not step, slide or lift a foot completely. The receiver cannot creep forward or jump before the serve is hit, which is a common fault in doubles.
4. Standing Outside the Service Court or on a Line
Rule: Server and receiver must stand within diagonally opposite service courts without touching the boundary lines of those courts.
In practice: The server stands inside the service court – not behind the back boundary line. Touching the centre line or short service line with your foot while serving or receiving is a fault.
5. Stopping, Feinting or Delaying the Serve
Rule: Once the server and receiver are in position, the first forward movement of the server’s racket head starts the serve. The racket must then continue moving forward until the shuttle is struck. Neither side may cause undue delay once ready.
In practice: A hesitation or “dummy” in the middle of the service action is a fault. So is deliberately waiting a long time once both players are ready.
6. Serve Not Landing in the Correct Service Court
Rule: The shuttle must travel upwards off the racket, pass over the net and, if not intercepted, land in the receiver’s service court – on or within its boundary lines.
- Singles: the service court runs from the short service line to the back boundary line, within the singles (inner) side lines.
- Doubles: the service court runs from the short service line to the doubles long service line, 0.76 m in front of the back boundary, within the doubles (outer) side lines.
A serve that lands short of the short service line, wide, or long is a fault. A serve that lands on any of these lines is good, because lines are part of the area they enclose. Our court dimensions guide shows exactly where each line is.
7. Missing the Shuttle or Serving Into the Net
Rule: The server must not miss the shuttle when attempting to serve. A serve that fails to cross the net, or that is caught in the net, is a fault.
Note: A serve that clips the top of the net and continues into the correct service court is legal. There is no tennis-style net let on the serve.
For technique that helps you avoid these faults, see our article on forehand and backhand serve techniques.
Service Order Errors Are Not Faults
If a player serves out of turn, from the wrong service court, or the wrong player receives, this is a service court error. Under the Laws, the error is corrected when it is discovered and the existing score stands. It is not treated as a fault.
Shuttle Out of Play
During a rally, it is a fault against the side that last hit the shuttle if it:
- Lands outside the boundaries of the court in use (singles or doubles). A shuttle on the line is in.
- Fails to pass over the net, or passes through or under it.
- Touches the ceiling or side walls of the hall.
- Touches a player’s body or clothing. Any contact counts, even an accidental brush on the arm.
- Touches any other object or person outside the immediate surroundings of the court.
Local rules sometimes define how to treat overhead obstructions such as beams or lights in a particular hall, so check before the match.
Contact and Net Faults During a Rally
8. Hitting the Shuttle on the Opponent’s Side
Rule: You may not invade your opponent’s court over the net with your racket or body. The initial point of contact with the shuttle must be on your side of the net.
Exception: After making contact on your side, your racket may follow the shuttle over the net in the course of the stroke.
In practice: At the net, wait for the shuttle to cross before hitting it. Tight net kills are legal as long as contact is on your side and you do not touch the net.
9. Touching the Net or Posts
Rule: While the shuttle is in play, a player must not touch the net or its supports with the racket, body or clothing.
In practice: This applies even if the touch is light and does not affect play. After the shuttle has hit the floor, or play has otherwise stopped, touching the net is not a fault.
10. Invading Under the Net
Rule: A player must not invade the opponent’s court under the net with racket or body in a way that obstructs or distracts the opponent.
In practice: A foot sliding slightly under the net during a lunge is not automatically a fault; it becomes one if it obstructs or distracts the opponent.
11. Double Hits and Partner Double Hits
Rule: It is a fault if the shuttle is hit twice in succession by the same player, or hit by a player and then by their partner.
Exception: If the shuttle hits the racket head and the string area in a single stroke (for example a frame-and-strings mishit), that is not a fault.
In practice: In doubles, clear communication (“mine”, “yours”) prevents both players swinging at the same shuttle.
12. Catching and Slinging the Shuttle
Rule: The shuttle must not be caught and held on the racket and then slung during the stroke.
In practice: The shuttle should be hit cleanly. A visible carry, where the shuttle rests on the strings before being thrown forward, is a fault.
Conduct Faults
13. Obstructing an Opponent
Rule: A player must not obstruct an opponent, meaning prevent them from making a legal stroke where the shuttle is followed over the net.
In practice: Holding your racket up close to the net to block your opponent’s legal follow-through on a net kill can be called as obstruction.
14. Deliberately Distracting an Opponent
Rule: A player must not deliberately distract an opponent by any action such as shouting or making gestures.
In practice: Calling to your partner is fine. Shouting at the moment your opponent hits, or waving the racket to put them off, is not.
15. Misconduct
Flagrant, repeated or persistent offences under the Laws on continuity of play and misconduct – such as deliberately delaying play, damaging the shuttle to change its speed, or offensive behaviour – can lead to a fault being awarded against the player and, in serious cases, disqualification.
Lets: When a Rally Is Replayed
A let is called by the umpire (or by the players when there is no umpire) to halt play without a point. Common lets include:
- An unforeseen or accidental disturbance, such as a shuttle from another court.
- The server serves before the receiver is ready. (The receiver is treated as ready if they attempt a return.)
- Both the server and the receiver commit a service fault at the same time.
- Except on the serve, the shuttle passes over the net and is then caught in or on the net.
- During play, the shuttle disintegrates and the base completely separates from the feathers.
- A line judge is unsighted and the umpire cannot make a decision.
Most Common Faults by Situation
- Serving: shuttle struck above 1.15 m, feet moving, standing on a line, a hesitation in the service action.
- Receiving: moving the feet or jumping forward before the serve is struck, standing on the line.
- At the net: touching the net on the follow-through, hitting the shuttle before it crosses.
- In doubles: both partners hitting the shuttle, confusion over the serving order (an error rather than a fault).
If you are just starting out, our beginner’s guide to playing badminton gives a simple overview before you get into the details, and our article on singles vs doubles explains how the formats differ tactically.
How Faults Are Called
In officiated matches, the umpire calls faults and lets, line judges call “out” for shots near their line, and a service judge watches the server (including the 1.15 m height). On courts where the BWF’s Instant Review System is in operation, mainly at top events, players can also challenge a line judge’s call or an umpire’s overrule; a player or pair loses the right to challenge for the rest of the game after two unsuccessful challenges. In casual play there are no officials, so players call faults honestly, usually each on their own side of the net. If you are not sure whether a shot was in, the usual convention is to give the benefit of the doubt to your opponent or replay the point.
Frequently Asked Questions
If my serve touches the net and lands in the service court, is it a fault?
No. A serve that clips the net and lands in the correct service court is good. It is a fault only if it fails to cross, lands out, or is caught in the net.
Can my feet touch the lines when I serve?
No. Both server and receiver must stand inside their service courts without touching the boundary lines of those courts.
Is it a fault if the shuttle hits my frame and strings in one swing?
No. A shuttle hitting the racket head and string area in one stroke is not a fault. Two separate hits by the same player are.
What if the shuttle hits the net during a rally and falls back on my side?
It has failed to pass over the net, so the rally is lost. You cannot hit it again, because that would be a second hit by your side.
Can I touch the net after the rally is over?
Yes. The net rule only applies while the shuttle is in play.
What happens if the shuttle hits my body?
It is a fault against you, even if the touch is accidental and the shuttle then goes over the net.
