Badminton’s rules are simpler than they first look. Once you understand how a rally is scored, who serves from where, and which lines count, you can follow any match and play one yourself. This guide explains the official scoring system and serving rules set out in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Laws of Badminton, in plain language, with worked examples for singles and doubles.
The Basic Rules at a Glance
- Objective: hit the shuttle over the net so it lands in your opponent’s court, or force them into a fault.
- One hit per side: each side may strike the shuttle only once before it crosses back over the net. Partners may not both hit it in succession.
- Lines are in: a shuttle that lands on a line is in.
- Toss: before the match, a toss decides who chooses to serve or receive first, or which end to start from.
- Match format: best of three games, each played to 21 points (changing to 15 points from 4 January 2027 – see below).
Scoring change from 2027: in April 2026 the BWF’s members approved a 3×15 scoring system. From 4 January 2027 the Laws of Badminton set games to 15 points, with deuce at 14–14 and a cap at 21 points; the interval and the change of ends in the third game come at 8 points instead of 11. Best of three games of 21 points remains available as an alternative format by prior arrangement. The rules below describe the 21-point system used up to the end of 2026; the rally-scoring principle is the same in both.
How Badminton Scoring Works
Badminton has used the 21-point rally scoring system since the BWF adopted it in 2006, replacing the older 15-point system in which only the serving side could score. It stays in the Laws until 3 January 2027, when rally-scored games of 15 points take over.
- Every rally scores a point. The side that wins the rally adds a point, whether it served or received.
- A game is won at 21. The first side to reach 21 points wins the game, provided it leads by at least two.
- Deuce at 20–20. If the score reaches 20–20, the side that first gains a two-point lead wins (for example 22–20 or 25–23).
- 30-point cap. If the score reaches 29–29, the side that scores the 30th point wins the game, 30–29.
- Best of three. The first side to win two games wins the match.
- Winner serves next. The side that wins a game serves first in the next game.
Intervals and Changing Ends
- When the leading score reaches 11 points in a game, players may take an interval of up to 60 seconds.
- Between games there is an interval of up to 120 seconds.
- Players change ends at the end of the first game, at the end of the second game (if a third is played), and in the third game when the leading score reaches 11.
Serving Rules Explained
The serve starts every rally, and it has more rules than any other shot. In summary:
- Server and receiver stand inside diagonally opposite service courts without touching the boundary lines.
- Some part of both feet of both players must stay in contact with the floor, in a stationary position, until the serve is struck.
- The server must release the shuttle without adding spin and hit the base (cork) of the shuttle first.
- The whole shuttle must be below 1.15 m from the court surface at the moment it is hit. This fixed-height rule was introduced on trial in BWF competition in 2018, replacing the older “below the waist” rule, and is now Law 9.1.6. The waist rule survives only as an alternative service law (used, for example, in some para badminton classes).
- Once the serve begins, the racket must keep moving forward until the shuttle is hit; stopping or feinting is a fault.
- The shuttle must travel upwards off the racket, pass over the net and, if not returned, land in the receiver’s service court (on the lines counts).
- There is only one serve per rally – no second serve as in tennis.
Breaking any of these is a service fault and gives the rally to the receiving side. Our complete guide to badminton faults explains each service fault in detail, and for technique, see our article on forehand and backhand serve techniques.
Which Service Court to Serve From in Singles
- When the server’s score is even (0, 2, 4…), serve from the right service court.
- When the server’s score is odd (1, 3, 5…), serve from the left service court.
- If the server wins the rally, they score a point and serve again from the other service court.
- If the receiver wins the rally, they score a point and become the server, serving from the court that matches their own new score.
Example: Player A leads 4–3 and serves from the right court. A wins the rally (5–3) and now serves from the left. B wins the next rally (5–4) and serves from the right, because B’s score of 4 is even.
Serving in Doubles
Doubles uses the same even/odd principle, applied to the serving side’s score, but adds a rotation:
- At the start of each game, and whenever the serving side’s score is even, the serve is taken from the right service court. When the score is odd, it is taken from the left.
- Only one player serves at a time; there is no “second server” under rally scoring.
- If the serving side wins the rally, the same server serves again, switching to the other service court. The partners swap sides.
- If the receiving side wins the rally, they gain the serve. The player standing in the correct service court for their score serves. Neither pair changes service courts when they lose the serve or win it back on a receiving rally.
- The player standing in the service court diagonally opposite the server is the receiver. After the serve is returned, either player may hit the shuttle and both may move anywhere on their side.
Example: A and B serve against C and D. At 0–0, A serves from the right to C. A and B win the rally (1–0); A serves again, now from the left, to D. C and D then win the rally (1–1). They now serve from the left because their score is odd – whoever of C and D is standing in their left court serves.
Singles and Doubles: What Changes
| Aspect | Singles | Doubles |
|---|---|---|
| Court width in play | 5.18 m (inner side lines) | 6.1 m (outer side lines) |
| Court length in play | 13.4 m (full length) | 13.4 m (full length) |
| Serve must land | Between short service line and back boundary line, inside singles side lines (long and narrow) | Between short service line and doubles long service line, inside doubles side lines (short and wide) |
| Who serves | The player whose side won the last rally | One player per side, rotating as described above |
After the serve, the full length of the court is in play in both singles and doubles; the doubles long service line only applies to the serve. For every measurement and line, see our badminton court dimensions guide, and for tactics, read about the key differences between singles and doubles.
Faults and Lets: A Quick Summary
Common Faults
A fault ends the rally and gives the point to the opponent. The most common are:
- The shuttle lands outside the boundary lines, or fails to pass over the net, or passes through or under it.
- The shuttle touches the ceiling, walls, a player’s body or clothing.
- A player touches the net or posts with racket, body or clothing while the shuttle is in play.
- A player hits the shuttle on the opponent’s side of the net. (The racket may follow through over the net after hitting the shuttle on your own side.)
- The shuttle is hit twice in succession by the same player, or by a player and then their partner.
Lets
A let stops play without a point being scored, and the rally is replayed from the same serve. Examples include an unforeseen disturbance (such as a shuttle from another court landing nearby), the server serving before the receiver is ready, a shuttle that passes over the net in a rally and then gets caught in it, or the shuttle coming apart with the base separating from the feathers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you score a point when receiving?
Yes. Under rally scoring, the winner of every rally scores a point, whether they served or received.
What happens at 29–29?
Under 21-point scoring, the next rally decides the game: the side that scores the 30th point wins 30–29. Under the 15-point scoring that applies from 4 January 2027, the equivalent is 20–20, where the 21st point wins.
Is badminton’s scoring system changing?
Yes. At the BWF’s annual general meeting in Horsens, Denmark, on 25 April 2026, members approved a 3×15 system that applies from 4 January 2027. Matches stay best of three games, but each game is played to 15 points. At 14–14 a side needs a two-point lead, and at 20–20 the next point wins, so 21 is the maximum. In the deciding game, players change ends when the leading score reaches 8. The 3×21 format remains available as an alternative by prior arrangement.
Is a serve that clips the net and lands in the correct court legal?
Yes. Unlike tennis, there is no “let” for touching the net on a serve. If it clips the net tape and lands in the correct service court, play continues.
Do lines count as in?
Yes. Any shuttle landing on a line is in, including on the serve.
New to the game? Our beginner’s guide to playing badminton puts these rules in context, and our list of common beginner mistakes helps you avoid giving away easy points.
