Padel court dimensions (in metres)

All of the figures on this page come from the International Padel Federation (FIP) Rules of Padel that apply from 1 January 2026, unless I say otherwise.

What size is a padel court?

The 3.05 m from the service line to the back wall is simple arithmetic: half the court is 10 m long, and the service line is 6.95 m from the net.

How high is a padel net?

• Centre: 0.88 m
• Ends (at the posts): 0.92 m
• Tolerance: 5 mm
• Net length: 10 m, the full width of the court
• Posts: no higher than 1.05 m

The net hangs from a metal cable no thicker than 1 cm and has a white band on top, 5.0 to 6.3 cm deep.

How high are the walls on a padel court?

The court must be fully enclosed.

Back walls (ends): 4 m high in total. The bottom 3 m is a wall of glass or solid material, and the top 1 m is metal mesh.

Side walls: the FIP rules allow two layouts.

• Variant 1 (stepped): at each end, a wall section 3 m high and 2 m long, then a step down to 2 m high for the next 2 m. Mesh completes the enclosure to 3 m in the centre 6 m and to 4 m at both ends.
• Variant 2 (glass): at each end, a wall section 3 m high and 4 m long with no step. Mesh brings the enclosure up to 4 m over the last 2 m at each end.

What are the mesh and glass requirements?

• The walls must give a uniform bounce, with a hard, smooth surface. Glass courts must meet tempered glass standards set out in the FIP's court homologation annex.
• The mesh openings must measure between 5 cm and 7.08 cm across the diagonal. The recommended wire thickness is 2 to 3 mm, with a maximum of 4 mm.
• The LTA's 2025 construction guidance note says rebound glass is typically 10 mm toughened glass indoors or 12 mm outdoors.

How much ceiling height does an indoor padel court need?

The FIP requires a minimum clear height of 6 m over the whole court, with nothing such as light fittings intruding into that space. For new facilities, it suggests a minimum of 8 m.

That is why padel clubs often go into warehouses. Some Australian clubs advertise their ceiling height: Recess Padel Club in Port Melbourne lists 10 m ceilings, and PADLX's planned Arundel club on the Gold Coast lists 10 m ceilings too.

What are the door openings?

Courts have openings in one or both side walls, placed symmetrically about the centre. The FIP sizes are:

• One opening per side: at least 1.05 m wide by 2.0 m high, and no more than 2.20 m by 2.20 m.
• Two openings per side: at least 0.72 m by 2.00 m each, and no more than 1.10 m by 2.20 m.

How much space do you need around a court?

For a standard club court with no out-of-court play, the LTA's 2025 guidance note works on a footprint of about 20.80 m by 10.80 m per court including the ring beam, with 1.5 m between courts. Always confirm footprint with your court supplier, because frames vary.

If you want out-of-court play, where players can run outside through the openings, the FIP rules require a clear area at least 3 m wide (4 m recommended) and 4 m long on each side, with at least 3 m of clear height.

What about lighting and orientation?

• Lights must give uniform light without dazzling players.
• Light fittings must be at least 6 m above the ground, with 8 m suggested for new facilities if they sit inside the court's footprint.
• TV broadcast needs at least 1,000 lux of vertical light, per the FIP. The LTA's guidance suggests 300 lux for recreational and regional play and 500 lux for national and international competition.
• The FIP recommends that outdoor courts run roughly north to south along their length, anywhere between north-north-east and north-north-west.

What surface is a padel court?

The FIP rules allow cement, synthetic material or artificial grass, as long as the bounce is regular. Preferred colours are green, blue or terracotta, and the floor colour must contrast with the walls. The surface must be level to within 3 mm over 3 m. The LTA's guidance describes the usual surface as a sand-dressed synthetic turf.

How does a padel court compare with tennis and pickleball?

Tennis figures are from the ITF Rules of Tennis 2026 and pickleball figures from the 2026 USA Pickleball rulebook. A tennis court also needs a lot of space behind and beside the lines, which is part of why clubs sometimes fit padel courts where tennis would not fit. See padel vs tennis and padel vs pickleball.

Padel court dimensions in feet

For anyone working from imperial plans: 20 m is about 65 ft 7 in, 10 m is about 32 ft 10 in, and 6.95 m is about 22 ft 10 in. The official figures are metric.

Next

Find out what it costs to build a padel court in Australia, or read about indoor vs outdoor courts.