Padel is usually played as doubles by teams of two on an enclosed court. The ball must cross the net and bounce in the opponents’ court before it can hit their wall or fence. Players may use their own walls to return the ball, which is the rule that most clearly separates padel from tennis.
Official matches use an underhand serve after one bounce, two serve attempts, and a tennis-style game and set structure. The exact deuce format can vary, so confirm whether your match uses advantage, Golden Point, or the newer Star Point option before play begins.
Padel Rules at a Glance
- Official padel is doubles, with one pair on each side of the net.
- A regulation court is 20m long and 10m wide, divided by a net.
- The serve is hit diagonally after bouncing the ball behind the service line.
- Contact on the serve must be at or below waist level, with at least one foot on the ground.
- The receiver must let the serve bounce, but either team may volley later in the rally.
- A rally ball may hit the back or side wall after bouncing in the correct court.
- A team loses the point if the ball bounces twice on its side, if a player touches the net, or if a return reaches an opposing wall or fence before bouncing in the opponents’ court.
- Sets are usually played to six games by two, with a tie-break commonly used at 6-6.
If you are completely new to the game, the broader introduction to padel explains the court, equipment, and basic shots before you study the finer rules.
The Padel Court and Playing Area
A regulation padel court measures 20m by 10m internally. The net is 0.88m high in the center and rises to 0.92m at the ends. Each service line is 6.95m from the net, and a center service line divides the two service boxes on each side.
The court is fully enclosed by walls and metal fencing. Those surfaces are part of play after the ball has bounced in the correct court, but they do not all behave the same way under the rules. A return may rebound from a player’s own wall before crossing the net, while a return that touches the player’s own metal fence is lost.
The guide to building a padel court covers the regulated dimensions and clearances alongside foundations, surfaces, drainage, lighting, and project planning.
Are the Lines In?
Yes. If any part of the ball touches a court line on its first bounce, the ball is in. On a serve, the service-box lines are also good.
How Serving Works in Padel
Every point begins with a serve. The server starts on the right for the first point of a game, then alternates between the right and left sides after each point. The ball must travel diagonally into the opposite service box.
To make a legal serve:
- Stand behind the service line, between the imaginary extension of the center service line and the side wall.
- Bounce the ball on the ground within that serving area. The ball must not cross the service line or the imaginary continuation of the center service line before it is struck.
- Strike it at or below waist level while keeping at least one foot in contact with the ground.
- Send it over the net into the diagonal service box.
The server has a first and second attempt. Missing both is a double fault and loses the point. The step-by-step padel serve guide covers the technique behind this motion.
What Makes a Padel Serve a Fault?
A serve is a fault when the server breaks the position or contact rules, misses the ball while trying to hit it, or sends it outside the correct service box. It is also a fault if the ball lands in the correct box but touches the metal fence before its second bounce.
If the served ball lands in the correct box and then reaches the glass wall, the serve remains playable. The receiver must still return the ball before its second bounce.
What Is a Service Let?
A serve is a let when it clips the net or supporting post and otherwise lands correctly, provided it does not then touch the metal fence before the second bounce. That service is repeated. A let on a second serve does not restore a first serve.
The receiver must be ready, but attempting a return normally shows readiness. Unlike later rally balls, the return of serve cannot be volleyed because the receiver must wait for the ball to bounce inside the service box.
How the Walls Work
The simplest wall rule is to follow the order of contacts. A shot sent to the other side must land in the opponents’ court before it touches their wall or fence. Once it has bounced there, contact with an enclosing surface does not end the rally by itself.
On your side, you may return a ball directly over the net or play it off your own glass or solid wall first. You may not send it off your own metal fence. Learning to let the ball travel to the back glass is a major part of defending in padel.
Common Legal Wall Sequences
- Opponent’s shot bounces on your court, reaches your back wall, and you return it before a second bounce.
- Your return hits your own back or side wall, crosses the net, and then bounces in the opponents’ court.
- Your shot bounces in the opponents’ court and then hits their wall or fence.
- You volley a rally ball directly into the opponents’ court before it bounces on your side.
Common Illegal Wall Sequences
- Your return reaches the opponents’ wall or fence before it bounces in their court.
- Your return touches the ground or metal fence on your own side before crossing the net.
- You wait until the ball bounces twice on your side.
- You hit the ball before it has crossed to your side of the net.
Good positioning makes these rules easier to use. The padel forehand and backhand guide explains how to prepare after a rebound, while the padel volley guide covers play closer to the net.
How Padel Scoring Works
The traditional game score is love, 15, 30, 40, and game. A set is normally won by the first pair to reach six games with a two-game lead. At 6-6, a standard tie-break is commonly played to seven points, win by two, and matches are generally best of three sets.
The 2026 FIP rules list three ways to settle a game at deuce. The chosen format should be announced for the competition or agreed before a social match.
| Deuce format | What happens at 40-40? |
|---|---|
| Advantage | A pair must win two consecutive points after deuce. |
| Golden Point | One deciding point is played immediately. The receiving pair chooses the return side. |
| Star Point | Two advantage cycles are allowed. If neither settles the game, one deciding Star Point is played, with the receiving pair choosing the side. |
Star Point was introduced into the FIP rules for 2026 and adopted by major FIP professional circuits. That does not mean every club, league, or social match must use it. Advantage scoring and Golden Point remain listed options, so the event format controls.
Tie-Break Serving Order
The player due to serve begins the tie-break with one point from the right. The next server serves two points, beginning from the left, and players then continue in the existing order with two points each. Teams change ends after every six points.
The first pair to reach seven points with a two-point lead wins the tie-break and the set. A competition may instead use an approved short set or a 7-point or 10-point match tie-break, so check the stated format.
When a Team Loses the Point
A pair loses the rally when:
- the ball bounces twice before being returned;
- a player, the player’s racket, or anything worn touches the net or the opponents’ court while the ball is live;
- the ball touches a player or the player’s clothing instead of the racket;
- one player deliberately hits the ball twice, or both partners hit it;
- the return reaches an opposing wall or fence before bouncing in the opponents’ court;
- a return touches the team’s own ground or metal fence before crossing the net;
- a player throws the racket at the ball;
- the safety cord breaks, or a player drops the racket, during the point; or
- the server commits two consecutive service faults.
Only one partner may play the ball on each team contact. Partners do not have to alternate shots. An accidental double contact during one continuous stroke is permitted, but two deliberate or separate hits lose the point.
Out-of-Court Play
On courts approved for out-of-court play, a player may leave through an opening to chase a ball that bounced correctly and then left the enclosure. This is allowed only when the court has the required access openings and safety area.
Do not assume this rule applies at every venue. If out-of-court play is not authorized, a ball leaving the permitted playing area ends the point under the relevant rule.
Practical Rules to Agree Before a Match
Before the warm-up ends, confirm:
- which pair serves first and which end each pair starts on;
- the serving and receiving order within each pair;
- whether deuce uses advantage, Golden Point, or Star Point;
- whether the deciding set is a full set or a match tie-break; and
- whether out-of-court retrieval is allowed.
The serving order cannot be changed during a set, although a pair may choose a different order at the start of the next set. Receiving partners also alternate according to the order selected for that set.
Players who still need equipment and booking guidance can use the padel beginner equipment checklist and the practical guide on how to start playing padel.
Padel Rules FAQ
Can the ball hit the wall before it bounces?
On the opponents’ side, no. Your return must first bounce in their court. On your own side, you may intentionally play a return off your own glass or solid wall before it crosses the net.
Can you volley in padel?
Yes, once the serve has been returned. The receiver must let the serve bounce, but players may volley other balls during the rally.
Do you get two serves in padel?
Yes. If the first serve is a fault, the server gets a second attempt. Two faults lose the point.
Can you play padel singles?
Recreational singles variants and purpose-built narrower courts exist, but the standard FIP game is doubles with one pair on each side of a 20m by 10m court. If a venue offers singles, confirm its court layout and local format rather than assuming every doubles rule and dimension transfers unchanged.
Is padel always played with Golden Point?
No. The current rules provide Advantage, Star Point, and Golden Point options. The competition rules or pre-match agreement determine which one applies.