Official padel court size
Padel courts look compact from the outside, but FIP regulations define every line, net height, and enclosure detail. Facilities in the U.S. generally follow the same international standard. Always confirm with your venue if you are planning construction or comparing sports — recreational courts may vary slightly within permitted tolerance.
Playing area
The interior playing rectangle is 20 metres long by 10 metres wide, with a permitted tolerance of ± 0.5% on those dimensions (FIP Rule — Court Dimensions).
That yields roughly 200 m² of in-bounds floor area — about three-quarters the size of a tennis doubles court (23.77 m × 10.97 m ≈ 261 m²), but enclosed rather than open.
In imperial units, 20 m × 10 m is approximately 66 ft × 33 ft.
Net
The net spans the full 10-metre width of the court:
- 0.88 m high at the centre
- 0.92 m at the posts (± 5 mm tolerance)
For comparison, a tennis net is 0.914 m at the centre and 1.07 m at the posts.
Service lines and markings
Key line measurements from the FIP rulebook:
- Service lines run parallel to the net at 6.95 m from the net on each side.
- A central service line divides each service box and extends at least 20 cm beyond the service line.
- All lines are 5 cm wide, preferably white or black for contrast with the surface.
Lines are in play only on the serve; during rallies, only the floor boundaries and wall rules matter.
Walls and enclosure
The court must be completely enclosed. FIP-approved designs use combinations of:
- Back walls — often 3 m glass or solid material with a regular bounce
- Side walls — glass stepping down toward the net, plus mesh fencing above
- Minimum free height — 6 m above the entire court (8 m recommended for new builds)
Wall height and mesh sections follow FIP enclosure variants (full details in the official PDF). The walls are not decoration — they are part of the playing surface after a floor bounce.
Surface and surroundings
FIP rules allow approved surfaces (porous concrete, artificial grass, etc.) with uniform bounce. Clubs choose surfaces based on climate, maintenance, and indoor/outdoor setup — we do not rank surfaces here.
Recommended run-off space around the court depends on the facility; homologated competition sites need clear height and safety zones per FIP. Your local club may have tighter indoor footprints.
Padel vs tennis court dimensions
| Measurement | Padel | Tennis (doubles) |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 20 m | 23.77 m (78 ft) |
| Width | 10 m | 10.97 m (36 ft) |
| Enclosure | Walled | Open |
| Net (centre) | 0.88 m | 0.914 m |
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FAQ
What are the official padel court dimensions?
20 m long × 10 m wide interior, ± 0.5% tolerance.
How high is the padel net?
0.88 m at centre, 0.92 m at posts.
Can padel be played on a tennis court?
Not as regulation padel — you need walls, correct dimensions, and a lower net. Some facilities build padel courts beside or inside tennis venues as separate structures.