PADEL RULES
Padel Rules List
Every official padel rule in one place — court, serve, scoring, wall play, equipment, and conduct. Based on the FIP 2026 rulebook.
The rules of padel are set by the International Padel Federation (FIP). The current edition, in force from 1 January 2026, updated three key areas: a new deuce option called the Star Point, a tighter serve-trajectory rule, and a point penalty for dropping your racket. Below is a complete list of all padel rules, each with a brief summary and a link to the full guide.
New to the sport? Start with the 2026 FIP rulebook guide or the beginner's guide to padel rules.
The Court
20 × 10 m enclosed court with glass and metal mesh walls.
- ✓ Overall playing area: 20 m long × 10 m wide
- ✓ Back walls: 4 m glass panels, topped with metal mesh (total 6 m)
- ✓ Side walls: 3 m glass at the back, remainder mesh
- ✓ Net height: 88 cm at the centre, 92 cm at the posts
- ✓ Service boxes: 6.95 m deep from the net on each side
- ✓ Service line: 3 m from and parallel to the net
The Ball
FIP-approved balls, 6.35–6.77 cm diameter, 56–59.4 g weight.
- ✓ Diameter: 6.35–6.77 cm
- ✓ Weight: 56.0–59.4 g
- ✓ Internal pressure: 4.6–5.2 kg/cm²
- ✓ Bounce test: 135–145 cm from a 2.54 m drop
- ✓ Must be FIP-approved for official tournament play
- ✓ Yellow or white colour
The Racket
Solid perforated racket, max 45.5 cm long × 26 cm wide × 38 mm thick.
- ✓ Total length (including handle): max 45.5 cm
- ✓ Width: max 26 cm
- ✓ Thickness: max 38 mm
- ✓ Must be solid (no strings); surface may be rough or textured
- ✓ Holes: between 9 mm and 13 mm diameter
- ✓ Must include a wrist strap (lanyard) that is worn during play
The Serve
Underhand, bounced, struck at or below waist height, directed diagonally.
- ✓ Server stands behind the service line with at least one foot on the ground
- ✓ Server must position between the centreline extension and the side wall
- ✓ Ball must be bounced on the ground before being struck
- ✓ Ball must be struck at or below waist (hip) height
- ✓ Ball must not cross the service line before contact (2026 rule)
- ✓ Serve goes diagonally into the opponent's service box
- ✓ If the ball clips the net and lands correctly, it is a let — retake the serve
- ✓ If the ball bounces correctly but hits the wire mesh, it is a fault
- ✓ Two consecutive faults on the same point = point to the receiver
Scoring
Tennis scoring: 15-30-40-game; sets to 6; tiebreak at 6-6; best of 3.
- ✓ Points: 15, 30, 40, game
- ✓ At deuce, three official formats: Advantage, Star Point (2026), or Golden Point
- ✓ Set: first team to 6 games with a 2-game lead
- ✓ At 6-6 in a set, a tiebreak is played (first to 7 points, lead of 2)
- ✓ Match: best of 3 sets
- ✓ Super Tiebreak (first to 10, lead of 2) can replace the third set by prior agreement
- ✓ The deuce format must be agreed before the match
The Star Point (2026)
New deuce option: three deuce levels culminating in a single deciding point.
- ✓ Deuce 1: advantage played normally
- ✓ If leading pair loses — Deuce 2: advantage played again
- ✓ If leading pair loses again — Deuce 3: the Star Point is played
- ✓ At Star Point, the receiving pair chooses which side to receive from
- ✓ In mixed doubles, the receiver must be the same gender as the server
- ✓ The pair that wins the Star Point wins the game
- ✓ Must be agreed as the format before the match begins
Order of Service
Service alternates between teams every game; players alternate within a team.
- ✓ The pair that serves first is decided by a coin toss or mutual agreement
- ✓ The right to serve alternates between pairs every game
- ✓ Within a pair, partners alternate who serves each game
- ✓ In a tiebreak, service rotates every two points, starting with one point
- ✓ Partners must maintain consistent serving order throughout a set
Ball in Play — Wall Rules
After bouncing on the floor, the ball may be played off any wall.
- ✓ The ball must bounce on the floor on your side before hitting a wall on the opponent's side
- ✓ After the ball bounces on your side, it can rebound off any wall and remain in play
- ✓ You may play the ball off your own back or side walls offensively
- ✓ You cannot hit the ball so it goes directly into a wall on the opponent's side without bouncing on their floor first
- ✓ If the ball flies over the back wall or through an open door after bouncing, you may chase it outside and play it back
- ✓ You may reach around (not over) the net post to play the ball
Faults and Let
Faults lose the point or serve; a let means the point or serve is replayed.
- ✓ Fault on serve: ball hits net and does not land in service box, or lands in wrong box
- ✓ Fault on serve: ball bounces and hits wire mesh (glass is OK)
- ✓ Fault on serve: ball crosses the service line before contact (2026 rule)
- ✓ Foot fault: server's foot crosses the service line or central line before contact
- ✓ Let on serve: ball clips the net and lands correctly in the service box — retake
- ✓ A player touches the net or walks onto the opponent's side: point lost
- ✓ Ball hits a player's body or clothing: point to the other side
Out-of-Court Play
Players may leave the court to retrieve a ball after it goes over or through the back.
- ✓ If the ball bounces in the correct zone and exits through a gate or over the back wall, the player may pursue it
- ✓ The ball must be returned back over the net or around the net post
- ✓ The player must re-enter the court through the same gate they exited
- ✓ Out-of-court play only applies after a valid bounce — not off a wall without a floor bounce
Player Conduct
Progressive penalty system: warning → point penalty → game penalty → default.
- ✓ First offence: warning (Code Violation 1)
- ✓ Second offence: point penalty (Code Violation 2)
- ✓ Third offence: game penalty (Code Violation 3)
- ✓ Serious offences (e.g. physical abuse): immediate default
- ✓ Audible obscenity, racket abuse, verbal abuse, and ball abuse are all code violations
- ✓ Deliberately dropping your racket: point penalty (2026 rule)
- ✓ Coaching from outside the court is prohibited during points
- ✓ Best efforts rule: players must always try to win points
Changeovers
Teams change ends after every odd game total; 90-second break allowed.
- ✓ Teams change ends after every odd-numbered total of games in a set
- ✓ Changeover break: maximum 90 seconds
- ✓ Between sets: maximum 120 seconds
- ✓ Between points: maximum 20 seconds
- ✓ Medical timeout: 3 minutes for a genuine injury (once per injury, per player)
Equipment Rules
Rackets must meet FIP specifications; wrist straps are compulsory.
- ✓ Racket wrist strap must be worn at all times during play
- ✓ Grips may be replaced; grip tape is permitted
- ✓ Players must wear appropriate footwear for the court surface
- ✓ FIP may inspect equipment before and during matches
- ✓ Non-compliant equipment: player must change it or default the match
2026 Rule Changes
Three key changes: Star Point, serve ball trajectory rule, racket-drop penalty.
- ✓ Star Point: new third deuce option between Advantage and Golden Point
- ✓ Serve trajectory: ball cannot cross the service line before contact
- ✓ Serve foot rule: one foot (not both) required behind service line at contact
- ✓ Racket drop: intentionally dropping the racket during a point is a code violation
- ✓ Mixed doubles Star Point: receiver must match the server's gender
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the rules of padel?
Padel is played in doubles on a 20×10 m enclosed court. Points follow tennis scoring (15-30-40-game). The serve is underhand, bounced before contact, struck at or below waist height, and directed diagonally into the opponent's service box. After the ball bounces once on your side, you may play it off the walls. The ball must bounce on the opponent's floor before touching any wall on their side.
How many rules does padel have?
The FIP official rulebook covers 21 numbered rules, from court specifications to conduct and discipline. The main topics are: court, ball, racket, serve, scoring, gameplay, out-of-court play, and conduct.
What changed in the 2026 padel rules?
Three key changes came into force on 1 January 2026: the Star Point as a third deuce option, a tightened serve rule (the ball cannot cross the service line before contact), and a point penalty for dropping your racket intentionally. See the full 2026 rule changes guide.
Is padel scoring the same as tennis?
Yes. Padel uses the same point and game scoring as tennis — 15, 30, 40, game; sets to 6; tiebreak at 6-6; best of 3 sets. The main difference at deuce is that padel offers three official formats (Advantage, Star Point, Golden Point) that must be agreed before the match.