Padel court dimensions: the full size in metres and feet

The court from above

The net splits the court into two 10 × 10 m halves. On each side, the service line runs 6.95 m from the net, and a centre service line divides that area into two service boxes. The plan shows the stepped side-wall layout; the walls and mesh are explained further down.

Padel court size: every dimension

All measurements are taken from the inside of the enclosure. Imperial figures are converted at 1 m = 3.2808 ft and rounded to the nearest inch, or to a tenth of an inch for lines and the net. Where the sources disagree, both figures are given.

FIP = FIP Rules of Padel, 2026 edition unless marked 2017. LTA = LTA Padel court construction guidance note 2025. SAPCA = SAPCA Code of Practice for padel courts, September 2025.

Walls, mesh and doors

Both back walls are 4 m high: 3 m of glass or another solid material, topped by 1 m of mesh. The FIP allows two side-wall layouts. The classic stepped one has a 3 m high, 2 m long panel at each corner, then a 2 m high, 2 m long step, with mesh up to 4 m over the last 2 m and up to 3 m along the central 16 m. The newer all-glass variant replaces the step with a single 3 m high, 4 m long panel at each end. The English 2026 text says "the center 6 meters" for the mesh section; the Spanish original and the 2017 edition both say 16 m, which is what the other measurements add up to.

Access is through the side walls, centred on the net, with one or two openings per side. The FIP sets the opening sizes in the table; in the UK, the LTA and SAPCA also ask for at least 1.2 m between the net post and the enclosure so that sports wheelchairs can get onto the court.

How much space you need

The LTA sizes one outdoor court at 20.8 × 10.8 m, which adds a 400 mm ring beam on each side of the enclosure; its table gives 20.8 × 22.3 m for two courts side by side and 20.8 × 45.3 m for four, with a 1.5 m gap between courts. That excludes out-of-court play areas, which the LTA says only matter if you plan elite tournaments. If you do, SAPCA calls for a 4 m side run between courts so each court keeps its own 2 m area.

Indoors or under a canopy, keep at least 6 m clear above the whole playing area, including the underside of any lights. The FIP suggests 8 m for new facilities, and the LTA asks for 8 m over the net line for elite competition. A typical modular canopy has 6 m eaves and about 8 m along the centre of the court (SAPCA).

The footprint is only part of the budget. See how much it costs to build a padel court and how padel court construction works, from planning to the ring beam.

Singles (individual) court size

The FIP rules only cover the doubles court, and singles padel is not part of official competition. Where clubs build a dedicated individual court, it is usually 20 × 6 m (65 ft 7 in × 19 ft 8 in): full length, narrower width (Padel Market, Padel Point). Many players simply use a standard court instead.

Lighting minimums

Light fittings must sit at least 6 m above the playing surface, (FIP, LTA, SAPCA), and the FIP wants light poles outside the court. For light levels, UK guidance (LTA and SAPCA) sets 300 lux with 0.5 uniformity for recreational play and regional competition, and 500 lux with 0.7 uniformity for national and international competition; SAPCA applies both to indoor and outdoor courts.

The current FIP rules refer to a separate court homologation annex for light levels. The 2017 edition, based on the European standard EN 12193, split them by setting: 200 lux outdoors and 300 lux indoors for recreational play, 500 lux outdoors and 750 lux indoors for national and international events. For television and filming, the FIP asks for at least 1,000 lux of vertical light.