Where should you stand when serving in badminton? The simplest rule is even score = right court; odd score = left court—always using the serving side’s score. But singles, doubles, service faults and the service-box lines add important details.
This illustrated-by-examples guide explains BWF service laws for 2026, the correct doubles serving rotation, common faults and what the approved 2027 scoring change actually means. Last reviewed: 12 October 2026.
Badminton Service Rules at a Glance
Quick answer: In badminton, the serve goes diagonally into the opponent’s correct service court. Use the right court when the serving side’s score is zero or even and the left court when it is odd. A legal serve must satisfy the BWF rules for position, feet, shuttle release and racket contact—not simply travel over the net.
| Question | Rule for standard BWF play in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Where do I serve? | Diagonally across the net |
| Which side at 0, 2, 4, 6… points? | Right service court |
| Which side at 1, 3, 5, 7… points? | Left service court |
| Shuttle height at contact? | The whole shuttle must be below 1.15 m from the court surface under the standard fixed-height rule |
| Can either foot move during service? | Both players must keep some part of both feet stationary and in contact with the floor until delivery |
| Scoring in 2026? | Best of three games to 21 under the current standard international laws |
Scope: This article follows the standard BWF Laws of Badminton. Alternative service laws and specific Para badminton provisions may differ; local recreational competitions can also set house rules.
Where Should You Stand to Serve?
The server and receiver must stand in diagonally opposite service courts without touching their service-court boundary lines. Each keeps some part of both feet in contact with the court in a stationary position from the start of the serve until it is delivered. The shuttle must cross the net and, if not intercepted, land on or inside the correct diagonal service area.
The serving side’s own score decides which service court to use—not the opponent’s score. For example, at 5–4, if the player or pair on 5 is serving, serve from the left. If the side on 4 has service, it serves from the right.
The precise service box is different from the full rally court. For diagram-based explanations of the short service line, centre line, inner singles sidelines and outer doubles sidelines, see our badminton court dimensions guide.
Singles Service Rules: Right, Left and Rally Winners
Singles is straightforward because each side has one player. Start at 0–0 from the right service court. If you win the rally while serving, add one point and serve again from the alternate court. If your opponent wins the rally, they score a point and take over service from the side that matches their score.
| Situation | Next server | Service court |
|---|---|---|
| 0–0, start of game | First nominated server | Right |
| You serve at 4–4, then win the rally | You, at 5–4 | Left |
| You serve at 5–4, opponent wins rally | Opponent, now 5–5 | Left (opponent’s score is 5) |
| You are serving with 10 points | You | Right |
Memory trick: even = right, odd = left. Recalculate using the score of the side that is about to serve.
Doubles Service Rules and Rotation Explained
In doubles the same even/right and odd/left rule applies to the serving pair’s score. Only one player serves at a time. When the serving pair wins a rally, it scores a point, the same server switches service courts and serves again. When the receiving pair wins, it scores a point and gains service; the serving partner is the player positioned in the service court matching the new serving pair’s score.
Important: partners do not swap their tracked right/left service-court positions merely because they win a rally while receiving. They change courts when their own side wins a point while serving. During the rally both partners may move freely; the tracked service positions determine the next serve.
Example using four players
- Pair A (Alex and Bea) starts at 0–0. Alex serves from the right to Cara.
- Pair A wins: it leads 1–0. Alex serves again, this time from the left.
- Pair B wins that rally: score becomes 1–1. Pair B gains service. Whichever B player is in the left service court serves.
- Pair B wins again: it leads 2–1. That same B player switches to the right service court and serves.
A doubles receiving player is the one diagonally opposite the server; the receiver’s partner cannot substitute during delivery of the serve. For the formal service sequence, consult BWF Law 11.
Legal Serve vs Service Fault: What the Umpire Checks
Under the standard BWF Law 9, these are among the essential requirements for a correct service:
- Correct diagonal courts: server and receiver stand inside their prescribed service courts and do not touch the boundary lines.
- Stationary feet: some part of both feet of server and receiver must remain stationary on the surface until the service is delivered.
- Shuttle release: the server must release the shuttle without adding spin; the racket must initially contact the base of the shuttle.
- Fixed contact height: the whole shuttle must be below 1.15 metres at the instant of the hit under the standard service law.
- Continuous motion: after the service begins, the racket’s movement must continue forwards until the service is delivered.
- Correct trajectory: the shuttle travels upwards over the net towards the diagonally opposite receiver’s service court.
- No undue delay: once server and receiver are ready, the server cannot deliberately delay service.
Simply serving “underhand” is not a complete explanation of legality. The official fixed-height rule uses a 1.15 m contact threshold, rather than each player’s personal waist height. Some competitions using approved alternative service laws may apply different conditions, so check the event regulations.
Singles vs Doubles: Which Service Lines Are In?
| Boundary | Singles serve | Doubles serve |
|---|---|---|
| Short service line | In | In |
| Inner singles sideline | Outer width limit | Not the outer width limit |
| Outer doubles sideline | Out if shuttle lands beyond singles sideline | In |
| Doubles long service line | Not the back service limit | In; anything beyond is out on serve |
| Back boundary line | In | Too long for doubles serve |
A serve touching the correct line is in. Once the return is made, doubles uses the full back boundary for rallies. Read our singles versus doubles court-line examples to visualise the difference.
Five Service Scenarios That Often Confuse Players
- Score 0–0: the nominated server starts on the right.
- Score 5–4: if the side on 5 serves, use the left; if the side on 4 serves, use the right.
- A doubles receiver wins a rally: their side scores and takes the serve, but partners do not automatically swap service courts.
- Serve lands on the doubles long service line: in during doubles service; beyond that line is out.
- Server lifts a foot during delivery: this is a service fault if the required stationary foot contact is broken.
If a service-court mistake is discovered, play is corrected as required by BWF Law 12. The existing score stands; not every wrong-side incident means replaying previous points.
What Changes in 2027? The Approved 3×15 Scoring System
On 25 April 2026, the BWF membership approved a best-of-three games to 15 points system, scheduled to take effect on 4 January 2027. Until the change takes effect, the current standard international system remains best of three games to 21 points.
The change affects the length and late-game scoring of games; it does not mean players should suddenly use different left/right service courts. The principle remains based on whether the serving side’s score is even or odd. Any event-specific implementation should be checked against the version of the laws applicable to that tournament.
Why readers should care: under shorter games, a service fault can represent a larger fraction of the points available. Players who understand service order, positioning and the diagonally correct landing box have fewer avoidable mistakes.
Sources: BWF announcement on 3×15 and Japan Badminton Association implementation notice (26 April 2026).
Common Serving Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Using the opponent’s score: determine right or left from the serving side’s score.
- Targeting the wrong box: aim diagonally, never straight ahead.
- Standing on a service line: keep both feet inside the correct service court.
- Assuming doubles uses singles rear boundary: remember the shorter doubles service box.
- Pausing the racket after starting: make the service motion continuous.
- Contacting the shuttle too high: practice a repeatable contact point compliant with the applicable height rule.
- Swapping doubles courts after receiving: only switch tracked courts when winning a point while your pair is serving.
For beginners, mastering the court side, diagonal direction and service-box boundaries should come before experimenting with different serve styles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Serve from the right service court when the serving side has zero or an even number of points, and the left when it has an odd number.
A serve breaches the service laws, for example by serving from the wrong court, breaking required stationary foot contact, contacting the shuttle above the standard 1.15 m height limit, or failing to serve into the correct diagonal box.
Yes. It must be directed to the diagonally opposite receiver’s service court, including its relevant boundary lines.
No. In doubles, the long service line inside the rear boundary limits the service court. The full back boundary becomes relevant once the rally is underway.
If the serving pair wins, the same player serves again from the alternate service court. If the receiving pair wins, it scores and gains service.
The BWF membership approved best-of-three games to 15 on 25 April 2026, scheduled for implementation on 4 January 2027. Check tournament-specific rules for applicable transition arrangements.
Not during the period when the service laws require the server and receiver to keep some part of both feet stationary in contact with the court until delivery.
