Pickleball Court Dimensions and Setup

May 4, 2025

The pickleball phenomenon is sweeping all over the world, leading to increased interest in courts. Understanding pickleball court dimensions and setup can be the first thing, whether you’re planning to build one or simply want to learn more about the game.

This guide provides comprehensive details on court dimensions and compares them to other sports

Standard Pickleball Court Terms

Before diving into dimensions, let’s get familiar with the fundamental elements of a pickleball court:

All servers must stay behind the baseline while performing the serve.
The Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone) extends seven feet from the net on each side and prohibits volleys throughout this area.
The Center Line divides the service area into left-side and right-side service zones.
Sidelines mark the outer boundaries along the length of the court.
The service areas are the two rectangular zones on either side of the centerline, behind the Non-Volley Zone, where serves must land.

What Are the Dimensions of an Official Pickleball Court?

According to official pickleball court guidelines, a standard court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long. Whether playing singles or doubles, the play surface is the same size. The court divides into equal left and right sections via the centerline while non-volley zones extending seven feet exist on both net sides.

The measurement of pickleball courts follows the specifications set by USA Pickleball regardless of being located inside or outside facilities.

Space Requirements:

While the playing lines measure 20×44 feet, USA Pickleball recommends a total clear area of at least 30×60 feet to allow for safe player movement beyond the boundaries.
The 20×44 ft dimension applies to both indoor and outdoor courts. For indoor facilities, a vertical ceiling clearance of 18-20 feet and adequate lighting are recommended.

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Pickleball Court Size in Meters

A pickleball court is officially 13.41 meters long and 6.1 meters wide. The non-volley zone on both sides is 2.13 meters away from the net.

Mini Pickleball Court Size

The dimensions of a standard mini pickleball court measure at 10 feet wide and 22 feet long half the size of a regulation court. These smaller courts are often used for recreational play, training, or in areas with limited space.

Singles Pickleball Court Size

Unlike tennis, the court size (20×44 ft) remains the same for both singles and doubles play.

Skinny Singles Court Size

The skinny singles pickleball court size, which is 10 feet wide and 44 feet long, uses half the standard court width (10 feet wide by 44 feet long). It’s often used for drills and as a fun, unofficial game variation

Setting Up the Pickleball Court

To set up a court:

Choose Surface: Select a hard, level surface like concrete, asphalt, or specialized modular sport tiles designed for pickleball (indoors or outdoors).

Mark Lines: Use durable court tape or paint to mark the 20×44 ft boundaries.

Mark Non-Volley Zone: Measure and mark the 7-foot Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen) line on both sides of the net.

Mark Centerline: Draw the centerline from the baseline to the Non-Volley Zone line on each side.

Ensure Safety & Visibility: Provide adequate lighting. For indoor courts, consider wall padding around the perimeter.

Allow Out-of-Bounds Space: Ensure sufficient clear space around the court lines – a minimum of 5 feet on all sides is recommended, with 10 feet being ideal (contributing to the recommended 30×60 ft total area).

Using pickleball court stencils together with pre-sized tape kits enables players to ensure accurate line placement.

Pickleball Court Size vs. Tennis Court

Pickleball courts are significantly smaller as compared to tennis courts. A single tennis court space often accommodates multiple pickleball courts.

Feature	Pickleball Court	Tennis Court
Court Size	20 x 44 ft	36 x 78 ft
Recommended Total Area	30 x 60 ft	~60 x 120 ft
Net Height (center)	34 in	36 in
Number of Courts per Tennis Court	2–4	1

The size difference between tennis and pickleball courts has led to converting unused tennis courts into multiple pickleball courts.

Pickleball Court Size vs. Badminton Court

While pickleball courts share the same dimensions as doubles badminton courts (20×44 ft), there are key differences

Feature	Pickleball Court	Badminton Court
Court Size	20 x 44 ft	20 x 44 ft (doubles)
Net Height (center)	34 in	60 in
Surface	Hard	Wood or synthetic
Play Type	Paddle & ball	Racket & shuttlecock

Although the court dimensions are identical, the significantly lower net height in pickleball, different equipment, and rules create very different gameplay experiences compared to badminton.