How big is a pickleball court, in metres, and will it fit where you want to play? A pickleball court is 13.41 m long and 6.10 m wide, the same size for singles and doubles, with a net that is 91.44 cm high at the posts and 86.36 cm in the middle. If you are about to tape a court onto a hall floor, mark one on a driveway or check a space before booking it, you need the numbers in metres, not feet. Most guides online start in feet and leave you converting at the tape measure. Luca, who runs Dinkwell, plays club pickleball and co-founded South Coast Pickleball. Below are the official measurements, the space you need around the court, and a simple way to mark one out so it comes out square.
The short version
- The court is 13.41 m long by 6.10 m wide, for both singles and doubles (rulebook rule 3.A.1).
- The kitchen (non-volley zone) reaches 2.13 m from the net on each side.
- The net is 91.44 cm high at the sidelines and 86.36 cm at the centre.
- You need a playing surface of at least 9.14 m by 18.29 m, and the rulebook recommends more for tournaments.
What are the pickleball court dimensions in metres?
The court is a rectangle 6.10 m wide and 13.41 m long (20 feet by 44 feet), and it is the same rectangle whether you play singles or doubles. That comes straight from the 2026 Official Rulebook, Global Pickleball Federation edition, which Pickleball Australia links as its rule book.
Why does it matter that singles and doubles share a court? Because you only ever mark one set of lines. There is no narrower singles court to measure or paint.
Here is every measurement in one place:
| Part of the court | Metres | Feet |
|---|---|---|
| Court length (baseline to baseline) | 13.41 m | 44 ft |
| Court width (sideline to sideline) | 6.10 m | 20 ft |
| Kitchen depth, from the net | 2.13 m | 7 ft |
| Line width | 5.08 cm | 2 in |
| Net height at the sidelines | 91.44 cm | 36 in |
| Net height at the centre | 86.36 cm | 34 in |
The rulebook measures the court to the outside edge of the sidelines, baselines and kitchen lines, so the lines sit inside the court, not outside it. Mark the outer edge of your tape on the measurements, not the middle.
How far is the kitchen from the net, and what else is on the court?
The kitchen line sits 2.13 m (7 feet) from the net on both sides, and the kitchen runs the full width between the sidelines. The rulebook counts the lines around the kitchen as part of the kitchen, so a volley that touches the line is a fault. We cover what you can and cannot do there in our kitchen rules guide.
Everything else on the court follows from that one number. The net stands across the middle, 6.705 m from each baseline (half of 13.41 m). Take away the 2.13 m kitchen and each service court is 4.57 m deep. A centre line runs from the kitchen line to the baseline and splits the width in two, so each service court is 3.05 m wide, with the left and right service courts either side of it.
So when you mark a court, you only need a handful of measurements: the outer rectangle, the net line, the two kitchen lines and the centre lines. Nothing else.
How much space do you need around a pickleball court?
The rulebook gives a minimum playing surface of 9.14 m wide by 18.29 m long, which leaves about 1.5 m of run-off behind each baseline and beside each sideline. For new construction and tournament play it recommends 10.36 m by 19.5 m, and 15.24 m by 24.38 m for a stadium court.
Why does the run-off matter? Because pickleball is played at the baseline and the sidelines, and you will chase balls past both. A court squeezed against a wall or a fence works for a hit, but you will notice it the first time someone lunges for a wide ball.
| Purpose | Width | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum playing surface | 9.14 m | 18.29 m |
| New construction and tournament play | 10.36 m | 19.5 m |
| Stadium court | 15.24 m | 24.38 m |
If your space is smaller than the minimum, it can still be fun for casual hitting, just not the real court. For regular play, check the full playing surface fits before you start measuring.
How do you mark out a pickleball court?
Mark the outer rectangle first, check it is square, then add the net line, the kitchen lines and the centre lines. Below is a way to do it with a tape measure, tape or chalk and a second person.
- Lay out one baseline 6.10 m long and mark both ends.
- From each end, measure 13.41 m along the sideline direction and mark the far corners.
- Join the far corners with the second baseline, and check it is also 6.10 m.
- Measure both diagonals across the rectangle. Each should be about 14.73 m. If they differ, nudge a corner until they match. Equal diagonals mean square corners.
- Find the middle of each sideline (6.705 m from a baseline) and mark the net line across the court. This is where the net goes.
- Measure 2.13 m from the net line toward each baseline, and join the marks to make the two kitchen lines.
- Mark the middle of each baseline and the middle of each kitchen line, then join them to make the two centre lines.
- Check the lot: every corner, the net line at the sidelines, and both kitchen lines, once more with the tape measure.
Why check the diagonals? A rectangle can have the right side lengths and still be a parallelogram. The diagonal check takes a minute and saves you re-taping a court that plays crooked.
A few practical notes. Measure to the outer edge of the line, as the rulebook does. Use a contrasting colour: the rulebook says lines should be the same colour and clearly contrast with the playing surface. A line about 5 cm wide matches the rulebook's 5.08 cm. Try your tape on a small patch of the floor first to make sure it lifts off cleanly.
Setting the net height
Once the lines are down, set the net. It should be 91.44 cm above the surface where it crosses the sidelines and 86.36 cm at the centre. If your net has a centre strap, the centre measurement includes the strap, so tighten or loosen the strap until the tape measure reads 86.36 cm. Both heights carry a tolerance of a quarter of an inch (0.635 cm) either way in the rulebook, so do not stress over a few millimetres.
Common questions
Is a pickleball court the same size indoors and outdoors?
The rulebook gives one court size, 13.41 m by 6.10 m, with no separate indoor or outdoor version. What changes is the space around the court, not the court itself.
Is a singles court smaller than a doubles court?
No. The rulebook says the court is 6.10 m wide and 13.41 m long for both singles and doubles matches.
How wide are the lines on a pickleball court?
The rulebook says lines should be 5.08 cm (2 inches) wide and the same colour, contrasting clearly with the court surface.
How high is a pickleball net in the middle?
At the centre the net is 86.36 cm, with a tolerance of 0.635 cm either way. At the sidelines it is 91.44 cm.
How big is the kitchen?
The kitchen is the area within 2.13 m of the net on each side, and it runs the full width of the court between the sidelines.
What to do next
If you remember one thing, make it this: 13.41 m by 6.10 m, kitchen 2.13 m from the net, and check the diagonals before you commit to the tape. Do that and the rest of the court falls into place. Once your court is down, you will want something to hit on it, so our outdoor pickleballs, 12-pack are a good place to start, and if you are still working out what the rest of the kit costs, our guide to the cost of starting pickleball lays it out. For the full measurements and diagrams, the official rulebook is worth a bookmark.