Badminton doubles rules, explained for social play
Scoring, serving order and faults in plain language, with the 2027 switch to games of 15 and the conventions most social sessions add.
By Albert Antioquia · Updated
The short version: doubles is played with rally scoring, so every rally wins a point. Today a game goes to 21 (win by two, capped at 30) and a match is the best of three games. You serve from the right when your side’s score is even and from the left when it is odd, and the serve must be hit below 1.15 m. From 4 January 2027, the Laws of Badminton change to games to 15, capped at 21. Below is each rule in plain language, the parts that confuse new doubles players, and the conventions most social sessions add on top.
The rules come from the BWF Laws of Badminton. Local leagues can adapt them, so check yours.
Scoring
| Now (until 3 January 2027) | From 4 January 2027 (3×15) | |
|---|---|---|
| A game is won at | 21 points | 15 points |
| If tied at | 20–20: win by two | 14–14: win by two |
| Cap | 29–29: next point wins (30) | 20–20: next point wins (21) |
| Match | Best of three games | Best of three games |
| Mid-game interval | Up to 60 s when the leader reaches 11 | Up to 60 s when the leader reaches 8 |
| Between games | Up to 120 s | Up to 120 s |
| Change ends in game 3 | When a side reaches 11 | When a side reaches 8 |
The side that wins a rally scores a point and serves next. Social sessions rarely play best of three: one game to 21, or to 15 when the hall is busy, is the norm. After January 2027, expect more clubs to play to 15 because it is the official length.
Serving in doubles
Which side you serve from
- Even score (0, 2, 4…) for the serving side: serve from the right service court.
- Odd score: serve from the left.
- Serve diagonally, to the opponent standing in the opposite service court.
Who moves, and who doesn’t
This is the part most new players get wrong. Players only swap service courts when their side wins a point on its own serve. The server then moves to the other court and serves again. The receiving pair never swaps when they lose a point. When the receivers win the rally, they get the serve, and whoever is standing in the correct court for their score serves. Nobody moves.
Worked example
| Score (A–B) | What happened | Next serve |
|---|---|---|
| 0–0 | Start | A1 serves from the right |
| 1–0 | Side A won the rally | A1 and A2 swap; A1 serves from the left |
| 1–1 | Side B won the rally | Serve passes; B is on 1 (odd), so the B player in the left court serves |
| 1–2 | Side B won again | B pair swaps; the same server serves from the right |
| 2–2 | Side A won the rally | A is on 2 (even): the A player in the right court serves |
What makes a legal serve
- The whole shuttle is below 1.15 m from the floor when the racket hits it (the fixed-height rule, in the Laws since 2018).
- Hit the base (the cork) of the shuttle first.
- Part of both feet stays on the floor and doesn’t move until the serve is hit.
- The racket moves forward in one continuous motion; no feints or pauses once you start.
- Server and receiver stand inside their diagonal service courts without touching the lines.
In social play, the 1.15 m height is hard to judge without a gauge. A common club convention is that the shuttle must be below the server’s waist, which is how the rule worked before 2018.
Where a doubles shuttle is in or out
- Serve: the doubles service court is short and wide. It runs from the short service line (near the net) to the doubles long service line, which is the inner back line, not the very back. A serve landing between the two back lines is out.
- After the serve: the whole doubles court is in play: the outer side lines and the very back line.
- A shuttle that lands on a line is in.
Faults during a rally
- The shuttle lands outside the court, goes into or under the net, or touches a player or their clothing.
- You hit it twice, or you and your partner hit it one after the other.
- You touch the net or the posts with your body or racket while the shuttle is in play.
- Your racket goes over the net to hit the shuttle. Following through over the net is allowed if you hit it on your side.
- You obstruct or deliberately distract an opponent.
Lets (replay the rally)
A let is called if the server serves before the receiver is ready, if, after the serve has been returned, the shuttle is caught on top of the net or in it after passing over, if the base of the shuttle comes off, or if something unexpected interrupts play, such as a shuttle from the next court. The same server serves again.
Conventions most social sessions add
These are not in the Laws, but you will meet them at almost any open play or club night:
- Shorter games (to 15 or 11) when players are waiting.
- A quick rally or a shuttle spin decides who serves first.
- “Shuttle on court” from a neighbouring court stops play and the point is replayed.
- Players call their own lines, and give the benefit of the doubt to the opponent.
- After the game, all four come off and go to the back of the queue.
How the next four are chosen is the other half of a good session. See the badminton open play guide for queue and rotation rules, and badminton doubles strategy for positioning.
Questions people ask
Is badminton changing to 15-point games?
Yes. BWF members approved the 3×15 scoring system in 2026. From 4 January 2027 a game is won at 15 points, with a two-point lead needed from 14–14 and a cap at 21. Matches stay best of three.
In doubles, which side do you serve from?
From the right service court when your side’s score is even, and from the left when it is odd. Players only swap courts when their side wins a point while serving.
How high can a badminton serve be?
Under the Laws, the whole shuttle must be below 1.15 m from the floor when the racket hits it. Many social sessions use the older rule of thumb: below the server’s waist.
Try it at your next session
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