Guide · Last checked October 25, 2026 · By Ashish Dawar
Badminton doubles rules, explained.
In badminton doubles, the serving side serves from the right service court when its score is even and from the left when it’s odd. Partners switch courts only when they win a point on their own serve. The serve must land in a short, wide service court; after that the whole wide court is in. Games are to 21, win by two, capped at 30.
Everything below comes from the BWF Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes Section 4.1, version 5.0, in force since April 26, 2025), with law numbers to settle arguments on court. Checked October 25, 2026. Note that 15-point games start on January 4, 2027; see scoring.
The doubles court: which lines count
The court is 13.40 m by 6.10 m (Law 1, Diagram A). Doubles has one boundary for the serve and another for the rally. A shuttle on the line is in (Law 1.3).
| Line | On the serve | In the rally |
|---|---|---|
| Short service line, 1.98 m from the net | Front of the service court: short is out | No effect |
| Outer (doubles) sideline | Side edge of the service court: the side alley is in | Side boundary: the alley is in |
| Doubles long service line, 0.76 m inside the back boundary | Back edge of the service court: past it is out | No effect |
| Back boundary line | Out | Back boundary |
The back strip trips up singles players, whose serve can go all the way to the back boundary.
Serving and receiving: the rules that run every game
- Your side’s score picks the court. Serve from the right service court when your side has zero or an even score in that game, and from the left when it’s odd (Laws 11.1.1–11.1.2).
- Serve diagonally. Server and receiver stand in diagonally opposite service courts without touching the lines (Law 9.1.3); the receiver is whoever stands in that diagonal court (Law 11.1.4). Partners may stand anywhere in their own court that doesn’t block an opponent’s view (Law 9.5).
- Win on your serve: score, switch, serve again. The same server serves again from the other service court, so the partners swap (Law 11.3.1).
- Lose on your serve: nobody moves. The receiving side scores and becomes the serving side (Law 11.3.2). Nobody changes service courts until their side wins a point while serving (Law 11.1.5); the new server is whoever stands in the court matching their side’s new score.
- The order of service. Service passes from the initial server to the initial receiver’s partner, then the initial server’s partner, then the initial receiver, and round again (Law 11.4). Nobody receives two serves in a row (Law 11.5).
Some rule sheets online still describe the old system, where only the serving side scored and both partners took a turn to serve. Today every rally wins a point (Law 7.3), and each side gets one turn of service at a time.
A worked example
A and B play C and D. A and C start in their right courts, B and D in their left. A serves first. Scores are called server’s side first.
| Rally | Score | Server (court) | Receiver | Winner | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–0 | A (right) | C | A & B | 1–0. A and B swap. |
| 2 | 1–0 | A (left) | D | C & D | 1–1. Nobody moves. C & D’s 1 is odd: D, in the left court, serves. |
| 3 | 1–1 | D (left) | A | C & D | 2–1 to C & D. D and C swap. |
| 4 | 2–1 | D (right) | B | A & B | 2–2. Nobody moves. A & B’s 2 is even: B, in the right court, serves. |
| 5 | 2–2 | B (right) | D | A & B | 3–2 to A & B. B and A swap. |
| 6 | 3–2 | B (left) | C | C & D | 3–3. Nobody moves. C & D’s 3 is odd: C, in the left court, serves. |
The servers came round A, D, B, C, as Law 11.4 sets out, without anyone remembering whose turn it was. Look at the score, then at who stands in that court.
Service court errors: wrong server, wrong court
A service court error is serving or receiving out of turn, or from the wrong service court (Law 12.1). When it’s discovered, it’s corrected once the shuttle is not in play, and the existing score stands (Law 12.2). The rally isn’t replayed and nobody loses a point. Put the players where the score says they belong and carry on.
Scoring
- A match is the best of three games, unless otherwise arranged, and each game is to 21; every rally scores a point (Laws 7.1–7.3).
- At 20-all, a side needs a two-point lead. At 29-all, the side that scores the 30th point wins (Laws 7.4–7.5).
- The winner of a game serves first in the next, and either partner may serve or receive first (Laws 7.6 and 11.6).
- Ends change after each game and at 11 in a third game (Law 8.1). Intervals: up to 60 seconds when the leading score reaches 11, and 120 seconds between games (Law 16.2).
Coming in 2027: 15-point games. The BWF adopted new Laws in April 2026, version 6.0, in force from January 4, 2027. A game becomes 15 points; from 14-all a side needs a two-point lead, and at 20-all the 21st point wins. Ends change and the interval come at 8. The doubles serving rules don’t change. Clubs and local tournaments may switch on their own timing.
Mixed doubles
The Laws of Badminton have no separate rules for mixed doubles. A mixed pair (one man, one woman) serves, receives, rotates and scores under the same Law 11 as any other pair. One player at the net and one at the back is tactics, not a rule: either partner may hit any shuttle in a rally (Law 11.2).
Common doubles disputes at club level
- “It’s my serve.” Who served last doesn’t matter; the serving side’s score and where players stand decide it (Laws 11.1 and 11.3).
- “That serve was in, it was on the back line.” On a doubles serve, the back of the service court is the doubles long service line, not the back boundary (Diagram A).
- “We both hit it.” Partners hitting the shuttle one after the other is a fault, as is the shuttle touching a player’s body or clothing (Laws 13.3.8 and 13.3.4), or the receiver’s partner hitting the serve (Law 13.2.3).
- “Nobody saw where it landed.” With no umpire, a player can call a let and the last server serves again (Laws 14.1 and 14.3). Calling your own side’s lines and replaying doubtful shots is club courtesy, not a written Law.
Doubles at Shuttle Storm ’26
Shuttle Storm ’26 is on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at the UFV Athletic Centre North Gym in Abbotsford. Its doubles categories are men’s, women’s and mixed doubles in 18–34 and 35+, plus Super Doubles (men, women or mixed) for 50+. Entry is $40 per player ($30 for UFV students), and the younger partner sets the pair’s age group. No partner? Enter solo and we’ll pair you with another player if one is available; pairings are posted by November 19.
Shuttle Storm uses a shortened match format. Round robin matches and matches up to the quarter-finals are a single game to 21; semi-finals and finals are the best of three games to 15 (competition regulations). If a 15-point game reaches 14-all, the first side to lead by 2 wins it, capped at 21. Entries close Wednesday, November 18, at 11:59 pm. Register here or read the tournament FAQ.
Practise first at badminton drop-ins in Abbotsford, or see other Lower Mainland tournaments and our guides.
More rules guides: badminton serve rules (the 1.15 m rule, faults and lets) and how to play badminton, with scoring.
Frequently asked questions
Do you switch sides when you lose a point in badminton doubles?
No. Partners change service courts only when their side wins a point while serving (BWF Law 11.1.5). When the receiving side wins a rally, nobody moves: the partner standing in the court that matches their new score serves next.
Is the back of the court in or out on a doubles serve?
Out. The doubles service court ends at the doubles long service line, 0.76 m inside the back boundary, so a serve landing in that back strip is a fault. Once the serve is returned, the whole court is in, out to the back boundary.
What happens if the wrong player serves in doubles?
It’s a service court error (Law 12). It’s corrected when the shuttle is next out of play, the score stands, and the rally is not replayed.
Is badminton changing to 15-point games?
Yes. From January 4, 2027, the BWF Laws make a game 15 points: win by two from 14-all, capped at 21. Until then, games are to 21, capped at 30. Doubles serving rules don’t change. Local events may switch on their own timing, so check.