Faults and lets explained

These are faults

• The shuttle lands outside the court, or fails to cross the net.
• The shuttle passes through or under the net.
• You, your racket or your clothing touch the net or posts while the shuttle is in play.
• You hit the shuttle twice in a row, or you and your partner both hit it.
• The shuttle rests on the racket and is slung or carried rather than struck cleanly.
• You reach over the net to hit the shuttle before it has crossed. Following through over the net after a clean contact on your own side is legal.
• You deliberately distract an opponent, by shouting or gesturing.
• The shuttle touches you, or anything you are wearing, before it lands.

These are lets — the rally is replayed

• The server serves before the receiver is ready, and the receiver does not attempt a return.
• The shuttle breaks apart during the rally, base separating from the feathers.
• A shuttle from another court, or any outside interference, disrupts play.
• Both server and receiver commit a fault at the same time.
• The shuttle gets caught on top of the net after crossing it, or lodges in the net during the serve.

The net cord serve is not a let

Under modern rules, a serve that clips the net cord and still lands in the correct service court is live. Play it. There is no replay in badminton for a lucky net serve, unlike older versions of the rules some players still remember.

Ceiling and roof rules vary

Official rules treat a shuttle hitting the ceiling or a fixture as a fault against the player who hit it. Many halls with low roofs run a local rule making the first contact a let. Agree the house rule before the match, not during it.

Line calls

A shuttle landing on the line is in. Without umpires, the side the shuttle lands on makes the call, and if either player is genuinely unsure the rally is replayed as a let.