Badminton serving rules

The serve must be underarm

The shuttle must be struck below the server's hand, with the whole head of the racket pointing clearly downwards at the moment of contact. An overarm or sidearm serve is a fault.

Contact below 1.15 metres

Under the current fixed-height rule, the whole shuttle must be below 1.15 m from the court surface when the racket hits it. This replaced the older waist-height rule, so tall players no longer get an advantage.

Both feet stay still and on the ground

Both players, server and receiver, must have some part of both feet touching the court and stationary from the start of the serve until the shuttle is hit. Lifting a heel to step in early is a fault.

One continuous forward motion

Once the racket starts moving forward, the serve must continue in one smooth motion. A pause, a double swing, or a deliberate delay to unsettle the receiver is a fault.

Where to serve from and to

The serve always travels diagonally. Serve from the right court when your score is even, the left when it is odd. In singles the service box is narrow and long; in doubles it is wide and short, which is why doubles serves are almost always low serves to the front line.

Service faults you will actually see

• Racket head above the hand at contact — the classic "slingshot" flick serve fault.
• Serving before the receiver is ready.
• Touching or standing on a service court line while serving or receiving.
• The shuttle landing in the wrong service box, or short of the front service line.
• Missing the shuttle entirely on the serve — that is a fault, not a second attempt.