An indoor volleyball court is 18 m long and 9 m wide, or 59 ft 0.7 in by 29 ft 6.3 in. The net stands vertically over the centre line, its top set at 2.43 m (7 ft 11.7 in) for men and 2.24 m (7 ft 4.2 in) for women, measured at the centre of the playing court. A free zone of at least 3 m (9 ft 10.1 in) surrounds the court on all four sides. Every figure here comes from the FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2025-2028, written in metres; imperial figures are conversions.
Court diagram
Full volleyball court dimensions
| Measurement | Figure | Applies to | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playing court length | 18 m / 59 ft 0.7 in | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Playing court width | 9 m / 29 ft 6.3 in | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Width of all court lines | 5 cm / 1.97 in | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Attack line, centre line axis to rear edge | 3 m / 9 ft 10.1 in | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Net height, men | 2.43 m / 7 ft 11.7 in | Men | Official rule |
| Net height, women | 2.24 m / 7 ft 4.2 in | Women | Official rule |
| Permitted net height deviation over the side lines | 2 cm / 0.79 in | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Net size (depth x length) | 1 m (±3 cm) deep x 9.50-10 m long / 3 ft 3.4 in deep x 31 ft 2 in – 32 ft 9.7 in long | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Antenna length and height above the net | 1.80 m long, top 80 cm above the net / 5 ft 10.9 in long, top 2 ft 7.5 in above the net | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Posts, distance outside the side lines | 0.50-1.00 m (1 m for FIVB competitions) / 1 ft 7.7 in – 3 ft 3.4 in (3 ft 3.4 in for FIVB) | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Post height | 2.55 m / 8 ft 4.4 in | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Free zone, general minimum | 3 m / 9 ft 10.1 in | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Free zone, FIVB World and Official Competitions | 5 m from the side lines, 6.5 m from the end lines / 16 ft 4.9 in from the side lines, 21 ft 3.9 in from the end lines | All indoor play | Official rule |
| Free playing space (clear height above the court) | 7 m minimum (12.5 m for FIVB competitions) / 22 ft 11.6 in (41 ft 0.1 in for FIVB) | All indoor play | Official rule |
What each line and marking does
All lines are 5 cm wide. Rule 1.3.1 requires a light colour, different from the floor and from any other line on it; at FIVB, World and Official Competitions they must be white.
Rule 1.3.2 draws the side lines and end lines inside the 18 x 9 m rectangle, so the paint is part of the court and its outer edge is the boundary. A ball touching a line is in.
The centre line runs under the net and splits the court into two courts of 9 x 9 m. Rule 1.3.3 gives the full width of that line to both courts equally.
Each attack line separates the front zone from the back zone. Rule 1.3.4 words the measurement precisely: the rear edge of the line is drawn 3 m back from the axis of the centre line. It runs to the far edge of the paint, so a court marked to the near edge is 5 cm out. At FIVB, World and Official Competitions the line is extended past each side line by five dashes of 15 cm, 5 cm wide and 20 cm apart, over a total of 1.75 m.
Rule 1.2.3 permits a drainage slope of 5 mm per metre outdoors only; an indoor surface must be flat, horizontal and uniform.
The net, posts and antennae
Rule 2.1.1 sets the top of the net at 2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women. Rule 2.1.2 says where that height is taken: at the centre of the playing court. The same rule adds that the height over the two side lines must be exactly the same and must not exceed the official height by more than 2 cm. That 2 cm is a tolerance on rigging and sag, not a second legal net height, and the rule caps only upward deviation.
The net is 1 m deep, with a tolerance of 3 cm, and 9.50 to 10 m long, leaving 25 to 50 cm beyond each side band. It is 10 cm square black mesh, with a white canvas band 7 cm wide along the top and a 5 cm band at the bottom. Two vertical side bands, each 5 cm wide and 1 m long, sit directly above the side lines under Rule 2.3.
Rule 2.4 fastens an antenna at the outer edge of each side band: a flexible rod 1.80 m long and 10 mm in diameter, with the top 80 cm standing above the net in 10 cm stripes of contrasting colour. The antennae are part of the net and laterally delimit the crossing space: a ball passing outside one has not crossed legally.
The posts are 2.55 m high and preferably adjustable, rounded, smooth, and fixed to the ground without wires. Rule 2.5.1 places them 0.50 m to 1.00 m outside the side lines; Rule 2.5.2 fixes that at 1 m for FIVB, World and Official Competitions and requires padding.
Clearance and total space
The space around the court is written into the rules. Rule 1.1 requires a free zone at least 3 m wide on all sides, making the total playing area 24 x 15 m at minimum, the figure printed on Diagram 1b of the rulebook.
For FIVB, World and Official Competitions the free zone is larger and deliberately not uniform: 5 m from the side lines and 6.5 m from the end lines, for a total playing area of 31 x 19 m, also printed on Diagram 1b. Applying 5 m evenly on all four sides is a common error; the end lines need 6.5 m.
Height is governed too. Rule 1.1 defines the free playing space as the space above the playing area free from any obstruction, and sets it at a minimum of 7 m from the playing surface, rising to 12.5 m for FIVB, World and Official Competitions. Because the rule covers the playing area, that clear height applies over the free zone as well as the court.
Men’s and women’s courts compared
Rule 1 makes no distinction by gender: the court, the lines, the free zone and the clearance are identical. One figure changes.
| Measurement | Men | Women | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net height at the centre of the court | 2.43 m / 7 ft 11.7 in | 2.24 m / 7 ft 4.2 in | Official rule |
The 2 cm tolerance applies to both, and post height is 2.55 m either way, so one set of posts serves both settings.
Overhead plan
The same surface seen from straight above, drawn to scale. Nothing is foreshortened here, so every figure can be read off the drawing the way a tape measure would take it.
Detail sheet
A rule book fixes more than the shape of the surface, and the rest of it is too small to draw at court scale: a mark a few centimetres long, a post standing a metre off the sideline, the clearance around the whole thing. Each one here has its own frame and its own scale.
Frequently asked questions
What are the official dimensions of a volleyball court?
Rule 1.1 makes the playing court a rectangle of 18 x 9 m, which is 59 ft 0.7 in by 29 ft 6.3 in. The boundary lines are drawn inside it, so the court measures 18 x 9 m to the outside of the paint.
How high is a volleyball net?
The top of the net is set at 2.43 m (7 ft 11.7 in) for men and 2.24 m (7 ft 4.2 in) for women. Rule 2.1.2 takes that measurement at the centre of the playing court. Over the side lines the two readings must match each other and may not sit more than 2 cm above the official height.
How far is the attack line from the centre line?
Rule 1.3.4 draws the rear edge of the attack line 3 m (9 ft 10.1 in) back from the axis of the centre line. Since the net stands vertically over that line, 3 m is also the depth of the front zone on each side.
How much space do you need around a volleyball court?
A free zone of at least 3 m (9 ft 10.1 in) is required on all four sides, giving a minimum total playing area of 24 x 15 m. FIVB, World and Official Competitions need more, and unevenly: 5 m from the side lines, 6.5 m from the end lines, for a total of 31 x 19 m.
What ceiling height does a volleyball court need?
Rule 1.1 requires a minimum of 7 m (22 ft 11.6 in) of free playing space measured from the playing surface and clear of any obstruction. FIVB, World and Official Competitions require 12.5 m (41 ft 0.1 in). Beams, lighting rigs and folded backboards count as obstructions.
Official sources
- Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), Official Volleyball Rules 2025-2028 (English, v05), Rule 1 Playing Area, Rule 2 Net and Posts, and Diagrams 1b, 2 and 3. 2025-2028 edition, approved by the 39th FIVB World Congress 2024, in force in all competitions beginning after 1 January 2025. Rulebook PDF. Consulted 5 September 2026.
- Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), Official Volleyball Rules document library, used only to confirm that the 2025-2028 edition is the one FIVB currently publishes. FIVB rules library. Consulted 5 September 2026.
How we label and verify figures is set out in our methodology; report an error on the corrections page. Related guides: badminton, tennis and basketball.