What Is a Fault in Badminton? Every Fault That Loses You the Rally
6 June 2026
A fault is any breach of the rules during play that ends the rally and gives the point to the other side — shuttle out, into the net, hit twice, carried, touching your body, or struck before it crosses to your side. Here's the complete list players actually argue about.
The faults nobody calls on club night — but should
Half the laws in this list are quietly ignored in friendly play, and it's worth knowing which, so you're not the person who suddenly "discovers" them mid-tournament. The carry — slinging a low shuttle off the strings instead of striking it cleanly — goes uncalled constantly because it's hard to spot and feels harsh to call on a mate. The double hit in doubles, where your partner brushes it a beat after you, is the same story. And the shuttle clipping your shirt as it sails past is a fault that almost nobody enforces socially but every umpire calls on instinct. None of this matters on a Tuesday; all of it matters the moment there's a line judge. Learn them now so they're not an ugly surprise in your first graded match.
Faults during the rally
- Out / not over: the shuttle lands outside the boundary, fails to cross the net, or passes under/through it.
- Double hit (double touch): the same side hits the shuttle twice — by one player or both partners in succession. One stroke only.
- Carrying / slinging: the shuttle is caught and held on the racket then thrown, rather than hit cleanly. A momentary contact is fine; a visible carry is a fault.
- Shuttle hits your body or clothing: if the shuttle touches you — even your shirt — that's a fault against you.
- Hitting it before it crosses: you may not reach over and strike the shuttle before it crosses to your side (your follow-through over the net after contact on your own side is allowed — see Net Rules). The same contact rules apply at the start of each rally; if you're unsure what a legal stroke looks like at the serve, the badminton service rules guide has it all.
- Touching the net with racket, body or clothing while the shuttle is in play.
- Distraction / obstruction: deliberately distracting an opponent (shouting, gestures) or obstructing a legal stroke is a fault.
Example
Your partner lifts, the shuttle clips your shoulder on the way up → fault, point to the opponents. Or you dig a low shuttle and it stays on the strings a beat too long and slings over → carrying fault.
FAQ
- Q: What counts as a fault in badminton? Anything illegal in play — out, into the net, double hit, carry, body contact, reaching over, touching the net, or distraction. For the full picture of how faults sit within the scoring and rally system, see the complete 2026 badminton rules guide.
- Q: Is a double hit a fault? Yes — your side may only hit the shuttle once before it goes back over.
- Q: What is carrying the shuttle? Holding/slinging it on the racket instead of a clean hit — a fault.
- Q: What if the shuttle hits my body? It's a fault against you, even off your clothing.
- Q: Is shouting to put off an opponent allowed? No — deliberate distraction is a fault.
- Q: Can I hit the shuttle on my opponent's side? No — not before it crosses; only your follow-through may pass over the net.
A fault in badminton is any illegal action that immediately ends the rally and hands the point to your opponent. This guide covers every fault that matters — shuttle out, into the net, double hit, carry, body contact, reaching over, touching the net, and distraction — including the ones quietly ignored in club play but called without hesitation in competition.