Volleyball Court Dimensions & Marking Guide

Under FIVB international rules and NCAA/NFHS standards, an official volleyball court is a rectangle measuring 18.00 meters long by 9.00 meters wide (59′ 1″ × 29′ 6″), surrounded by a symmetrical free zone buffer.

FIVB Official Court Specifications

TOTAL LENGTH18.00 m (59′ 1″)
TOTAL WIDTH9.00 m (29′ 6″)
FULL DIAGONAL20.125 m (66′ 0″)
HALF-COURT DIAGONAL12.728 m (41′ 9″)
ATTACK LINE (3-METER)3.00 m from center line
MEN'S NET HEIGHT2.43 m (7′ 11⅝″)

FIVB Regulation Volleyball Court Setting-Out Blueprint (18m × 9m)

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FIVB regulation volleyball court diagram showing 18m length, 9m width, 3m attack lines, and 20.125m diagonal check
Figure 1: Official FIVB volleyball court blueprint. Includes both the 20.125m full diagonal and 12.728m half-court diagonal checks.

Step-by-Step Volleyball Court Striping Guide (With Diagrams)

18.00m × 9.00m COURT RECTANGLE 3.0m FREE ZONE BUFFER ON ALL SIDES • 7.0m CEILING CLEARANCE

Step 1 — Clear Zone & Overhead Clearance (24m × 15m)

While the playing boundary is 18.00m × 9.00m, FIVB rules mandate a minimum 3.0m free zone on all sides (total 24m × 15m) and 7.0m unobstructed vertical clearance.

Free Zone: 24.0m × 15.0m Side Buffer: 3.0m Ceiling Height: 7.0m min
CORNER 1 (0m) CORNER 2 (9m) BASELINE 1 = 9.00m

Step 2 — Establish Baseline 1 (Corners 1 & 2 = 9.00m)

Drive Corner 1 stake, measure along the baseline exactly 9.00 meters (29′ 6″), and drive Corner 2 stake. Snap a chalk baseline between both corners.

Baseline Width: 9.00m (29′ 6″) Line Width: 5.0 cm (2 in)
NET POST 1 (90°) 9.00m SIDELINE 12.728m HALF-DIAG

Step 3 — The Half-Court Square Lock (12.728m Diagonal)

Pull Tape 1 (9.00m) down the sideline from Corner 1, and Tape 2 (12.728m diagonal) from Corner 2. Mark the Sideline Midpoint / Net line datum at a true 90.00° angle.

Half-Court Box: 9.00m × 9.00m Half-Diagonal: 12.728m (41′ 9″) Formula: √(9² + 9²) = 12.728m
BOTH DIAGS = 20.125m

Step 4 — Complete 18.00m Rectangle & 20.125m Diagonal Check

Extend sidelines to 18.00m total length. Cross-check both full diagonals: Corner 1 to 3 and Corner 2 to 4 must both equal 20.125 meters (66′ 0″) within 5mm.

Full Court: 18.00m × 9.00m Full Diagonal: 20.125m (66′ 0″)
POST (1.0m OUTSIDE) POST (1.0m OUTSIDE)

Step 5 — Center Line & Net Post Anchors (1.0m Outside)

Snap the center line across the court at the 9.00m mark. Position net posts 0.50m to 1.00m outside each sideline. Set net height at center: 2.43m for Men / 2.24m for Women.

Men's Net: 2.43m (7′ 11⅝″) Women's Net: 2.24m (7′ 4⅛″) Post Offset: 1.0m outside
3m ATTACK 3m ATTACK BACK (6m) BACK (6m)

Step 6 — Tape 3-Meter Attack Lines & Boundary Lines

Measure 3.00 meters back from the center line on both sides to mark the attack lines. The line width (5cm) is included inside the 3m front zone.

Attack Line: 3.00m from center Front Zone: 3.00m Back Zone: 6.00m

FIVB VOLLEYBALL COURT (18m × 9m) — FIELD CREW JOB SHEET

Standard: FIVB Official Rules | Envelope: 24m × 15m | Date: __________________

Survey Parameter Exact Setting Measurement Physical Field Instructions
Court Boundaries 18.00m × 9.00m (59′ 1″ × 29′ 6″) Outer edge to outer edge.
Full Diagonal Check 20.125m (66′ 0″) Corner-to-corner diagonal across 18m × 9m box.
Half-Court Diagonal 12.728m (41′ 9″) Diagonal across 9m × 9m team court.
Attack Line Offset 3.00m from center line Attack line width (5cm) is inside the 3m front zone.

Field Toolkit Checklist

☐ 2× 30m Steel Tapes    ☐ Net Post Ground Sleeves    ☐ Antenna Bands (1.80m)    ☐ 5cm Court Tape

FIVB Official Net Heights by Age & Category

Net height is measured at the center of the court with a measuring rod. The two ends of the net (over the sidelines) must be at exactly the same height and must not exceed the regulation height by more than 2cm:

Competition Tier Metric Height Imperial Height Sanctioning Body
Men / Senior Boys 2.43 m 7′ 11⅝″ FIVB / NCAA / NFHS High School
Women / Senior Girls 2.24 m 7′ 4⅛″ FIVB / NCAA / NFHS High School
Boys U14 / Youth 2.24 m 7′ 4⅛″ Junior USAV / Club
Girls U14 / Youth 2.15 m 7′ 0⅝″ Junior USAV / Club
Sitting Volleyball (Men) 1.15 m 3′ 9¼″ World ParaVolley / Paralympic
Sitting Volleyball (Women) 1.05 m 3′ 5⅜″ World ParaVolley / Paralympic

Indoor vs. Beach Sand Volleyball Sizing Differences

Feature Indoor Volleyball (6v6) Beach Sand Volleyball (2v2)
Playing Dimensions 18.00m × 9.00m (59′ 1″ × 29′ 6″) 16.00m × 8.00m (52′ 6″ × 26′ 3″)
Full Squaring Diagonal 20.125m (66′ 0″) 17.889m (58′ 8¼″)
Attack Line (3-Meter Line) Present (3.00m from center line) None (attack permitted anywhere on sand)
Boundary Line Type 5cm (2″) painted line / vinyl tape 5cm (2″) heavy-duty ribbon with corner bungees
Sand Depth Standard N/A (Wood / Synthetic resilient floor) Minimum 40cm (15.7″) washed masonry sand

Antenna Alignment, Attack Extensions & Free Zones

  • Antenna Specifications: Antennas must be 1.80m in length, 10mm in diameter, made of fiberglass. They are fastened to the outer edge of each sideline band directly above the sideline; the top 80cm extends above the net with 10cm red-and-white stripes.
  • Attack Line Extensions: For FIVB and collegiate competition, attack lines are extended beyond the sidelines with five 15cm long by 5cm wide broken lines spaced 20cm apart, extending 1.75m outside each sideline.
  • Free Zone & Ceiling Clearances: Standard domestic venues require a 3.0m free zone on all sides. FIVB World Competitions mandate a 5.0m side free zone, 6.5m endline free zone, and 12.5m vertical height clearance.

Other Sports Ground Layout Guides:

Check our Pickleball Court Dimensions, view the Tennis Court Guide, or explore all layouts in the Master Court Directory.