Official Table Tennis Net Specifications, Explained (ITTF 2.02)
The official table tennis net specifications in the ITTF Laws fix three things: how high the top of the net sits, where the supporting posts stand, and how close the bottom of the net must be to the table.
This page sets out the height, post and bottom-edge rules from the ITTF Statutes 2026, then the mesh, tape and post-colour criteria from the ITTF’s Technical Leaflet T2 for approved nets, and says which source each figure comes from.
Short answer: The top of the net must be 15.25cm above the playing surface along its whole length (ITTF Law 2.2.3, Statutes 2026). The net hangs from a cord on two upright posts that are 15.25cm high, with the outside limit of each post 15.25cm outside the side line (Law 2.2.2). That puts the outer edges of the posts 183cm apart, calculated as the 152.5cm table width plus 2 x 15.25cm. The bottom of the net must be as close as possible to the playing surface (Law 2.2.4).
Table of Contents
Height: 15.25cm, Measured Precisely
The top of the net, along its whole length, must be 15.25cm (about 6 inches) above the playing surface (ITTF Law 2.2.3, 2026 Statutes). The Law gives no tolerance figure. The ITTF’s Technical Leaflet T2 (The Net Assembly, 2015 version) says the height is checked in the middle of the table and about 30cm from the upright posts, preferably with a light net gauge that hangs freely so that its bottom just touches the tabletop. T2 also says to set the cord tension first and then the height, because tightening a low tension normally raises the net, and it describes the height adjustment as normally a screw under the upright post.
Posts and Width: 183cm Between the Outer Edges of the Posts
The Laws do not print a single width figure. They say the net hangs from a cord attached at each end to an upright post 15.25cm high, with the outside limit of each post 15.25cm outside the side line (Law 2.2.2). The playing surface is 1.525m wide (Law 2.1.1), so the distance between the outer edges of the two posts is 152.5cm + 15.25cm + 15.25cm = 183cm, about 6 feet. That 183cm is our arithmetic from Laws 2.1.1 and 2.2.2, not a number quoted in the Statutes. Law 2.2.4 also requires the ends of the net to be attached to the supporting posts from top to bottom.
Bottom Edge: as Close to the Table as Possible
Law 2.2.4 requires the bottom of the net, along its whole length, to be as close as possible to the playing surface, with the ends of the net attached to the supporting posts from top to bottom. The Law gives no millimetre figure for the gap. T2 adds, for approved nets, that the bottom should be very close to the playing surface, preferably almost in contact with it, but that the fabric should not be so loose that a ball can easily pass under it between the net and the table.
What the Approval Leaflet Allows for Height Adjustment
The Law states 15.25cm without a tolerance. T2, which sets the criteria a manufacturer’s net assembly must meet to receive ITTF approval, requires the post’s adjustment device to cover any height between 152.5mm plus 4.5mm and 152.5mm minus 4.5mm, so that a correctly clamped assembly can be brought to exactly 152.5mm. T2 also gives the upright post height as 152.5mm with a tolerance of 3mm.
⚠️ Watch out: A net can look level and still be off the correct height. Check it with a net gauge or a ruler rather than by eye, in the middle of the table and about 30cm from each post, as T2 describes.
How to Check Your Own Net at Home
For a home or club table, the method T2 describes for approved nets is a good model: check the height in the middle of the table and about 30cm from each post, using a light net gauge that hangs freely so that its bottom just touches the tabletop. A ruler held upright on the tabletop is the same idea, and the top of the net should read 15.25cm. If the height is off, T2 says to set the cord tension first, with the cord tighter than the mesh, and then adjust the height, which on most posts is a screw under the upright. Net sets that are not ITTF-approved may adjust differently, so follow the maker’s instructions.
💡 Pro tip: Re-check the height after you change the cord tension. T2 notes that adjusting tension normally changes the height, and that after lowering the height the tension may need checking again.
Where the Posts Stand
Law 2.2.2 puts the outside limit of each post 15.25cm outside the side line. For approved net assemblies, T2 gives the outside limit of the upright post as 152.5mm plus or minus 2mm from the side of the tabletop. A post set flush with the table edge would not match either figure.
- ✓Measure net height with a gauge or ruler, not by eye
- ✓Re-check net height after changing the cord tension
- ✓Confirm the outside limit of each post is 15.25cm outside the side line
- ✓Adjust the height until the top of the net reads 15.25cm
- ✕Assume a visually normal-looking net is automatically within spec
- ✕Set the posts flush with the table edge instead of 15.25cm outside the side line
- ✕Ignore a net that sags below 15.25cm anywhere along its length
- ✕Adjust the height before the cord tension (T2 says tension first, then height)
Net Height Alongside the Other Equipment Figures
The same chapter of the Laws sets out the other equipment figures. The playing surface is 76cm above the floor and should give a bounce of about 23cm when a standard ball is dropped on to it from 30cm (Laws 2.1.1 and 2.1.3). The ball is 40mm in diameter and weighs 2.7g (Laws 2.3.1 and 2.3.2). The Laws do not say these figures were set relative to one another, so treat each as its own requirement.
The Short Version, Restated
The top of the net is 15.25cm above the playing surface along its whole length, the posts are 15.25cm high with their outside limits 15.25cm outside the side line (183cm between the outer edges of the posts), and the bottom of the net is as close as possible to the table. The Laws state the height and post figures exactly. The bottom-edge rule has no figure.
If you have never measured your own net, it is worth checking it once against the 15.25cm figure.
Net Material, Mesh Size, and Post Color: the Specs Beyond Height and Width
Height, post position and bottom clearance come from the Laws. The mesh, tape and post-colour details below do not. They are criteria in the ITTF’s Technical Leaflet T2, which a manufacturer’s net assembly must meet to receive ITTF approval.
T2 says the net must be of soft, dark mesh, and that the mesh and tape must be soft (not stiffened by a resin coating or by metallic or composite threads). It adds that this requirement implies spun fibre rather than single filament, and that the knots should be firm and regular. The mesh must be not less than 7.5mm square and not more than 12.5mm square.
T2 requires both a cord and a tape or binding along the top. The tape must be white or pale yellow and no more than 15mm high. T2 also says the tension in the suspending cord must be higher than the tension in the mesh, so that the mesh hangs from the cord.
📊 Note: T2 says the upright post must be a single colour, neither white nor yellow, with a matt surface.
T2 also says an approved net carries the ITTF logo and the manufacturer’s code number, on a tag sewn to the side binding or the top tape.
Common Questions
What is the official height of a table tennis net?
15.25cm (about 6 inches) above the playing surface along the whole length of the net, per ITTF Law 2.2.3 in the 2026 Statutes.
How wide is an official table tennis net assembly?
The Laws give no single width. The posts are 15.25cm high and their outside limits are 15.25cm outside each side line (Law 2.2.2), so the outer edges of the posts are 183cm apart, about 6 feet (152.5cm + 2 x 15.25cm).
Does the Law give a tolerance for net height?
Law 2.2.3 states 15.25cm and gives no tolerance. The ITTF’s T2 leaflet requires the height adjuster on an approved post to cover 152.5mm plus or minus 4.5mm, so a net can be set to exactly 152.5mm.
How do I check if my net is the correct height?
Measure from the playing surface to the top of the net in the middle of the table and about 30cm from each post, preferably with a light net gauge that hangs freely (ITTF T2). If it is off, set the cord tension first and then adjust the height.
Does the net need to extend past the edges of the table?
The posts do. Law 2.2.2 puts the outside limit of each post 15.25cm outside the side line, and the net is suspended by a cord attached to the posts.
What does a net need besides the right height?
For ITTF approval, T2 requires soft dark mesh with squares of 7.5mm to 12.5mm, a white or pale yellow top tape no more than 15mm high, and upright posts in a single matt colour that is neither white nor yellow.
Is the 183cm width written in the Laws?
No. The Laws give the post height and position (Law 2.2.2). The 183cm figure is the 152.5cm table width plus 15.25cm on each side.
Where are the Laws on the net?
In chapter 2 of the ITTF Statutes 2026, Law 2.2, The Net Assembly.
The Short Version
The top of the net is 15.25cm above the playing surface, the posts stand 15.25cm high with their outside limits 15.25cm outside the side line, and the bottom of the net sits as close to the table as possible.
- →Net height: 15.25cm (6 inches) above the playing surface.
- →Between the outer edges of the posts: 183cm (calculated from Laws 2.1.1 and 2.2.2).
- →Bottom edge must sit as close to the table as possible.
- →Mesh squares of 7.5mm to 12.5mm and a top tape of 15mm or less are T2 approval criteria, not Laws.
- →Check height with a gauge or ruler, not by eye.
- →Set the cord tension first, then the height (ITTF T2).
Ping Pong Reviewed is an equipment review site covering table tennis and baseball gear. Specifications are checked against manufacturer listings, and prices against live retail pages, before publication.
