This section will inform you of all the rules and regulations governing the competitive game.
Rules of table tennis (Laws)
The rules in this page aim to give a basic indication of competitive table tennis in England.
This section is correct as of January 17, 2022
The aim of the game is simple; hit the ball over the net onto your opponent’s side. A point is won by you if your opponent is unable to return the ball to your side of the table (e.g. they miss the ball, they hit the ball but it misses your side of the table, or the ball hits the net), or if they hit the ball before it bounces on their side of the table.
Just starting out in table tennis? Click here to download a quick guide to the basic rules
The Laws of Table Tennis
Table Tennis England’s Articles provide that (unless otherwise decided by special resolution at a general meeting) the Laws of Table Tennis in England shall be those laid down by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). These can be downloaded below. A list of ITTF-approved equipment can be found by clicking here.
Regulations for Competitions
ITTF regulates international competitions. It publishes Regulations for International Competitions on its website as part of the ITTF Handbook.
Table Tennis England regulates national and local competitions. The Regulated Competitions regulations are attached below. (These used to be called the competitive table tennis regulations and this phrase may still be present in some older documents).
Regulated Competitions covers competitions authorised by Table Tennis England and affiliated organisations other than internal club competitions. It is based largely on the international regulations and incorporates many of them by reference. International regulations concerning the racket and the ball have been adopted as National By-Laws and are mandatory for all regulated competitions in England. Regulations vary according to the grade of competition. The organisers state the grade and any deviations from the standard on the entry form.
Attachments
Total Attachments: 23
Index of Articles and Regulations
Type:
pdf
Size:
182 KB
Laws 2021-22
Type:
pdf
Size:
107 KB
A) Regulated Competitions (formerly Competitive Table Tennis)
Type:
pdf
Size:
217 KB
AC) Anti-corruption regulations
Type:
pdf
Size:
283 KB
B) Tournaments
Type:
pdf
Size:
152 KB
C) County Administration
Type:
pdf
Size:
227 KB
D) Disciplinary Regulations
Type:
pdf
Size:
177 KB
E) Right of Appeal
Type:
pdf
Size:
152 KB
F) English Leagues Cup Competitions
Type:
pdf
Size:
80 KB
G) Grand Prix
Type:
pdf
Size:
88 KB
H) Coaching
Type:
pdf
Size:
71 KB
I) Election of Directors
Type:
pdf
Size:
111 KB
J) Affiliation & Registration
Type:
pdf
Size:
114 KB
K) County Championships
Type:
pdf
Size:
282 KB
LG) British League General Regulations
Type:
pdf
Size:
155 KB
LJ) British League Regulations - Junior League
Type:
pdf
Size:
71 KB
LS) British League Regulations - Senior League
Type:
pdf
Size:
124 KB
LV) Veterans' British League Regulations
Type:
pdf
Size:
102 KB
LW) Women's British League Regulations
Type:
pdf
Size:
104 KB
M) Good Standing
Type:
pdf
Size:
6 KB
P) Anti-Doping
Type:
pdf
Size:
11 KB
Q) Register of Business Interests
Type:
pdf
Size:
63 KB
R) General Meeting Regulations
Type:
pdf
Size:
292 KB
