Covered padel court: canopies and roofs
The LTA recommends covering padel courts for year-round play. What a canopy needs in the UK: the clear height over the court, the types of structure, what the LTA says it costs, the drainage, and planning and Building Regulations.
How high a covered padel court needs to be
The height is measured to the lowest thing over the court, a truss, a light or a gutter, not to the top of the roof. The references:
| Source | Clear height |
|---|---|
| FIP rules | At least 6 m (19 ft 8 in) clear throughout the court, with nothing such as lights in that space; 8 m (26 ft 3 in) suggested for new facilities. |
| Roof spanning end to end | LTA guidance note: at least 6 m clear at the ends of the courts and at least 8 m above the net line. |
| Roof spanning side to side (modular) | LTA guidance note: at least 6 m at the sides and 8 m clear at the highest point of the ridge, above the centre of the net. |
| Typical modular canopy | SAPCA code: 6 m eaves across an 11 m span, about 8 m along the centre line of the court, falling to just over 6 m along the enclosure. |
| Elite competition | LTA guidance note: at least 8 m over the net line. |
Sources: International Padel Federation (FIP), Rules of Padel, review in force from 1 January 2026, Dimensions; LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note (2025), Covered facilities and Tournament facilities; SAPCA, The SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts (September 2025), clause 4.1.1. Every court measurement: padel court dimensions.
Padel court canopy: modular or clear span
Canopies and covered structures cover courts at a lower cost than a traditional building or an air hall. They are steel, aluminium or timber frames with a single or double skin membrane, or a polycarbonate or metal sheet roof, either open-sided (a canopy) or with walls (fully enclosed). SAPCA describes two main types:
- Modular. Each court covered on its own; with several courts, columns sit between them. The short span keeps the cost down and fits tight sites. The LTA notes it is often the affordable option for one court, but its interim columns need a larger footprint.
- Clear span. One structure over a block of courts, as over tennis courts, with the highest point above the net line. Often the more suitable option for more than one court.
Either way, the legs sit outside the court enclosure and the lights can be fixed to the structure. The columns must not get in the way of play, the out-of-court area or the 1.2 m sports wheelchair access, and their foundations must avoid the court’s ring beam. If the structure is, or may later be, fully enclosed, SAPCA asks for at least 1.2 m of clear corridor between courts for Part M, plus room for escape routes.
Sources: SAPCA, The SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts, clauses 4.1 to 4.5; LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note, Covered facilities.
Covered padel court cost
The LTA publishes two canopy tables, and they do not match. Both are below as published. The web page:
| Courts | Foundation and drainage | Canopy | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £25,000 | £50,000 | £75,000 |
| 2 | £40,000 | £95,000 | £135,000 |
| 3 | £50,000 | £130,000 | £180,000 |
| 4 | £60,000 | £160,000 | £220,000 |
Source: LTA Padel, padel construction (2025).
The 2025 guidance note, for a canopy including a 3 m rain screen:
| Courts | Canopy foundation and drainage | Canopy with 3 m rain screen | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £20,000 | £75,000 | £95,000 |
| 2 | £30,000 | £140,000 | £170,000 |
| 3 | £43,000 | £205,000 | £248,000 |
| 4 | £56,000 | £260,000 | £316,000 |
Source: LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note (2025), Covered facilities. The LTA says these are a guide only: location and site conditions determine the final cost. They are on top of the courts themselves: see padel court cost in the UK.
Drainage under a roof
A canopy collects the rain over the court and drops it at its edges. The LTA asks for a structural engineer to design the drainage, and warns that in some areas the water from canopies may not be discharged into drains or soakaways, so attenuation is needed. SAPCA suggests integrating the roof and court drainage; courts permanently covered with side protection against driven rain (not open-sided canopies) may be built on a non-porous sub-base.
Sources: LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note, example canopy specification; SAPCA, The SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts, clause 2.6.
Planning permission and Building Regulations for a padel canopy
- Planning. The LTA guidance note and the SAPCA code both say planning approval will be required for an indoor structure or canopy in line with UK planning law.
- Building control. Required for fully enclosed indoor structures and possibly for canopies, to sign off the structure and its foundations. If the sides and ends are fixed to the ground, SAPCA says the structure is deemed a building and must comply with the Building Regulations; with fitted sides it needs escape routes and emergency lighting.
- Structure. Designed by a UK structural engineer with professional indemnity insurance, for the site’s wind and snow loads and ground conditions; site-specific, not generic. Steel hot-dip galvanised to BS EN ISO 1461.
- At home. In England, garden enclosures under Class E permitted development stop at 3 m (2.5 m within 2 m of the boundary); a canopy at 6 m or more needs a planning application. See padel court at home.
On use classes, Green Belt and conservation areas for clubs: padel court planning permission.
Sources: LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note, Covered facilities; SAPCA, The SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts, clauses 1.1.1, 4.1.3, 4.2, 4.4 and 4.5; GPDO 2015, Schedule 2, Part 1, Class E. General guidance, not legal advice.
How long a canopy lasts
The LTA asks for roof and wall membranes with a design life of at least 15 years and a frame of 20 years. SAPCA recommends a structural warranty of at least 15 years, and reports warranties of 10 to 25 years on the UK market. It also asks for annual inspections of the anchor points, the roof and the gutters, and more often near trees. Glass under a canopy stays at 12 mm, as outdoors: see padel court glass.
Or a building
Indoors, the question is the same clear height, under the trusses of an existing building. A 15,000 sq ft warehouse (29.5 × 47.0 m, 8 m clear) fits 4 courts with the LTA clearances: see courts in a 15,000 sq ft warehouse and how many padel courts fit, by building size.
Frequently asked questions
How high does a covered padel court need to be?
At least 6 m (19 ft 8 in) clear over the whole court under the FIP rules, 8 m suggested for new facilities. For canopies, the LTA asks for at least 6 m at the ends or sides of the court and 8 m above the net line; elite competition needs 8 m over the net line.
How much does it cost to cover a padel court?
The LTA’s web page puts a canopy over one court at £75,000 with its foundation and drainage, and over four at £220,000. Its 2025 guidance note gives a higher table, for a canopy with a 3 m rain screen: £95,000 for one court to £316,000 for four. Location and site conditions set the final cost.
Do you need planning permission for a padel court canopy?
Yes. The LTA guidance note and the SAPCA code both say planning approval will be required for an indoor structure or canopy under UK planning law. At home in England, a canopy at 6 m or more is far above the 3 m limit for garden enclosures under Class E permitted development.
Does a padel canopy need Building Regulations approval?
Building control will be required for fully enclosed indoor structures and may also be required for canopies (LTA, SAPCA). SAPCA adds that if the sides and ends are fixed to the ground, the structure is deemed a building and must comply with the Building Regulations.
Modular or clear span: which canopy is better?
For one court, or courts placed end on end, a modular canopy is often the affordable option, but its interim columns need a larger footprint. For several courts side by side, a clear-span structure covering the block, with its highest point above the net line, can be more suitable (LTA, SAPCA).
How long does a padel court canopy last?
The LTA asks for roof and wall membranes with a design life of at least 15 years and a frame of 20 years. SAPCA recommends a structural warranty of at least 15 years; warranties on the UK market range from 10 to 25 years.
What glass does a covered padel court need?
12 mm toughened glass, as for outdoor courts: SAPCA treats courts under a canopy like outdoor courts. 10 mm can be considered only for courts inside a building.
Read on: padel court quotes · padel court at home · single padel court · panoramic padel court · padel court glass · padel court turf · padel court lighting
Check the height before you buy the roof.
Enter the clear height of your building or canopy: the planner checks 6 m over every court and lays them out. Free with no sign-up; leave with a dimensioned plan and a 3D view.