Basketball is one of the most requested amenities for parks, schools, and HOA common areas. Getting the court lines right matters. The right lines make a court play like a real venue. Get them wrong, and players are left guessing at boundaries. Line dimensions change by level of play. This guide covers standard court and line dimensions for NBA, NCAA, high school, and recreational play. It also covers the markings every court needs, and what to know before hiring a crew to stripe or restripe a court.
Standard Court Dimensions (NBA, NCAA, High School, Recreational)
Full-size basketball courts aren’t one-size-fits-all, and the right dimensions depend on who uses the court most. Standard sizes include:
- NBA and NCAA: 94 feet long by 50 feet wide
- High school (NFHS): 84 feet long by 50 feet wide
- Recreational and park courts: commonly built to NCAA or high school dimensions, or a half court at roughly 47 feet by 50 feet, depending on available space
Many municipal and HOA courts use high school dimensions or an adapted recreational layout, since a 94-by-50-foot NCAA or NBA court requires more space and site prep. For help matching a court size to your available space, our Game Courts page covers site planning basics. If your site is also weighing a multi-sport layout, our guide to pickleball court line layouts for backyard vs commercial facilities covers that sport’s dimensions separately.
Required Lines and Markings
Every regulation court needs a consistent set of markings to be playable and safe. At minimum, a properly striped court includes:
- Sidelines and end lines, minimum 2 inches wide
- A center line and center circle
- Free-throw lanes, also called the key, at each end
- Free-throw lines and circles
- Three-point lines
- Restricted-area arcs under each basket for NBA and NCAA men’s play
Leaving out or misplacing any of these lines doesn’t just look unfinished; it can create real disputes about what counts as a made basket or a lane violation, which is why we cover layout planning in more depth in our guide to designing safe and efficient game courts.
Free-Throw, Three-Point, and Restricted Area Lines
Line measurements vary by governing body, and getting them wrong is a common mistake in an under-scoped restriping job. Per the current NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Rules Book, the free-throw lane is 12 feet wide, the free-throw line sits 15 feet from the backboard, and the three-point arc measures 22 feet 1.75 inches from the basket center at the top, with the corner distance slightly shorter where the arc meets straight lines near the sidelines. NCAA men’s courts include a 4-foot restricted-area arc; NCAA women’s courts no longer use one.
The NFHS Basketball Rules Book uses the same 12-foot lane and 15-foot free-throw distance for high school courts, but a shorter three-point arc at 19 feet 9 inches from the basket center and no restricted-area arc. School facility managers often pair this rule set with our guide on how schools use pavement markings to improve safety and play spaces. The NBA, by comparison, uses a wider 16-foot lane and a three-point line running 23 feet 9 inches at the top and 22 feet in the corners, which is why NBA specs aren’t a good template for school or park projects.
Outdoor vs Indoor Striping Considerations
Outdoor courts face challenges an indoor gym floor never sees. UV exposure fades paint faster, freeze-thaw cycles stress the asphalt or concrete underneath the lines, and standing water can undermine adhesion if the base isn’t sealed and cured before striping. Outdoor projects typically call for acrylic sport-surface coatings and line paint designed for asphalt or concrete, rather than paint used on interior hardwood or general industrial surfaces.
Indoor gyms have their own considerations, mostly around traffic and multi-use scheduling. A gym floor that also hosts volleyball or graduation ceremonies needs lines that stay legible under heavy foot traffic and repeated cleaning.
Color Choices and Brand Customization
Most competitive courts stick to standard colors, typically black or another dark, contrasting color for boundary lines and the key, with the three-point line often set apart in a second color for visibility. Parks departments, schools, and HOAs have more flexibility to customize, working team colors, school branding, or a community’s color scheme into the layout without compromising line placement.
Custom colors work best when planned before striping begins, since layering brand colors around game lines takes more precise layout work than a single-color court.
When to Restripe a Painted Court
Faded or chipped lines aren’t just cosmetic. Once lines are hard to see, players lose the reference points that keep the game fair and safe, and liability concerns start to creep in for whoever manages the space. Courts in direct sun or high-traffic locations typically need restriping every 1 to 3 years, though both exposure and paint quality affect that timeline.
Get Your Court Striped Right
If your court’s lines have faded past a clean read from the sideline, Otto’s Parking Marking can assess the layout and stripe it to the correct NCAA, NFHS, or recreational specifications. Call 317.882.8933 or 800.888.7996, or request a quote online, to get your court back to a standard players can trust.