Dartboard height and distance.
The official measurements for hanging a dartboard and marking the throw line, so your practice at home matches a real match. Steel tip and soft tip use slightly different distances, both covered below.
Dartboard height
The dartboard hangs so the centre of the bullseye is 1.73m (5ft 8in) from the floor. This is the same for steel tip and soft tip play, and it's the one measurement that never changes between rulesets.
Quick way to check it without a tape measure at the board: 1.73m is roughly chest height on an average adult. If you're setting up at home, measure up from the floor to the exact centre of the bull, not the top or bottom of the board.
Throw distance (the oche)
| Format | Distance from board face |
|---|---|
| Steel tip | 2.37m (7ft 9.25in) |
| Soft tip / electronic | 2.44m (8ft) |
The oche (pronounced "ockey") is the throw line, measured horizontally from the face of the board, not the wall behind it. Soft tip boards use a slightly longer distance, so don't assume your local pub's electronic board and a steel tip board at home use the same markings.
The diagonal check
If you can't get a clean horizontal measurement because of furniture or an alcove, measure diagonally instead: floor, directly below the bullseye, to the oche line is 2.93m (9ft 7.5in) for steel tip. This confirms both the height and distance are correct in one measurement, and it's how a lot of leagues actually check a board before a match.
Board's set up, now put it to use. Score a game in the browser for free, or track your real averages and checkouts by linking DartCounter.
Common questions
How high should a dartboard be?
1.73m (5ft 8in) from the floor to the centre of the bullseye, for both steel tip and soft tip.
How far do you stand from a dartboard?
2.37m (7ft 9.25in) for steel tip, 2.44m (8ft) for soft tip, measured from the face of the board to the front of the oche line.
Does the throw distance change for junior or wheelchair players?
Some leagues and organisations use shortened distances for junior competitions, and wheelchair players are typically permitted to throw from a shorter oche depending on the classification. Check your specific league's rules if this applies to you, the measurements above are the standard adult regulation setup.
What size is a standard dartboard?
451mm (17.75in) in diameter for a bristle steel tip board, the standard used in professional darts. Electronic soft tip boards are sometimes very slightly different. See the darts stats guide for more on scoring and averages once your board is set up.