Regulation Cornhole Board Dimensions: Official Size Guide

Length and width set the size of the playing surface: 48 inches long by 24 inches wide. The hole covers both its 6-inch diameter and its placement on the board. Height defines how far off the ground the front and back edges sit, which in turn sets the board's angle — the forward tilt created by that height difference. Playing surface requirements cover flatness and finish, while construction covers the frame, legs, and materials that hold everything together.

A board only counts as regulation once every one of those categories matches the spec — meeting most of them isn't the same as meeting all of them.

48 inches nose to tail, taken from the foul-line edge to the back edge. Inspection works to a tolerance rather than an exact figure: 47.5 inches and up passes, and anything under it fails however well the board plays.

24 inches across the playing surface, with the same style of tolerance underneath it — about 23.5 inches is the usual floor. Width is where home builds drift most often, because a plywood sheet divides more conveniently into strips a little narrower than 24 inches.

In feet, a regulation board measures 4 ft by 2 ft. That's the same 48-by-24-inch board — just expressed in the unit that's easier to picture when you're planning yard space or a build.

Measured center to center, the target sits 9 inches down from the back edge and equidistant from both sides — 12 inches in from each edge on a board of the correct width. A hole cut to the right diameter but set off-center still fails: it hands one line of approach an advantage the opposite end never gets, which is exactly what the spec exists to prevent.

For the full breakdown of hole measurements and cutting instructions, see the cornhole hole size guide.

Two figures are checked, not one: 3 to 4 inches at the foul-line end, and 12 inches at the hole end. Neither is an average to land near — a board reading 12 inches at one rear leg and 11 at the other is out of spec even though the two numbers average correctly, because the surface is twisted rather than tilted.

For a full breakdown of how front and rear height are measured and set, see the cornhole board height guide.

Based on the regulation 3-to-4-inch front height and 12-inch rear height across a 48-inch board length, the resulting incline works out to approximately 10 degrees. That figure is a calculated value, not a separately measured spec — the height requirements are what a board is actually inspected against, and the angle follows from them automatically once the heights are correct.

See the cornhole board angle guide for the full calculation and how to measure it on a built board.

Beyond the core measurements, a regulation board is expected to be built to hold those measurements under normal play. The playing surface sits on a frame — typically dimensional lumber — that keeps the board square and stops it from flexing or racking at the corners when bags land. Folding or fixed rear legs hold the back of the board at its regulation height, and a front foot or edge supports the low end at its own regulation height.

Construction requirements exist to protect the numbers above: a board can measure correctly when new and still drift out of spec if the frame is unstable or the legs don't lock securely. Acceptable materials are typically plywood or similarly rigid sheet material for the surface, paired with a solid-lumber frame — lightweight or flexible substitutes can leave a board technically the right size while failing to hold its shape in play.

The playing surface has to be flat and smooth, with no warping, gaps, or raised seams that would change how a bag slides once it lands. A consistent, sanded finish — usually paint or laminate over plywood — keeps bags behaving the same way across every throw, rather than catching or skidding unpredictably at different spots on the board.

Surface quality matters in competition because it directly affects fairness: two boards with identical length, width, and hole placement can still play differently if one surface is smoother or flatter than the other. That's why regulation expectations for the surface sit alongside the size requirements rather than being treated as a cosmetic detail.

A board can be perfectly suited to backyard play while not meeting every requirement of a sanctioned competition. Recreational boards sold for home use often land close to the regulation numbers simply because most manufacturers build to that standard, but there's no requirement that a backyard board match it exactly — only boards entering sanctioned or tournament play need to meet every specification above.

Converted to metric, a regulation board measures 121.92 cm long by 60.96 cm wide, with a 15.24 cm hole diameter. Regulation board spacing of 27 feet converts to approximately 8.23 meters. Inches and feet remain the primary reference units for cornhole regulation in the US — these figures are conversions of that standard, not a separate metric spec.

Tournament and competition boards are expected to meet every regulation dimension covered above — length, width, hole size and placement, height, angle, playing surface, and construction. Events can inspect boards before play begins, and a board that fails on any single measurement can be rejected from sanctioned play.

One nuance worth knowing: tournaments and leagues can be run under the rulebook of whichever organizer or association is sanctioning that specific event, and tolerances can differ slightly between them. Treat the numbers on this page as the widely used regulation standard, but confirm the exact spec sheet for your event before you show up expecting a specific board to pass inspection. For the broader rulebook, see the cornhole tournament rules guide.