Which Kiwa requirements must a padel court meet when built?

When building a padel court in the Netherlands, inspection obligations apply that stem from building regulations and sport-specific standards. Kiwa ISA Sport is the recognised body that inspects padel courts for official use. For anyone who wants to build a padel court, it is important to know which parts are assessed, which materials must be certified and what the consequences are if you fail to comply. Below, we answer the most common questions about Kiwa requirements when building a padel court.

What is Kiwa ISA Sport and why is it relevant for padel courts?

Kiwa ISA Sport is an independent inspection body that assesses sports surfaces, foundations and sports facilities on quality, safety and performance. Kiwa ISA Sport is relevant for padel courts because an inspection by this body is mandatory when the court is used for official matches. Without a valid Kiwa ISA Sport inspection, a court may not be used for organised competition.

Kiwa ISA Sport assesses whether materials and structures meet established standards for sports surfaces and sports facilities. This applies not only to the playing surface, but also to the foundation build-up. The inspection gives operators, clubs and municipalities certainty that the court is safe, technically meets the requirements and is suitable for its intended use. For commercial venues that want to rent out padel courts or organise tournaments, a valid inspection is therefore a basic requirement.

Which parts of a padel court does Kiwa assess?

When inspecting padel courts, Kiwa ISA Sport focuses primarily on the sports surface and the foundation. Specifically, this concerns the flatness of the playing surface, the water permeability on outdoor courts, the shock absorption and the ball bounce. These properties determine whether the court meets the standards for professional and safe use.

The inspection generally covers the following aspects:

• Flatness of the subsurface (essential for consistent ball bounce and safe play)
• Shock absorption of the sports surface (relevant for joint loading and playing comfort)
• Water permeability on outdoor padel courts (prevents puddling and ensures playability)
• Ball bounce behaviour (uniformity across the entire playing surface)
• Materials used and whether they correspond to certified products

The steel structure itself is not covered by the Kiwa ISA Sport inspection, but must meet the structural requirements of the Bouwbesluit (Dutch Building Decree). Separate warranty and quality requirements apply to the steel structure, which are ensured by the builder.

Which foundation materials must be Kiwa-certified?

All foundation components used for padel courts in the Netherlands must be inspected by Kiwa ISA Sport. This applies to the three most commonly used foundation types: drainage concrete, Supersub and ZOAB asphalt. Only certified materials may be used if you want the court to be approved by Kiwa ISA Sport after completion.

Below is a brief explanation of the three common foundation types and their certification status:

• Drainage concrete: a water-permeable type of concrete in which rainwater is discharged directly through the foundation into the ground. Widely used on outdoor padel courts. Certified variants are available and widely applied.
• Supersub: a foundation solution based on foam concrete. Light, self-levelling and shock-absorbing. Both a water-permeable variant (outdoor) and a closed variant (indoor) are available. Certified Supersub products meet the Kiwa ISA Sport standards.
• ZOAB asphalt (open-graded asphalt concrete): a porous asphalt variant that lets water through. Less common for padel, but a good choice in certain situations. Here too, only certified products are permitted.

It is the padel court builder's responsibility to use only certified materials. Inexperienced buyers are not always aware of this, which creates risks at the final inspection.

What happens if a padel court does not meet the Kiwa requirements?

If a padel court does not meet the Kiwa ISA Sport requirements, the court cannot be approved for official use. In practice, this means the venue may not organise matches or organised competition. Depending on the nature of the deviation, remediation may be needed before a re-inspection takes place.

The consequences can go further than not being allowed to organise matches. For commercial operators, a rejection report can lead to reputational damage, delays in opening and extra costs for repair work. For courts built with non-certified materials, it is in some cases necessary to replace the foundation entirely or partially, which is a considerable cost item.

Prevention is the best approach here. By working with certified materials from the outset and with a builder who is familiar with the applicable standards, you avoid unpleasant surprises after completion.

How do you check whether a padel court builder works with certified materials?

You check whether a padel court builder works with certified materials by explicitly asking for the Kiwa ISA Sport certification of the foundation materials to be used. A reliable builder can demonstrate this with product documentation or certification proof. Always ask for this before you place an order.

Practical steps to check this:

1. Ask the builder which foundation type will be used and which supplier the material comes from.
2. Request to see the Kiwa ISA Sport certification of the product in question.
3. Check that the certificate is current and relates to the specific product being supplied.
4. Have the contract state that only certified materials will be used.
5. After completion, ask for a final report or inspection statement.

A padel court builder who struggles to answer these questions or cannot provide documentation is a signal to be alert. Transparency about material certification is part of professional craftsmanship in this sector.

Do the Kiwa requirements also apply to outdoor and indoor padel courts?

The Kiwa ISA Sport requirements apply to both outdoor and indoor padel courts, but the specific technical requirements differ per situation. On outdoor courts, the emphasis is strongly on water permeability and weather resistance of the foundation. On indoor courts, flatness and shock absorption are the dominant assessment criteria, while water permeability is less relevant.

For outdoor padel courts, the choice of foundation is more complex and more strongly location-dependent. Ground conditions, the local rainfall pattern and the wind load partly determine which foundation type is most suitable. Drainage concrete and Supersub are both available in water-permeable variants that meet the Kiwa ISA Sport standards for outdoor courts.

For indoor padel courts in existing halls, the foundation and sports surface must likewise meet the certification requirements, even though outdoor conditions do not apply. The inspection is mandatory in both cases if the court is used for official matches. It is therefore incorrect to assume that indoor courts fall outside the inspection obligation.

How I-Padel helps you meet Kiwa requirements

We work exclusively with foundation materials that have been inspected by Kiwa ISA Sport. That is not a side issue, but a basic requirement that we secure in every project. In concrete terms, this means for you as a client:

• We advise on the right foundation type based on location, ground conditions and use, whether that is drainage concrete, Supersub or ZOAB asphalt.
• All materials used are demonstrably certified, so the final inspection by Kiwa ISA Sport holds no surprises.
• We produce the steel structure entirely in-house, which enables us to make structural calculations per location and guarantee that the court complies with building regulations.
• With the complete package, we take full responsibility for the project, from foundation to completion, including all quality and certification requirements.

Want to know what an indoor padel court costs including a certified foundation? Or do you have questions about the Kiwa requirements for your specific location? Get in touch for an initial exploration, we are happy to think along with you, without obligation.

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