For standard steel-tip darts, the official oche distance is 2.37m, or 7 ft 9.25 in, measured from the front face of the dartboard to the front edge of the oche. The bullseye should be 1.73m from the floor, and the diagonal check from bull centre to oche should be about 2.93m.
Last reviewed: 23 August 2026. These measurements are for standard standing steel-tip darts. Soft-tip, wheelchair darts and local league formats can use different setup rules.
The official steel-tip setup
The standard setup uses two main measurements. First, mount the board so the centre of the bullseye is 1.73m from the floor. Second, place the oche so the throwing distance is 2.37m from the front playing face of the dartboard.
In imperial units, that is 5 ft 8 in for the bull height and 7 ft 9.25 in for the throwing distance. The diagonal from the bull centre to the front edge of the oche should be around 2.93m, or 9 ft 7.5 in.
Measure from the board face, not the wall
This is the most common home setup mistake. A dartboard has depth, and a cabinet or bracket can add more. If you measure from the wall, the actual distance from the board face will usually be too short.
Drop a vertical line from the front playing face of the board to the floor, then measure 2.37m out from that point. If the board sits inside a cabinet, use the board face when the cabinet is open and the board is in its playing position.
The three measurements to know
| Measurement | Steel-tip figure | Where to measure |
|---|---|---|
| Bullseye height | 1.73m / 5 ft 8 in | Floor to centre of bull |
| Oche distance | 2.37m / 7 ft 9.25 in | Board face to front edge of oche |
| Diagonal check | 2.93m / 9 ft 7.5 in | Bull centre to front edge of oche |
How to set up the board step by step
Choose a safe wall or stand with enough space around the board. Avoid doorways, glass and walkways. Darts can bounce out, so the area around the board matters as much as the measurements.
Mark 1.73m from the floor to the centre of the bull. Check the mounting bracket before drilling because the bracket position may not be the same as the bull centre. Once the board is mounted, rotate it so the 20 segment is at the top.
Find the board-face line on the floor, then measure 2.37m out to the front edge of the oche. If you use tape, the player stands behind the edge nearest the board. If you use a raised oche, the front edge is still the legal throwing line.
Finally, check the diagonal. Measure from the bull centre to the front edge of the oche. If it reads about 2.93m, the height and distance are working together. If it is off, recheck the bull height and the board-face starting point before moving the oche randomly.
Why the diagonal check is useful
The diagonal check catches several mistakes at once. If the board is too high, the diagonal changes. If the oche is too close, the diagonal changes. If you measured from the wall instead of the board face, the diagonal will usually reveal it.
It is not a replacement for setting height and distance properly. It is a final verification. Use it after the board and oche are in place, especially if the floor is uneven or the board is mounted on a stand.
How to handle board and cabinet depth
If your dartboard is mounted directly on a wall, the board face will still sit forward from the wall by the thickness of the board. If the board is inside a cabinet, the face may sit even farther forward. That extra depth must sit behind the starting point for the 2.37m measurement.
A practical method is to hold a straight edge vertically against the front of the board and mark the floor directly below it. That mark is your zero point. Measure the oche from there. Do not add the cabinet depth by guesswork if you can mark the board-face line directly.
Mat, tape or raised oche?
Tape is fine for a simple home setup, but it can move or peel. A dart mat gives a clearer standing line and protects the floor. A raised oche gives the most obvious toe line because the player can feel the edge without looking down.
Whichever option you use, the front edge nearest the board is the line. If a mat has multiple printed distances, check you are using the steel-tip line. If a raised oche is attached to a mat, make sure the raised edge has not shifted after moving the mat.
Common setup mistakes
- Measuring from the wall: this usually makes the throw too short.
- Measuring to the wrong oche edge: use the front edge nearest the board.
- Measuring to the top of the board: height is to the bull centre.
- Ignoring cabinet depth: the cabinet is not the playing face.
- Using a soft-tip distance for steel-tip: formats can differ.
If the measurements do not agree
If the bull height is correct and the floor distance is correct, the diagonal should be close to 2.93m. If it is not, recheck the starting point first. Most wrong diagonals come from measuring the floor distance from the wall instead of the board face.
If the starting point is correct, recheck the bull centre. Do not measure to the number ring, the top of the board or the mounting screw. If the board is on a stand, make sure the stand has not leaned forward or backward after tightening the mount.
How precise does it need to be?
For casual play, a few millimetres will not matter. For serious practice, get as close as you reasonably can. The goal is not perfection for its own sake; the goal is repeatability. Your home practice should teach the same sight picture and release distance you will use in a venue.
If different people move the mat, check it regularly. If you have children, pets or a shared room, the oche can shift without anyone noticing. A small floor mark under the mat can make resetting the line easier.
Soft-tip and wheelchair darts
Soft-tip darts commonly use a longer throw distance, often 2.44m or 8 ft, depending on the board, machine and league rules. Do not assume the steel-tip oche distance applies to an electronic board.
Wheelchair darts can use adjusted board-height rules. If the match is wheelchair darts, use the relevant governing-body or competition rules rather than the standard standing setup. For shared home spaces, an adjustable stand can be more practical than a fixed wall board.
Home setup checklist
Before blaming your throw, check the setup. A short oche or wrong board height can make practice feedback misleading. You want your home setup to match the distance and sight picture used in proper play.
- Bull centre at 1.73m.
- 20 segment at the top.
- Oche measured from board face.
- Front edge of oche used as the line.
- Diagonal check around 2.93m.
- Lighting even across the board.
- Safe space around the throw area.
Equipment that helps setup accuracy
A reliable practice area does not need to be complicated. A stable board, clear oche and safe surroundings are the priority. Use dartboards for a proper playing surface, dartboard surrounds for wall protection, dartboard stands if you cannot drill into a wall and darts accessories for mats, flights and setup spares.
If you are changing the whole setup, keep the throwing equipment stable at first. Changing distance, board and darts at the same time makes it harder to know what affected the throw.
A simple measurement example
Imagine your dartboard face sits 4cm forward from the wall because of the board and bracket. If you measure 2.37m from the wall, the true throwing distance from the board face is only about 2.33m. That is short enough to affect practice feel.
The fix is not to move the wall mark by guesswork. Mark the board-face line first, then measure 2.37m from that line. This method works whether the board is on a wall, in a cabinet or on a stand.
Safety and room layout
Leave clear space behind the player and around the board. Avoid placing the board near doorways, windows, televisions or places where someone might walk across the throw. A correct distance is not enough if the area is unsafe.
Lighting also matters. The board should be evenly lit without heavy shadows over treble 20, doubles or the bull. If a shadow hides one side of the board, your practice feedback becomes less reliable.
Why correct distance improves practice
Darts is built on repeated sight lines and release angles. If you practise from a short line for weeks, then play at the correct distance in a league venue, the board can feel farther away even though your throw has not changed.
Correct distance makes practice transferable. It also makes accuracy drills more honest. Read how to practise dart accuracy and how to improve your darts once the setup is right.
When to recheck the setup
Recheck the setup after moving house, changing boards, adding a cabinet, replacing a stand, buying a new mat or rotating the practice area. Also recheck if several players suddenly feel that the board is playing short or long. It is easy to blame technique when the line has simply moved.
For a league or shared venue, a quick check before play avoids arguments later. Confirm the bull height, the board-face line and the front edge of the oche before warm-up. Once the match starts, players should be thinking about darts, not tape measures.
Visual guide: how to apply this at the board
Related reading
For more setup and rules context, read what an oche is, why it is called an oche, how far professionals throw darts, the simple rules of darts and the basic skills in darts.
Sources used
- PDC rules of darts.
- PDC Europe dartboard dimensions and oche distance.
- Darts Regulation Authority rulebook page.
- Darts501 setup reference for steel-tip, soft-tip and diagonal checks.
- Red Dragon darts setup information.
Bottom line
The official steel-tip oche distance is 2.37m from the dartboard face to the front edge of the oche. The bull centre should be 1.73m high, and the diagonal check should be about 2.93m. Measure from the board face, not the wall.
FAQ
What is the official dartboard to oche distance?
For standard steel-tip darts, it is 2.37m, or 7 ft 9.25 in, from the board face to the front edge of the oche.
What height should a dartboard be?
The centre of the bullseye should be 1.73m, or 5 ft 8 in, from the floor.
What is the diagonal dartboard measurement?
The diagonal from bull centre to the front edge of the oche should be about 2.93m, or 9 ft 7.5 in.
Do you measure darts distance from the wall?
No. Measure from the front face of the dartboard, not the wall or cabinet.
