How heavy can a dart be?
Officials' detail · The board, the darts and the oche · 2 of 4Players bring their own darts, each no longer than 30.5 cm and no heavier than 50 grams, with a metal needle point, a barrel and a stem of up to five parts, such as the shaft and flight. A player whose dart breaks during a throw gets up to three minutes to fix or replace it.
How it works
- Own darts: each player provides their own.
- Length: at most 30.5 cm overall.
- Weight: at most 50 grams.
- Point: metal, needle-shaped, fixed to a barrel.
- Stem: at the back of the barrel, up to five parts, such as a flight, a flight fixing, a flight protector and the stem itself.
- Damage or loss: up to three minutes to repair or replace during a throw.
- Adapted play: player bodies may change the board height and oche length for events for disabled players.
The glossary has the dart, the throw, the grip, the time limits (darts), the adapted darts for disabled players and the foul throw.
Tricky cases
How heavy are most darts?
Far lighter than the limit, typically around 20 to 26 grams. The rules set only the maximum.
A flight falls off mid-throw. What can the player do?
Take up to three minutes to repair or replace it.
Can a player use darts without flights?
The rules describe the parts a dart may have but do not require each one.
Can a dart have a plastic point?
No. The point must be metal.
Why the rule exists
Limits on size and weight keep darts within a range everyone can use fairly, while leaving room for personal choice of grip and balance.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Darts | 30.5 cm, 50 g, metal point | WDF 1.01 |
| Repairs | Three minutes | WDF 14.11 |
| Soft-tip darts | Plastic points; not covered | C |
From the rule book
World Darts Federation, Playing and Tournament Rules (twentieth revised edition, 28 February 2018), Playing Rules 1.01 and 6.08 and Tournament Rule 14.11. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the WDF Playing and Tournament Rules.