How to Become a Padel Coach in the UK: The Complete Guide
Padel is Britain’s fastest growing sport, and the coaching profession is growing with it. If you are a competitive player thinking about coaching, a tennis professional adding a new string to your bow, or someone looking for a career that keeps you active and on court, this guide covers everything you need to know about qualifying as a padel coach in the UK.
Do you need a qualification to coach padel in the UK?
Since January 2024, yes – if you want to coach at any LTA registered venue.
The LTA made coach accreditation enforceable in 2024, meaning that a padel coach without LTA accreditation cannot coach at a registered venue. This was a significant step in professionalising the sport, and it means the qualification is not optional for anyone serious about coaching.
There is no legal requirement stopping someone from coaching privately on a non-registered court, but any venue with an LTA affiliation – which covers the vast majority of padel venues in the UK – requires coaches to be accredited. In practice, qualifying is the only route to a real coaching practice.
The LTA padel coaching pathway
The LTA is building a five-level coaching pathway for padel, eventually mirroring the structure already in place for tennis. In 2026, the pathway looks like this:
Level 2: LTA Padel Instructor
The current entry point. A five-day qualification designed to equip coaches to deliver group sessions for adults and juniors on a single court. This is the minimum qualification required to become LTA accredited.
Level 3: LTA Padel Coach
Officially launching in 2026. Designed for coaches who want to work with performance players, competitive squads, and higher-level players. An 11-day course, structured similarly to the Level 3 Tennis Coach qualification.
Levels 4 and 5
Planned but not yet launched. These will align with the senior and elite coach levels in tennis, for coaches working at the highest level of the game.
CPD modules
Ongoing professional development alongside the main pathway. Current options include standalone electives on Coaching Kids Padel and How to Coach the Double Glass, available to qualified coaches.
Most coaches entering the profession in 2026 start with the Level 2 and build from there. The Level 2 is a genuine, rigorous qualification – not a rubber stamp – and it gives you everything you need to run effective group coaching sessions from day one.
The LTA Padel Instructor: what the course involves
The Level 2 LTA Padel Instructor course is five days of face-to-face training, split across several weeks to allow time for practice and coursework. Here is what it covers.
Format
- Four days of core training
- One day of elective training (your choice of two options)
- A minimum four-week gap between the first and last training days – this gives you time to complete eight hours of practical work experience and submit coursework
- A final assessment, conducted during a real coaching session at a venue of your choice, recorded on video and submitted for evaluation
What you will learn
The course is built around the LTA’s game-based coaching methodology – an approach where players learn through doing rather than drills, with the coach facilitating rather than directing. You will cover:
- Structuring and delivering group padel lessons
- The LTA Tactical and Technical Development Frameworks – the formal model for teaching padel technique and match strategy
- Communication skills for mixed-ability groups
- Inclusion in coaching – adapting sessions for different ages, abilities, and needs
- Competition organisation
- Safeguarding and player welfare
On completion, you receive all LTA Padel Xpress lesson plans and videos, allowing you to deliver the LTA’s beginner coaching programme from day one.
The elective day
You choose one of two elective options:
- Coaching Kids Padel – focused on junior session delivery, child development, and running youth programmes
- How to Coach the Double Glass – a specialist module on teaching one of the most tactically complex aspects of padel: using the back wall and double glass effectively
The elective you choose shapes the direction of your coaching specialisation. The kids elective points you toward junior academies and school programmes. The double glass elective points you toward adult performance coaching.
Prerequisites: what you need before you start
The LTA Padel Instructor is not an open course. There are requirements you need to meet before you can book.
Padel ability
You must either pass the LTA Padel Instructor Readiness Test or hold a current ranking within the top 100 of the LTA Padel Rankings.
The Readiness Test is a practical assessment of your padel playing standard. It takes up to two weeks to be assessed once submitted, so factor this into your timeline before booking.
Background check
You must hold either:
- LTA Accreditation (if you are already a qualified tennis coach)
- A current DBS Enhanced Check (England and Wales) or PVG (Scotland), with the Child Barred List check applied for in the past 12 months, processed through the LTA
The DBS process can take up to eight weeks. Do not leave this until the last minute – you must hold a valid certificate before booking onto the course.
First Aid
Before you can book your final assessment (not the training), you need a valid First Aid certificate of competence. This can be completed at any point during your training but must be in place before assessment day.
How long does it take?
From starting the process to completing your qualification, expect around three to four months:
| Stage | Approx. timeline |
|—|—|
| Apply for DBS (if needed) | Up to 8 weeks |
| Complete Readiness Test | 2-3 weeks from submission |
| Complete core training days | Days spread across 4+ weeks |
| Work experience and coursework | Completed between training days |
| Book and complete final assessment | A few weeks after training |
If you already have a valid DBS and a strong padel playing background, the active qualification period from training to assessment is around two months.
How much does it cost?
Course costs vary by provider and region. As a guide:
- LTA Padel Instructor course (training): typically £400-£700 for the full five days
- Final assessment: booked and paid separately, typically £75-£150
- DBS check (if not already held): £40-£60 via the LTA
- LTA Coach Accreditation (annual): paid after qualifying, enables you to practise at registered venues
Total cost to qualified and accredited coach: approximately £600-£900 for most candidates.
The LTA periodically offers funding or subsidised places for coaches from underrepresented backgrounds. Check the LTA website for current bursary availability.
How to book
Training is delivered by LTA Workforce Development Centres (WDCs) – the LTA’s official external training provider network. You find and book courses via the LTA Course Search Tool on the LTA website, filtering by Padel and Qualifications.
The final assessment is booked separately through the same Course Search Tool, once you have completed all training days and coursework.
What happens after you qualify?
Qualifying is the beginning, not the end. Here is what the path looks like once you have your Level 2.
LTA Coach Accreditation
Accreditation is the annual professional membership that allows you to coach at registered venues. It requires:
- A current DBS/PVG
- Completed safeguarding training
- Completed CPD requirements each year
Accreditation gives you access to LTA coaching resources, liability insurance cover, and listing in the LTA’s find-a-coach directory.
Building a coaching practice
Most newly qualified coaches start by coaching at one or two venues, building their client base through word of mouth and social media. The transition from someone who coaches to a coaching business takes intentional effort – and it is where many coaches stall.
The questions that come up immediately after qualifying:
- How do I find players to coach?
- How do I take bookings without using WhatsApp?
- What should I charge? (We have written a separate guide on padel coaching pricing.)
- How do I get paid reliably, without chasing people?
- Do I need a coaching website?
These are business questions, not coaching questions – and the qualification does not cover them. Building the infrastructure around your coaching is the second half of becoming a professional coach.
Is padel coaching a viable career?
The short answer is yes – particularly if you approach it as a business and not just as sessions on a court.
The market fundamentals are exceptional. Over 400,000 people played padel in the UK in 2024. There are 1,000+ courts and counting. Player demand is consistently outpacing coaching supply in most UK cities outside London.
The earnings are real. A freelance coach running 20 hours of coaching per week at an average of £50 per session hour generates around £48,000 per year before expenses. Elite independent coaches in London charge £80-£120 per hour for 1-to-1 sessions.
The timing is right. The coaches building their practices in 2025 and 2026 are establishing themselves before the market gets crowded. In five years, there will be significantly more qualified coaches competing for the same players.
The coaches who do best combine strong on-court skills with a professional business setup: a coaching website that gets found on Google, a booking system that works without WhatsApp, and a payment process that does not involve cash or chasing bank transfers.
If you have recently qualified or you are preparing to, PadelEngage is built for coaches at exactly this stage – giving you a professional online presence, online booking, and Stripe payments from day one.
