The main specifications of synthetic aperture imaging ladar (SAIL), such as the size of optical footprint and the imaging resolution etc., can be realized only in the case of designed long transmission distance. This paper proposes a method to systematically verify an SAIL in the close distance of laboratory space. The SAIL is modified with the additional optical elements to produce both a geometric projection of transmitting beam onto the target and an enough large field of heterodyne reception. Therefore, the optical footprint and quadratic phase history essential and suitable for two-dimensional (2D) SAIL imaging in the close distance can be generated. A major structure of Φ300 mm SAIL demonstrator modified with the accessory optical elements is designed and then verified experimentally in a 14 m distance to the target. The result of well-focused 2D SAIL dynamic imaging is obtained. The optical footprint size is measured as 22 mm×22 mm and the imaging resolution is better than 1.4 mm (azimuth) ×1.2 mm(range).