Garage
Car parking space and door swing dimensions
Parking bays are sized so a car fits. Getting a person out of it is the aisle's job.
On this page (5 sections)
Short answer
Allow 30 in (76 cm) of clear space beside a car for an adult to open the front door and step out, and 54 in (137 cm) to load a child into a seat. Standard stalls are 9 x 18 ft (2.74 x 5.49 m) in the US and 2.4 x 4.8 m (7 ft 10 in x 15 ft 9 in) in the UK, both measured to the painted line. In a garage there is no aisle to escape into, so the pitch per car is body width plus 30 in, about 103 in (2.62 m) for a mid-size car.
The numbers, at a glance
- Door swing, adult exit
- 30 in (76 cm)Measured from the body, not the mirror
- Absolute squeeze-out gap
- 22 in (56 cm)Second detent, jacket off, no dignity
- Child seat loading
- 54 in (137 cm)Door fully open plus room to stand and lean
- US standard stall
- 9 x 18 ft (2.74 x 5.49 m)8.5 ft (2.59 m) in compact bays
- UK standard bay
- 2.4 x 4.8 m (7 ft 10 in x 15 ft 9 in)Unchanged while cars grew 180 mm
- Garage pitch, mid-size car
- 103 in (2.62 m)73 in of body plus one 30 in swing
- Garage pitch, full-size
- 111 in (2.82 m)81 in of body plus one 30 in swing
- ADA accessible car space
- 96 in (2.44 m) plus 60 in aisleVan space 132 in (3.35 m) wide
- Liftgate open height
- 78 to 84 in (198 to 213 cm)Higher than the clear height of a 7 ft door
Every parking dimension in circulation is really two dimensions bolted together: the space the vehicle occupies, and the space a human being needs to leave it. Published standards are unusually good at the first and almost silent on the second, because in a car park the second is solved by the aisle. Take the aisle away, which is what a garage does, and every figure has to be rebuilt.
What "width" means on a car, and the four answers#
A car has at least four widths, and picking the wrong one is the commonest sizing error in a garage.
- Body width at the arches. Usually the widest part of the bodywork and the figure to use for anything that touches, such as a wall.
- Mirrors folded. Typically 2 to 4 in (51 to 102 mm) more than the body.
- Mirrors unfolded. Nine to 15 in (23 to 38 cm) more than the body across the pair. This is the drive-through width, and it is the one that decides door openings.
- Track width. The distance between the tyre centres, quoted in every specification sheet and useful for nothing indoors.
The same discipline applies to length. Catalogue length runs bumper to bumper and excludes the tow hitch, which adds 6 to 10 in (15 to 25 cm), the rear-mounted spare on some off-road vehicles, which adds 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm), and any cycle carrier, which adds 12 to 18 in (30 to 46 cm). Measure the vehicle you own in the state you keep it, using the same discipline described in how to measure a room properly: from a named face, written down, in both units.
| Class | Body width | Mirrors out | Length | Roof height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small hatchback | 69 in (1.75 m) | 78 in (1.98 m) | 160 in (4.06 m) | 58 in (1.47 m) |
| Compact | 71 in (1.80 m) | 80 in (2.03 m) | 168 in (4.27 m) | 58 in (1.47 m) |
| Mid-size sedan | 73 in (1.85 m) | 83 in (2.11 m) | 193 in (4.90 m) | 57 in (1.45 m) |
| Mid-size SUV | 75 in (1.90 m) | 86 in (2.18 m) | 181 in (4.60 m) | 67 in (1.70 m) |
| Full-size SUV | 81 in (2.06 m) | 93 in (2.36 m) | 211 in (5.36 m) | 76 in (1.93 m) |
| Crew-cab pickup | 80 in (2.03 m) | 96 in (2.44 m) | 232 to 244 in (5.9 to 6.2 m) | 77 in (1.96 m) |
| LWB van | 80 in (2.03 m) | 94 in (2.39 m) | 235 to 260 in (6.0 to 6.6 m) | 100 in (2.54 m) |
Where the 30 in door swing comes from#
A front door on a mid-size car is 40 to 48 in (102 to 122 cm) long, hinged at its leading edge, and opens through roughly 65 to 70 degrees at full travel. Most have two detents on the way, the first at about 25 degrees and the second at about 45. At full travel the trailing edge of the door stands 28 to 34 in (71 to 86 cm) clear of the bodywork, and that projection is what has to fit between the car and whatever is beside it.
The space a person needs is a separate sum, and it is the one that sets the working figure:
- Shoulder breadth across the deltoids, at the large end of the adult range: 20 in (51 cm). The same figure that underwrites clearance for two people to pass.
- The door skin, its trim and its edge protector: 2 in (51 mm).
- Room to swing a leg out, plant a foot and stand up rather than shuffle: 8 in (203 mm).
Twenty plus two plus eight is 30 in (76 cm), and that is the number to design to. It is not a comfort allowance. Below it, the sequence of failures is orderly and quick.
| Clear gap beside the body | Door reaches | What is possible |
|---|---|---|
| 12 in (30 cm) | First detent only | Nothing. The door cannot clear your knees |
| 16 in (41 cm) | About 30 degrees | Sideways exit, coat off, one leg at a time |
| 22 in (56 cm) | Second detent | An adult can get out. Nothing can be carried |
| 26 in (66 cm) | About 55 degrees | Normal exit for one person, no bags |
| 30 in (76 cm) | Full travel | Exit with a bag, or reach across to the seat |
| 42 in (107 cm) | Full plus standing | Load the boot from the side, stand and turn |
| 54 in (137 cm) | Full plus leaning | Lift a child into a rear-facing seat |
The 54 in figure catches people out because a child seat is loaded from a standing position with both arms extended into the car, which needs the door at full travel plus a person's own depth of about 20 in behind it. Any household with a car seat is designing to 54 in (137 cm) per side on at least one side of the car, and that alone rules out most single garages.
Bay standards compared: 2.4 m, 9 ft and 96 in#
| Standard | Width | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| US zoning, typical | 9 ft (2.74 m) | 18 ft (5.49 m) | 8.5 ft (2.59 m) for compact stalls |
| US, high turnover | 9.5 ft (2.90 m) | 20 ft (6.10 m) | Retail and hospital practice |
| ADA car space | 96 in (2.44 m) | 18 ft (5.49 m) | Plus a 60 in (1.52 m) access aisle |
| ADA van space | 132 in (3.35 m) | 18 ft (5.49 m) | Or 96 in wide with a 96 in aisle |
| UK, Manual for Streets | 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) | 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) | Residential streets and courts |
| UK accessible bay | 2.4 m plus 1.2 m side | 4.8 m plus 1.2 m rear | 3.6 x 6.0 m overall |
| Australia, AS 2890.1 | 2.4 to 2.6 m (7 ft 10 in to 8 ft 6 in) | 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in) | Wider bays for short-stay users |
| Garage bay, our figure | 103 to 111 in (2.62 to 2.82 m) | Vehicle plus 60 in (152 cm) | Body width plus a full door swing |
The US 9 ft stall is the only common outdoor figure that clears the door-swing test for a mid-size car, at 35 in (89 cm) between flanks, and it fails it for two full-size vehicles at 27 in (69 cm). Where the three national systems agree and where they quietly do not is the subject of accessible standards compared, and the wider pattern of the same object being sized differently in each market runs through interior sizes by country.
The 36 in in front and the liftgate behind#
In front of the bumper, 36 in (91 cm) is the working figure: it is the primary walkway width used throughout a house, set out in walkway and circulation widths, and it also leaves room to raise the bonnet, which typically stops 45 to 55 in (114 to 140 cm) above the ground and projects little forward. Twenty-four inches (61 cm) is the squeeze, and 12 in (30 cm) is a wall you will eventually hit.
Behind the vehicle the geometry changes with body type. An SUV liftgate swings out 24 to 30 in (61 to 76 cm) at mid-travel before rising to 78 to 84 in (198 to 213 cm) fully open, which is higher than the clear drive-through of a nominal 7 ft garage door, so a vehicle parked close to the opening can foul the door or its operator rail. A pickup tailgate drops down and extends 20 in (51 cm) horizontally at bumper height. Van barn doors swing through 180 degrees and want 40 in (102 cm) beyond the body on each side. Those figures interact directly with garage door sizes, headroom and backroom and with the bay depths in garage sizes: single, double and triple.
The 96 in space and the 60 in access aisle#
The 2010 ADA Standards set an accessible car space at 96 in (2.44 m) wide with an access aisle of at least 60 in (1.52 m), and a van-accessible space at 132 in (3.35 m) wide with a 60 in aisle, or 96 in wide with a 96 in (2.44 m) aisle. The aisle is not spare width, it is the transfer zone: 60 in is the width a wheelchair user needs to open a door fully, position a chair alongside and transfer, and the same 60 in circle governs wheelchair turning and manoeuvring space indoors.
Domestically the same logic applies to the route from the car into the house. A transfer at the car is worth nothing if the step into the house is 8 in high and the landing is 30 in deep, which is the situation dimensioned in garage to house door, step and landing. The rest of the vehicle-driven numbers live on the garage and workshop dimensions hub, the codes they come from are listed in standards, codes and sources, and the interior unit converter will turn any of these between systems without rounding a car into a wall.
Frequently asked questions#
How much space do you need to open a car door?
Thirty inches (76 cm) of clear width beside the body lets an adult open the front door fully and step out. The figure is the sum of a 20 in (51 cm) shoulder breadth at the large end of the adult range, about 2 in for the door skin and its trim, and 8 in of movement to swing a leg out and stand up. Twenty-two inches (56 cm) is the point below which you stop being able to leave the car.
What is the standard size of a parking space?
Nine feet by eighteen feet (2.74 x 5.49 m) is the common US zoning figure, with 8.5 x 18 ft (2.59 x 5.49 m) in compact bays and 9.5 x 20 ft (2.90 x 6.10 m) where turnover is high. The UK figure in Manual for Streets is 2.4 x 4.8 m and Australian practice under AS 2890.1 is 2.4 to 2.6 m wide by 5.4 m long. All are measured to the centre of the line.
How wide is a car?
A small hatchback is about 69 in (1.75 m) across the body, a mid-size sedan 73 in (1.85 m), a full-size SUV or crew-cab pickup 80 to 81 in (2.03 to 2.06 m). Mirrors add 9 to 15 in (23 to 38 cm) to the pair, so the same pickup is 96 in (2.44 m) mirror to mirror, and mirrors fold while doors do not.
Why is a garage bay wider than a parking bay?
Because a parking bay has an aisle beside it and a garage has a wall. In a car park you step out toward the aisle or into the empty bay next door, and the standard only has to fit the vehicle. In a garage the door has to open between two fixed surfaces, so the pitch becomes body width plus a full 30 in (76 cm) swing, about 103 in (2.62 m) for a mid-size car.
How much room do you need behind a parked car?
Twenty-four inches (61 cm) to walk past and let a garage door close, but 30 to 36 in (76 to 91 cm) if the tailgate has to open. An SUV liftgate swings out 24 to 30 in (61 to 76 cm) at mid-travel and rises to 78 to 84 in (198 to 213 cm), and a pickup tailgate drops down and adds 20 in (51 cm) of horizontal reach.
What size is an accessible parking space?
Under the 2010 ADA Standards, a car space is 96 in (2.44 m) wide with an adjacent access aisle at least 60 in (1.52 m) wide, and a van space is either 132 in (3.35 m) wide with a 60 in aisle or 96 in wide with a 96 in aisle. UK practice is a 2.4 m bay with 1.2 m of clear space at one side and 1.2 m at the rear, giving 3.6 x 6.0 m overall.
Does the length of a parking space allow for modern cars?
Barely. An 18 ft (5.49 m) stall is 216 in against a crew-cab pickup at 232 to 244 in (5.9 to 6.2 m), so the vehicle overhangs by up to 28 in. A 4.8 m UK bay is 189 in, shorter than a mid-size sedan plus its number plate bracket. Overhang is tolerated outdoors and impossible against a garage wall.
How do I measure my car for a garage?
With a tape and a plumb line, not a brochure. Take the length over the bumpers including the tow hitch, the width across the rear arches, the width mirror to mirror unfolded, the roof height with whatever is on the roof, and the projection of the tailgate when open. Catalogue figures usually exclude the hitch, the aerial and the roof bars, which is where the surprises come from.
Sources and standards referenced#
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design US Department of JusticeAccessible car and van space widths and access aisle dimensions
- Manual for Streets UK Department for TransportThe 2.4 x 4.8 m parking bay and residential parking layouts
- AS 2890.1, Parking facilities: off-street car parking Standards AustraliaBay widths by user class and the design vehicle envelope
- Architectural Graphic Standards Ramsey and Sleeper, American Institute of Architects, WileyParking module geometry, stall dimensions and vehicle turning envelopes
- Human Dimension and Interior Space Panero and Zelnik, Watson-GuptillShoulder breadth and body clearance figures behind the 30 in door swing
We cite published codes, industry planning guidelines and manufacturer specifications. Where a figure is our own recommendation rather than a published standard, the text says so. See how we measure.