Parking Space Dimensions: U.S. Width, Length & Square Feet

There is no single nationwide “average parking spot” dimension. Local rules set many ordinary stall sizes, and layouts differ by use, angle, and vehicle type. Two official examples for standard off-street parking are Portland's 9-by-18-foot space and a New York City zoning minimum of 8 feet 6 inches by 18 feet, with a limited exception for some small residential accessory lots.

That means an ordinary stall in these examples covers 162 square feet in Portland or 153 square feet in the cited New York City rule. Those are local examples, not a national average. Check the zoning or building rules where the space is located.

Area is calculated as width multiplied by length. A 9-by-18-foot rectangle is 162 square feet; an 8.5-by-18-foot rectangle is 153 square feet. The figures describe the marked vehicle stall only. They do not include drive aisles, turning space, sidewalks, landscaping, or an accessible access aisle.

The 2010 ADA Standards set minimum widths for accessible vehicle spaces and their access aisles. A car-accessible space must be at least 96 inches (8 feet) wide, with an adjacent access aisle at least 60 inches (5 feet) wide. A van-accessible space can be 132 inches (11 feet) wide with a 60-inch aisle, or 96 inches wide with a 96-inch aisle. Van spaces, their aisles, and the vehicle route must also provide at least 98 inches of vertical clearance.

The access aisle runs the full length of the parking space. The ADA Standards do not create one nationwide stall length for every parking lot; check the applicable local parking rules. Accessible-space requirements apply to covered facilities and are not the ordinary stall dimensions.

For a rectangular stall, multiply its width by its length:

• 9 × 18 ft = 162 sq ft (Portland example).
• 8.5 × 18 ft = 153 sq ft (New York City example).

An accessible space's access aisle is additional usable area and may be shared by two spaces where permitted. Do not count its width as part of the vehicle stall when quoting the stall's own square footage. A full parking lot needs additional land for drive aisles, entrances, circulation, landscaping, and accessible routes, so multiplying the stall area by the number of cars will understate the lot footprint.

Measure the marked stall from line center to line center when applying ADA width measurements, and record the usable length separately. Check for curbs, walls, columns, slopes, and overhangs that reduce the space a vehicle can actually use. A stall's paint-to-paint area and the clearance needed to open a door are different practical questions.

For a home parking bay, compare the vehicle dimensions with the clear interior of the garage; our residential garage dimensions guide covers one- and two-car garage planning examples. Local rules and the size of the actual vehicle still matter.