What are the dimensions of a parking space?

[MaggieAnn]

According to the "Specifications for Setting On-Street Parking Spaces on Urban Roads," the standard dimensions of general parking spaces are determined based on vehicle size. Small parking spaces typically measure 2.5–2.7 meters in width and 5–6 meters in length. A single-lane turning lane should be no less than 3.5 meters wide, while a double-lane turning lane should be no less than 5 meters wide. The turning section should accommodate a vehicle's ability to complete a full turn in one go. For safety or to accommodate medium and large vehicles, spaces are often set to 6 meters or longer. Specific details are as follows: (Length ≤ 6m, width ≤ 1.8m): The minimum spacing between vehicles should be no less than 0.5 meters, and the distance between a vehicle and walls or the ends of parking spaces should also be no less than 0.5 meters. (6m < length ≤ 8m, 1.8m < width ≤ 2.2m): The spacing between vehicles should be no less than 0.7 meters. Small vehicle parking space: Length ≥ 5 meters, width 2.2–2.5 meters. Large vehicle parking space: Length 7–10 meters, width 4 meters, depending on the vehicle model. According to the "Architectural Design Code for Parking Garages," the dimensions for small car parking spaces in indoor garages are as follows: The design dimensions for small cars are 4.8m (length) × 1.8m (width) × 2.0m (height). For perpendicular parking, the minimum parking space size should be 5.3m (length) × 2.4m (width), with a minimum access lane width of 5.5m. The minimum distance between small cars and side walls should be 0.6m, and the distance to front and rear walls should be 0.5m. Modern underground garages have large floor areas and numerous parking spaces. To ensure smooth vehicle movement, driveways are planned to be relatively wide. Driveways, as horizontal passages dedicated to parking spaces, account for the primary floor area allocated to parking spaces, often occupying 50% or more of the total parking space floor area. Parking space arrangements can be categorized into three types: parallel, angled (30°, 45°, 60°), and perpendicular. Large vehicle parking spaces should not use angled or perpendicular arrangements. Specifics are as follows: Parallel parking space: Standard length of 6 meters, width of 2.5 meters. Angled parking space: Diagonal length of 6 meters, width of 2.8 meters, with a vertical distance of 2.5 meters between the two angled lines. Perpendicular parking space: Length ≥ 5 meters (typically set to 6 meters), width of 2.5 meters. The optimal standard size is 2.5m × 5.3m. The "Road Traffic Safety Law" stipulates that on-street parking spaces must not be set up on roads with a width of less than 6 meters for motor vehicle traffic. Pedestrian crossings and expressway main roads are also prohibited from having parking spaces. Within urban road areas, government authorities may designate parking spaces where pedestrian and vehicle traffic is not impeded. On-street parking spaces should avoid obstructing non-motorized vehicle traffic and must not encroach on non-motorized vehicle lanes. They should not be placed near intersections, building entrances, or bus stops. Parking regulations, including vehicle types and time limits, must be clearly indicated with signage. Measures should be taken to prevent interference with motor vehicle traffic. Additionally, on-street parking spaces must not be equipped with ground locks to prevent private occupation. Roads prohibiting on-street parking may feature barriers, posts, or curbs. When parking spaces are removed or canceled, all related signage, markings, and management facilities must be promptly cleared to prevent unauthorized parking and ensure road safety. Furthermore, on-street parking spaces should not be established within 200–300 meters of off-street public parking lots. Quantitative regulations for on-street parking space setup: The "Specifications for Setting On-Street Parking Spaces on Urban Roads" provides quantitative guidelines based on road width. For two-way roads: if the actual road width exceeds 12 meters, parking spaces may be set on both sides; if between 12 and 8 meters, parking may be allowed on one side; if below 8 meters, no parking spaces are permitted. For one-way roads: if the actual road width exceeds 9 meters, parking spaces may be set on both sides; if between 9 and 6 meters, parking may be allowed on one side; if below 6 meters, no parking spaces are permitted. Regarding accessible parking spaces, the specifications require that on-street parking spaces should include accessible spaces, accounting for no less than 2% of the total. If there are 20 or more parking spaces, at least one accessible space must be provided. Parking space marking colors: White: Paid parking space; Blue: Free parking space; Yellow: Reserved parking space; Time-limited parking spaces: Dashed border, 10cm line width; the permitted parking time is marked inside the border, with numbers 60cm in height. Accessible parking spaces: Special markings; yellow grid lines on both sides indicate no-parking zones for boarding/alighting, and other vehicles must not occupy these spaces. The pavement marking within the space indicates exclusivity. Yellow grid lines: 120cm width, outer line width: 20cm, inner fill line width: 0cm, angled at 45° to the outer line, with the outer line length matching the parking space marking length. Prohibited areas for on-street parking spaces: Fire lanes, sections with no-parking signs/markings, and construction zones impeding traffic; Roads designated for disaster relief and emergency evacuation; Sidewalks (if set, must not encroach on tactile paving for the visually impaired); Near building entrances; Intersections, railway crossings, sharp curves, narrow roads (<4m wide), bridges, steep slopes, tunnels, and sections within 50m of such locations; Areas within 30m of bus stops, emergency stations, gas stations, fire hydrants, or fire stations (except for vehicles using these facilities); Sections within 20m of intersection channelization zones; Underground utility access points (water, electricity, gas, etc.) and sections within 15m of such locations; Within 200m of off-street parking lot entrances; Near roadside

[LydiaLee]

I've been driving around the city for over a decade, and parking spaces are typically about 5 meters in length and 2.5 meters in width, which can easily accommodate most sedans. Compact parking spaces are smaller, shrinking to 4.5 meters in length and 2.2 meters in width, making them suitable for small cars to save space. When reversing, you always need to leave some margin to avoid hitting the wall. Narrow widths make it difficult to open doors or can lead to scratches on the sides. I remember one time parking in a narrow space and scratching the door—I regretted not choosing a wider spot. Parking spaces in modern cities are very tight, and these dimensions stem from urban land constraints. Developers often compress sizes to fit more spaces, so it's advisable to check the parking lot layout in advance. You should also keep your car's length and width in mind—safety comes first when parking; don't just squeeze into any empty spot you see.

[AndresRose]

I've only been driving for a year, and finding parking spots often drives me crazy. The standard size is roughly 5 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, which sounds decent, but in reality, many places shrink to compact dimensions of 4.5 meters long and 2.2 meters wide, which is super unfriendly for beginners. When the width is 2.2 meters, I've tried opening a sedan door and it was so tight I had to squeeze out sideways—so awkward! The 5-meter length is a bit better; just don’t reverse too aggressively, but if the car is too short, the rear might stick out. My instructor always taught me to check the spot’s dimensions before parking. Compact spots save space, but beginners should be cautious. When parking, pay attention to whether the ground markings are clear—if they’re faded, the actual size might be even smaller. Safety is more important than convenience.