Storage and household size calculators

What Size Storage Unit for a Car?

Pick a vehicle preset or type its length and width, set the clearance you want, and see the smallest 10-foot-wide unit that holds it.

Open on TidyCabinet

This embed was switched off for this website. Open on TidyCabinet

Add this tool to your siteFree embed code, no sign-up. Keep the credit link.

Embed this tool

Copy this code into your website, blog or class page. The tool runs inside your page.

Optional settings, added to the address after embed=1: &accent=0f6b5c (colour, 3 or 6 hex digits). Other parameters are ignored.

Please keep the credit link below the tool.

This calculator shows what size storage unit for a car you need. Enter a vehicle’s length and width, and it names the smallest of four 10-ft-wide units (10 × 15, 10 × 20, 10 × 25 or 10 × 30 ft) that fits, along with the spare length left over. It adds room at the ends and room at each side to open the doors, and both are planning assumptions of this page that you can change, not standards. You can enter measurements in inches, feet, centimeters or meters, or start from a preset for a common vehicle type, including a motorcycle. Everything runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded, there is no sign-up, and it is free. Results are calculated from your inputs, so confirm the door opening with the facility before you rent.
What size storage unit for a car example

How to use the Storage Unit Size Calculator

  1. Tap a preset if your vehicle matches one: Compact car, Midsize sedan, SUV, Pickup, regular cab, Pickup, crew cab, or Motorcycle. Skip this step to enter your own numbers.
  2. Type the “Vehicle length”, measured bumper to bumper, and pick its unit: inches, feet, centimeters or meters.
  3. Type the “Vehicle width”, the width of the body. Mirrors add to it, so use the width with the mirrors out if you will drive in that way.
  4. Check the two clearance fields, “Room to leave at the ends, total (in)” and “Room on each side (in)”. They start at 24 in and 12 in. Both are this page’s own planning assumptions, so change them if you want more or less room.
  5. Read “Smallest unit that fits”, which also gives the spare length in feet and inches. “Space your vehicle needs” shows the length, width and square feet.
  6. Check the table “Your vehicle in each unit”. It shows the spare length and the spare width on each side for all four units.
  7. If a warning appears, correct the input before you rely on the result. Warnings appear for a length outside 60 to 300 in, a width outside 20 to 110 in, or a width larger than the length. A door-opening note always appears.

The tool does not take vehicle height, so check height with the facility as well.

What size storage unit do I need for a car?

The smallest unit that fits is the one whose depth covers the length needed and whose width covers the width needed. The calculator works out both numbers from your vehicle size plus the two clearances, then picks the first unit that passes both checks.

The rule is simple. Length needed equals vehicle length plus end clearance. Width needed equals vehicle width plus two times the side clearance. The unit’s depth is 15, 20, 25 or 30 ft, which is 180, 240, 300 or 360 in, and its width is 10 ft, or 120 in. A unit fits when its depth is at least the length needed and 120 in is at least the width needed.

Take a midsize sedan preset at 195.7 × 73.3 in with the default clearances. The length needed is 219.7 in (18 ft 3.7 in), which is more than 180 in but less than 240 in. The width needed is 97.3 in (8 ft 1.3 in), and the space needed is 148.5 sq ft. The smallest fit is a 10 × 20 ft unit, with 20.3 in of length to spare. A compact car at 184.8 in needs 208.8 in, so it also needs a 10 × 20, with 31.2 in to spare. A crew-cab pickup at 243.9 in needs 267.9 in, so it needs a 10 × 25, with 32.1 in to spare.

The clearances are planning assumptions, not standards, and you can change them. If you set the end clearance to zero, a 4.5 m car (177.2 in) fits a 10 × 15 with 2.8 in to spare. Keep in mind that this result depends entirely on the clearances you choose.

Why do unit sizes differ between storage facilities?

Unit sizes come from each operator, so the same vehicle can be assigned to different units depending on where you rent. Operator guides on vehicles do not agree. One calls the 10 × 15 the smallest unit worth considering, and only for compact cars. Another lists 15 ft spaces for motorcycles and 20 ft spaces for standard cars, sedans, SUVs and pickups. A third says a 10 × 20 fits one vehicle and that 10 × 25 units suit vehicles, a boat and ATVs. Another says 30 ft spaces fit most large RVs and boats.

Because of this, treat the calculator as a starting point. It does not check the door opening, and roll-up doors can be narrower and lower than the room inside. Confirm the width and height of the door and the room with the facility before you book.

Sources (checked 15 October 2026): cubesmart.com · storagecafe.com · uhaul.com · publicstorage.com · aws.state.ak.us · hireahelper.com · hondanews.com · fromtheroad.ford.com · tsishipping.com · thumbtack.com · redfin.com · storagecafe.com

Worked examples

InputResult
Vehicle 16 ft 3.7 in × 6 ft 1.3 in, 24 in at the ends, 12 in each side10 × 20 ft unit
Vehicle 15 ft 4.8 in × 5 ft 10.9 in, 24 in at the ends, 12 in each side10 × 20 ft unit
Vehicle 20 ft 3.9 in × 6 ft 7.9 in, 24 in at the ends, 12 in each side10 × 25 ft unit
Vehicle 7 ft 2.9 in × 2 ft 8.4 in, 24 in at the ends, 12 in each side10 × 15 ft unit
Vehicle 16 ft 4.9 in × 6 ft 2.8 in, 36 in at the ends, 12 in each side10 × 20 ft unit

Calculated by the tool above; open it with the same values to see each step.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 10 × 20 unit big enough for a standard car?

With default clearances, the midsize sedan preset needs a 10 × 20 ft unit, and it has 20.3 in of length to spare. Some operator guides also list a 10 × 20 as a fit for a standard car. Enter your own measurements to check your vehicle.

Does the calculator check whether my vehicle will fit through the door?

No. The tool does not check the door opening. Roll-up doors can be narrower and lower than the room inside, so confirm the width and height with the facility.

What do the messages about wider or longer vehicles mean?

If the width needed is more than 120 in, the result says it is wider than a 10 ft unit. If the length needed is more than 360 in, it says the vehicle is longer than a 10 × 30. In both cases, ask the facility whether it has larger spaces.

Why does the tool warn that my width is larger than my length?

The warning usually means the two values were entered in the wrong boxes. Check your entries and swap them if needed.

Should I include the mirrors when I measure the width?

The calculator uses whatever width you type, and mirrors add to the width. The preset widths come from the makers’ spec pages, which do not always say whether mirrors are included. Measure both ways if you are unsure, and compare the spare width in the table.

Does the tool store my measurements?

No. Nothing is stored or uploaded. The calculator runs in your browser, and you can use it without signing up.