How tall is a parking garage — and will your vehicle fit? Here are the standard clearance heights, what they mean by garage age, typical vehicle heights, and how to check a specific garage before you drive.
| Garage type | Typical clearance |
|---|---|
| Ordinary space (common code minimum) | 7'0" (84") |
| ADA van-accessible route (federal ADA) | 8'2" (98") min |
| Older / downtown decks | 6'8" – 7'6" |
| Modern / suburban garages | 7'6" – 8'2" |
| Airport & mixed-use structures | 7'0" – 8'2" |
These are typical figures. The actual limit varies by the structure's age, location, and local code — and the posted sign at the entrance is the authoritative number.
Approximate stock heights. Measure your own vehicle — roof racks, antennas, cargo boxes, lift kits, and rooftop A/C units all add inches the spec sheet doesn't list.
| Vehicle | Typical height |
|---|---|
| Sedan | 4'8" – 5'0" |
| SUV / crossover | 5'6" – 6'0" |
| Minivan | 5'8" – 5'10" |
| Pickup (stock) | 5'8" – 6'6" |
| Cargo van — low roof | 6'8" – 7'2" |
| Cargo van — medium / standard roof | 8'0" – 8'6" |
| High-roof van (Sprinter / Transit / ProMaster) | 8'9" – 9'4" |
| Class B camper van | 8'6" – 10'0" |
| U-Haul / box truck | 9'6" – 13'6" |
| Class C RV | 10'0" – 11'6" |
Green usually clears a 7' garage · amber is a close call (check the sign) · red typically won't fit a standard garage.
Leave yourself margin. A posted clearance is the lowest point on a beam or pipe that may sag, ice up, or sit lower than the sign suggests. We recommend keeping at least 6 inches between your true height and the posted clearance — and never trusting a number you didn't read off the sign yourself. A wrong guess costs a torn-off A/C unit, a peeled roof, or worse.
The 8'2" (98 inch) figure comes from the federal 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design: van-accessible parking spaces, their access aisles, and the vehicular route serving them must provide at least 98 inches of vertical clearance so wheelchair-lift vans can pass (see the U.S. Access Board's parking guide). 7'0" is the clearance commonly designed for ordinary spaces. Some states go further — California, for example, applies the 8'2" requirement to every accessible space, not just van spaces.
WillIFit.ai tracks 8,800+ parking garages, tunnels, and low bridges across 226 US cities — many with clearances read straight from the posted sign in Google Street View. Enter your height and see what fits.
Check a garage near you →Most US garages post between 6'8" and 8'2". The common code minimum for an ordinary space is 7'0" (84 inches); garages serving ADA van-accessible parking must provide 8'2" (98 inches) along the route to those spaces. The posted sign is always the authoritative number.
About 7'0" (84 inches) for ordinary spaces under typical US codes, and 8'2" (98 inches) along ADA van-accessible routes under federal rules. Older garages can be lower — some post as little as 6'8".
Usually not. High-roof Sprinter, Transit, and ProMaster vans stand roughly 8'9"–9'4" — above the typical 7'0"–8'2" garage clearance. Even medium-roof cargo vans (~8') often won't clear. Check the posted limit first.
Almost never. Class B camper vans run ~8'6"–10' and Class C RVs ~10'–11'6", far above typical garage clearances. Look for surface lots or oversized-vehicle parking instead.
Enter your vehicle's height on WillIFit.ai and it shows the garages, tunnels, and low bridges that clear it across 226 US cities — many AI-verified from Google Street View signage.