If you’ve ever priced out a carport for your home, business, or fleet, you’ve probably asked the same question I get every week from new and returning customers: “What’s the standard size of a single-sided carport?” As a single-sided carport supplier with 12 years in the trade, I don’t just pull numbers out of thin air. Every dimension we offer for our single-sided carports is rooted in real-world use cases, building codes, and the unique needs of everything from compact sedans to work trucks. Let’s break this down in plain terms, no engineering jargon, so you can make a decision that fits your space and your vehicles. Single-sided Carport
First, let’s define what a single-sided carport actually is, because that’s where a lot of size confusion starts. Unlike a fully enclosed garage or a double-sided carport with posts on both sides, a single-sided carport has posts along one edge, with a roof that extends out over the opposite side, and an open, unenclosed side facing the post line. That open side is what makes it affordable, easy to install, and flexible for backyards, commercial parking lots, or even farm equipment storage. But it also means size isn’t one-size-fits-all—you have to account for the things that will be under it, and the space around it to pull in and out without scratching a bumper or scraping a side mirror.
When we talk about standard sizes for residential single-sided carports, that’s where most of our customers fall. For everyday passenger vehicles—think Honda Civics, Toyota Camrys, SUVs, even small pickup trucks—our most popular standard model is 12 feet wide by 20 feet long. Wait, I know what you’re thinking: 20 feet sounds tight, right? But here’s the thing: that 12-foot width is split so that the post side takes up about 1 foot of the total width, leaving 11 feet of clear roof width for the vehicle, which is exactly enough for even a full-size SUV’s side-to-side space, with a little extra room to open doors without hitting the post. The 20-foot length is non-negotiable for most standard cars: even the longest sedans and small trucks top out at around 19 feet, so leaving 1 foot of extra space at each end means you don’t have to worry about hitting the front of the car if you pull up too close, or the back if you leave a little extra room when parking.
But that’s just the base model, right? Not all vehicles fit in that. If you have a full-size pickup truck, a van, or even a small RV (think a 21-foot camper), we bump the standard residential single-sided carport up to 14 feet wide by 24 feet long. That extra 2 feet of width adds even more space between the vehicle and the post, and the extra 4 feet of length is made for those longer, heavier vehicles that don’t fit in the smaller model. A lot of our customers with work trucks or service vans go for this size because they might have ladders or toolboxes mounted on the roof that stick out a little, so the extra length at the front and back prevents those from scraping the ground or another vehicle when they pull in.
Now, if you’re a commercial customer—say you’re looking to add a carport for an apartment complex, a small business parking lot, or a fleet of delivery vans—those standard sizes go up a bit, and there are more code considerations. Local building departments have rules about carport size because they’re not permanent structures, so they can’t be too close to property lines, and their roof pitch has to be steep enough to shed snow and rain. For commercial single-sided carports, our standard for regular passenger vehicles is 16 feet wide by 25 feet long. That extra width is meant for multiple parking spots if you want to line a carport up for 2-3 cars side-by-side, which is common for small office parks. For commercial fleets, we offer a 20-foot wide by 30-foot long standard model, which fits full-size work trucks and delivery vans, and even has enough space at the back to open the rear barn doors of a cargo van for loading and unloading without leaving the carport.
Wait, but what about snow? A lot of customers in colder climates ask if standard sizes change for snowy areas. Short answer: the dimensions stay the same, but we adjust the roof pitch and post height to fit, which affects how large the overall structure feels. For example, in places like Minnesota or Maine where we get heavy snow loads, we make our standard residential carports have a 12-foot post height (that’s the height from the ground to the bottom of the roof, where the posts are) instead of the 10-foot post height we use in warmer states like Texas or Florida. That extra 2 feet of height lets snow slide off the roof easier, and gives you room to store things like a snowblower or firewood under the carport without hitting your car’s roof. The length and width of the roof stay the same, because a standard car doesn’t need more space just because it snows more.
I get a lot of questions about what’s “too small” for a single-sided carport. I once had a customer come to me asking for an 8×10 carport for his compact Smart car, and while we could build it, I always tell people that’s a bad idea. Even a small car needs at least 9 feet of clear width and 18 feet of clear length to pull in and out comfortably, without scraping the bumpers on the ground or hitting anything on the side. A standard 12×20 carport is the minimum we recommend for any passenger vehicle, and that’s the size we see most local governments approve for residential properties without needing a special permit, which is a big plus—you don’t want to spend weeks waiting for a permit just for a carport.
Another thing people don’t think about is overhang. The roof of a single-sided carport has to extend past the post side to cover the vehicle, right? The standard overhang on our carports is 1.5 feet, which is enough to keep rain and snow off the side of your car, but not so much that it blocks walkways or gets in the way when you’re pulling into the carport. If you have a driveway that’s narrow, we can adjust the overhang to be a little smaller, but I always warn against making it less than 1 foot—any less and rain will drip right onto the side of your car, leaving water spots that are hard to wash off.
Now, let’s talk about what makes our standard sizes different from what you might find at a big box store. A lot of pre-built single-sided carports from big retailers are made for temporary use, so they cut corners on dimensions to save money. You might see a 10×15 carport advertised as “standard,” but that’s barely big enough for a compact car, and it won’t last more than a year or two in wind or heavy rain. Our standard sizes are tested to withstand wind speeds up to 110 mph and snow loads up to 30 pounds per square foot, which meets most building code requirements across the country. That’s why we only offer sizes that work for both your vehicles and local regulations, not just cheap, small sizes that don’t hold up.
I had a customer last year who learned that the hard way. He bought a cheap 10×16 single-sided carport from a big box store for his two pickup trucks, and within a month, the roof started sagging because it wasn’t built for a truck’s height. He came to me looking to replace it, and we sized him up to two 14×24 standard single-sided carports, one for each truck. He told me that day he could finally open the driver’s side door without hitting the carport post, and that the roof was high enough to fit his truck’s roof rack without scraping. That’s the difference between a standard size designed for real use and a size that’s just a marketing gimmick.
So, to wrap this up, the standard size of a single-sided carport isn’t a single number—it depends on what you’re storing under it, and where you’re putting it. For residential use with 1-2 passenger cars or small SUVs, the standard is 12 feet wide by 20 feet long, with a post height of 10 feet for warm climates or 12 feet for cold, snowy areas. For full-size trucks, vans, or small work vehicles, the standard residential size is 14 feet wide by 24 feet long, same height adjustments. For commercial use, standard sizes are 16 feet wide by 25 feet long for regular parking, and 20 feet wide by 30 feet long for fleets or heavy equipment.
At the end of the day, the right size for your carport is one that fits your vehicles, works with your space, and meets local building rules. If you’re not sure which size is right for you, I always recommend measuring your car or truck first, then adding 2 feet to the length and 1 foot to the width on each side— that will give you enough room to pull in and out comfortably without scratching anything. We’ve been installing single-sided carports for over a decade, and we can help you figure out the perfect size for your needs, no matter how big or small your project is.
If you’re ready to get a quote for a custom or standard size single-sided carport, or have more questions about dimensions, materials, or installation, feel free to reach out to our team. We’re here to help you get a carport that fits your life, not the other way around.
Awning References
- International Residential Code (IRC) for Structural Loads for Carports, 2021 Edition
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Residential External Structures Guide, 2022
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 7-22 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures
- Local Building Department Standards for Single-Sided Carports in 20 U.S. Counties, 2023 Municipal Code Review
Guangdong Fanxi Youpin Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.
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