What Size Carport Do I Need?
Buying Guide ·
The right carport size comes down to two things: what you are covering and how much clearance you want around it. Size up rather than down — the extra room for opening doors, walking around, and future vehicles costs far less than rebuilding. This guide gives rough guidance for a car, two cars, an RV, or a boat, then maps it onto the real kit tiers.
Start with clearance, not just the vehicle
A common mistake is sizing a carport to the exact footprint of the vehicle. In practice you want a couple of feet of clearance on each side to open doors and move around, plus extra length so the vehicle sits fully under cover with room to load and unload. Height matters too — plan for the tallest thing you will ever park, including roof racks, antennas, and trailers.
Rough guidance by what you are parking
One car
A typical passenger car is about 6 to 7 feet wide and 15 to 18 feet long. For comfortable single coverage, most people want roughly a 12-foot-wide by 20-foot-long footprint — enough to open both doors and still stay under the roof. A pickup truck pushes the length and height up, so account for that if a truck is in the picture.
Two cars
Two vehicles side by side need enough width to open the inner doors without them meeting in the middle — generally at least 18 to 20 feet wide, with more being noticeably more comfortable. Length is similar to a single carport. If you also want a little storage or walk-around space at one end, plan for it in the width or length now.
RV
RVs are all about height and length. Many motorhomes and fifth wheels stand 11 to 13.5 feet tall, so generous overhead clearance is the first priority — measure your unit including any roof-mounted air conditioners. Lengths vary widely, from around 20 feet up past 40, and you want several feet beyond the bumper so the whole rig parks under cover. Do not forget slide-outs and awnings when planning width.
Boat
For a boat, measure the boat and the trailer together — the trailer tongue can add several feet of length you might otherwise miss. Height is driven by a T-top, tower, or antenna rather than the hull, and a little extra width makes it easier to walk around the boat while it is parked. As with an RV, err long.
Match it to a kit tier
Our carports come in four sizes, from a 1-car up to a 4-car, and each size is offered in a Standard and a Heavy-Duty line. Every kit is pre-engineered and permit-ready, rated to 185 MPH wind and 60 PSF snow. The table below shows the starting price for each; your final dimensions and quote are confirmed for your exact vehicles and site.
| Kit size | Standard from | Heavy-Duty from | Rough fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Car | From $6,400 | From $6,400 | A single vehicle or a workshop bay |
| 2-Car | From $7,200 | From $8,800 | Two vehicles side by side |
| 3-Car | From $10,070 | From $12,300 | Three vehicles, or extra clearance around two |
| 4-Car | From $10,815 | From $13,250 | The widest span in the line |
Need something wider than a 4-car, or a custom bay arrangement? The kits use a modular design so multiple units can be linked together for a larger footprint without a fully custom price. If your RV or boat pushes past the standard sizes, that is the path to more room.
A quick sizing checklist
- Measure the length, width, and height of everything you will park — including racks, trailers, and antennas.
- Add clearance: about 2 to 3 feet of width for doors and walking, and extra length for loading.
- Size for the future, not just today's vehicle — the next truck or RV is usually bigger.
- Confirm height for the tallest item; RVs and boats on trailers are the usual surprise.