How Big Is a Parking Space? Parking Space Dimensions in Georgia

Georgia has no single statewide parking space size. The zoning code of the city or county where the lot sits sets the minimum stall and aisle. In this part of Georgia, those minimums run about 8.5 to 9 feet wide and 19 to 20 feet long. Two-way drive aisles run 24 feet.

Douglas County wants every space at least 9 feet wide by 20 feet long. Cobb County and the City of Kennesaw want 8 feet 6 inches by 19 feet for a 90-degree stall. Both also set a 162 square foot minimum for that stall. All three set 24 feet as the aisle behind 90-degree stalls. Douglas County allows 22 feet when that aisle runs one way. Accessible spaces follow the 2010 ADA Standards.

These numbers decide how many stalls fit on a lot. They come first in any parking lot striping job, on a brand new lot or one due for fresh paint.

What do the local codes require for a parking space?

Your local zoning code sets the size. Land outside city limits usually follows the county’s code. A lot inside a city usually falls under that city’s code, which can differ from the county around it. The City of Kennesaw has its own zoning code, and its stall and aisle numbers match Cobb County’s.

Here is how three codes in this part of Georgia compare for a standard 90-degree stall:

Douglas County’s Unified Development Code adds that aisles may not cut into that 9 by 20 foot rectangle. Cobb County’s zoning code also measures its stall exclusive of the passageway.

Half a foot sounds small, but it adds up across a row. Ten stalls at 9 feet wide take up 90 feet along the row. At 8 feet 6 inches, the same ten stalls take up 85 feet.

How wide should a parking lot aisle be?

The aisle is the drive lane between rows of stalls. Its width depends on the stall angle and on whether traffic runs one way or both ways. A car turning into a 90-degree stall makes a sharp turn, so it needs the most room. At a shallow angle the turn is gentler, and the aisle can be narrower.

Douglas County’s Unified Development Code sets one-way aisle widths by angle:

• 1 to 30 degree parking: at least 11 feet
• 31 to 45 degree parking: at least 13 feet
• 46 to 60 degree parking: at least 18 feet
• 61 to 90 degree parking: at least 22 feet

Any aisle that is not one-way needs at least 24 feet. One-way aisles also need directional arrows on the pavement at each spot where they meet another aisle.

Cobb County’s zoning code ties the angled stall and its passageway together:

• 60 degrees: at least 176 square feet, 8 feet 6 inches wide by 20 feet 8 inches deep, with a passageway of at least 18 feet 6 inches
• 45 degrees: at least 165 square feet, 8 feet 6 inches wide by 19 feet 5 inches deep, with a passageway of at least 13 feet 6 inches

Kennesaw’s code uses the same angled figures. Angled stalls with a one-way aisle can fit a lot too narrow for a 24-foot two-way aisle. The tradeoff is that drivers can only travel each aisle in one direction.

What else shapes a parking lot layout?

Stall and aisle sizes are only part of the plan. Douglas County’s code adds rules for how the lot meets the street:

• Cars must be able to turn around on the lot, so no one backs into the street when leaving.
• No stall may open off the entrance drive within the first 30 feet back from the street right-of-way line.
• Entrance drives must meet the same minimum widths as the aisles.

A site plan pulls these rules together. On a new lot, the site plan comes from the owner’s engineer or design professional. It usually goes through the local planning or building office before work starts.

How big is an accessible or van parking space?

Accessible spaces have their own width rules, set by the 2010 ADA Standards:

• Car spaces: at least 96 inches (8 feet) wide
• Van spaces: at least 132 inches (11 feet) wide
• Access aisles: at least 60 inches (5 feet) wide
• Van count: at least one van space for every six accessible spaces, or fraction of six

Douglas County’s own code still says accessible spaces get a 5-foot aisle, and one in every 8 gets an 8-foot aisle as a van space. The same section also requires accessible parking to meet the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the Georgia Accessibility Code. So the stricter federal count of one van space in six is the one that governs. This is a plain reading of the two rules, not legal advice.

Our guide to ADA parking space requirements in Georgia covers the count, signs and slope.

What marking rules apply to parking lot lines?

The codes expect the lines to be there and to stay readable:

• Douglas County: every space must be clearly marked by lines painted on or otherwise applied to the lot surface.
• Cobb County: all spaces must be marked with paint lines, curbstones or other similar designations.
• Cartersville: each off-street space must be clearly marked, with directional arrows or signs wherever needed. The markings must be kept up. The rule leaves out required parking at single-family homes.

Cartersville’s zoning ordinance also covers the surface. Outside single-family districts, parking, loading and service areas must be drained. They must be paved with a material such as concrete, asphalt or pavers. A gravel driveway at a single-family home needs a concrete or asphalt paved apron where it meets the road. That apron must be at least 5 feet long.

Do you have to restripe to the current code when you sealcoat?

After sealcoating, the old lines are covered and the lot gets restriped. New pavement comes out with no lines at all. Either way, the restripe is the time to check the layout against the code.

If the layout is not changing, the new lines usually go back where the old ones were. If you want to change stall sizes, aisles or the stall count, check your zoning code first. Ask the city or county planning office whether the change needs a plan review.

Check the accessible spaces on every restripe. The Justice Department says a business that restripes its lot must provide the accessible spaces the 2010 ADA Standards require. Our ADA guide explains that rule and the count.

Who lays out and stripes the lot?

We stripe parking lots with traffic paint. On new pavement, we paint to the approved site plan. On a restripe, we follow the layout already on the lot. We adjust it where the code or the ADA count calls for a change.

A new layout comes from the owner’s site plan or engineer, and we paint what the plan shows. Signs and posts are separate work, so plan for someone else to set those.

We also handle the pavement under the lines: parking lot paving, patching and sealcoating before the striping goes down. We come out, look at the lot and give you an estimate. Call or text (706) 844-2123, or request an estimate.