Open Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
How Many Porta Potties Do I Need? Calculator and Charts
How many porta potties do you need? Enter your guest or crew count in the calculator below. It shows toilets, wheelchair-accessible units and hand-wash stations, using the same method we use to size Gulf Coast events.
How many porta potties do I need for my event or job site?
Most events need 1 porta potty per 50 guests for up to 4 hours, or 1 per 40 guests for 4–8 hours. Add 1 unit for each full 100 guests when alcohol is served. Job sites follow OSHA: 1 toilet for 20 or fewer workers. Enter your numbers below for a full count.
The calculator gives an estimate. Your permit office or general contractor may require more units, and their number wins.
What rules does the event calculator use?
The event calculator uses 4 rules. Toilets per guest depend on event length. Alcohol adds 1 unit for each full 100 guests. At least 1 unit in every cluster is wheelchair-accessible, and at least 5%. Food service adds 1 hand-wash station per 4 toilets, minimum 1.
| Event length | Toilets per guest | Add for alcohol | Accessible units | Hand-wash with food |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 4 hours | 1 per 50 guests (round up) | 1 per full 100 guests | At least 1 per cluster, and at least 5% | 1 station per 4 toilets (minimum 1) |
| 4–8 hours | 1 per 40 guests | 1 per full 100 guests | At least 1 per cluster, and at least 5% | 1 station per 4 toilets (minimum 1) |
| Over 8 hours or multi-day | 1 per 30 guests per day, or add a mid-event service visit | 1 per full 100 guests | At least 1 per cluster, and at least 5% | 1 station per 4 toilets (minimum 1) |
| Guests | Up to 4 hours | 4–8 hours | 4–8 hours with alcohol | Accessible (min.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 75 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 150 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 300 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 1 |
| 600 | 12 | 15 | 21 | 2 |
The 5% accessible rule comes from the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, section 213.2: where single-user portable toilets are clustered, at least 5% of each cluster must be accessible. Pick accessible units on the wheelchair-accessible porta potty page and sinks on the hand-washing station page.
How does the math work for a wedding, a festival and a work crew?
Three worked examples show the method with whole units. A 150-guest wedding of 5 hours with a bar needs 5 toilets and 2 hand-wash stations. A 300-person, 8-hour festival with beer needs 11 toilets. A 35-worker crew meets OSHA with 1 unit, but runs better with 4.
| Worked example | Math | Order |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding: 150 guests, 5 hours, bar and dinner | 150 ÷ 40 = 3.75, round up to 4. Alcohol: 1 extra for 1 full 100 guests. Total 5. Accessible: 5% of 5, round up to 1. Hand-wash: 5 ÷ 4, round up to 2. | 5 toilets (1 wheelchair-accessible) + 2 hand-wash stations |
| Festival: 300 people, 8 hours, beer and food | 300 ÷ 40 = 7.5, round up to 8. Alcohol: 3 extra for 3 full hundreds. Total 11. Accessible: 5% of 11, round up to 1 per cluster. Hand-wash: 11 ÷ 4, round up to 3. | 11 toilets (at least 1 accessible in each cluster) + 3 hand-wash stations |
| Construction crew: 35 workers, 40-hour week | OSHA Table D-1, 20 or more workers: 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 40 workers. 35 ÷ 40 rounds up to 1 of each. Our recommendation: 35 ÷ 10 = 3.5, round up to 4. | Legal minimum: 1 standard unit (it has a seat and a urinal). Recommended: 4 units with weekly service |
Planning a reception? The wedding restroom rental page compares deluxe units and trailers. Festivals and parties are on the event porta potty rental page.
How many porta potties does OSHA require on a construction site?
OSHA requires 1 toilet for 20 or fewer workers. For 20 or more workers, the rule is 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 40 workers. For 200 or more, it is 1 seat and 1 urinal per 50. That is the legal minimum. We recommend 1 unit per 10 workers.
| Workers on site | OSHA minimum (29 CFR 1926.51, Table D-1) | Our recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 20 or fewer | 1 toilet | 1 unit per 10 workers on a 40-hour week, serviced weekly |
| 20 or more | 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 40 workers | 1 unit per 10 workers on a 40-hour week, serviced weekly |
| 200 or more | 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 50 workers | 1 unit per 10 workers on a 40-hour week, serviced weekly |
Read the rule itself in 29 CFR 1926.51 on eCFR. Paragraph (f) covers washing facilities. Units used only by the construction crew do not need to be accessible under ADA 203.2. The minimum keeps you legal; the recommendation keeps lines short and units usable for a full week between services. See construction porta potty rental for weekly service details.
How many toilets do farm and field crews need?
Farm crews of 11 or more hand-labor workers need 1 toilet and 1 hand-washing facility for every 20 workers under OSHA 1928.110. Both must sit within a quarter-mile walk of the work. A 45-person picking crew needs 3 toilets and 3 hand-wash stations.
The full farm rule is in OSHA 29 CFR 1928.110, including when it applies and how the units must be kept. Units on a farm move as the crew moves, so tell us the field locations when you call.
Is the legal minimum the same as the right number?
The legal minimum is the floor, not the target. OSHA and permit offices set the fewest units you can have. Our 1-per-10 crew rule and the event method aim for short lines and units that stay usable. Always confirm the final count with your permit office or contractor.
For events on city property, the permit office has the final say. The City of Mobile event permit guide, for example, prints its own chart: 5 toilets for 1,000 people at a 4-hour event with no pumping. Gulf Coast permit rules are on the event permit restroom guide.
Porta potty count questions
Is one porta potty enough for a backyard party of 30?
One standard porta potty covers 30 guests for a party of up to 8 hours, even with beer or wine. Our alcohol add-on starts at 100 guests. Add a second unit if the party runs past 8 hours or guests line up often.
How many toilets do we need for 75 people?
For 75 guests, plan 2 toilets for up to 8 hours. Serving alcohol does not add a unit until you reach 100 guests. If the event is public, make 1 of those units wheelchair-accessible. Add 1 hand-wash station when food is served.
Do I need a handicap porta potty if I'm only renting a few?
For a public event, plan at least 1 wheelchair-accessible unit in each cluster, even a small one. At 5% per cluster, rounding up, 1 accessible unit covers a cluster of up to 20 units. A private backyard party has no such rule, but the larger unit helps older guests too.
Does the urinal in the porta potty count toward OSHA?
A standard unit has both a toilet seat and a urinal. For a crew of 20 to 40 workers, OSHA's table calls for 1 seat and 1 urinal, so 1 standard unit meets the minimum. We still recommend 1 unit per 10 workers.
Our event runs two days. Do we need double?
Over 8 hours or multi-day, plan 1 unit per 30 guests per day, or keep the lower count and add a mid-event service visit. The service visit pumps, cleans and restocks overnight. Call (228) 261-9696 and we price both ways.
How many hand-wash stations do I need?
Plan 1 hand-wash station for every 4 toilets when food is served, with a minimum of 1. Each 2-sink station handles nearly 350 uses per fill, per the manufacturer. For a 5-toilet wedding, that is 2 stations.
Get an itemized quote
Six quick fields. We call back with a full price, usually within 30 minutes during business hours.
Book the right number of porta potties
Tell us your guest or crew count and event hours. We check the count with you and quote toilets, accessible units and hand-wash stations on one itemized price.
(228) 261-9696Monday–Saturday, 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. · Closed Sunday
- Same-day delivery in Gulfport when you call by 11 a.m.
- One itemized price: delivery, pickup, service, tax
- Weekly cleaning on monthly rentals
- Local and owner-run: Joaquin answers most calls himself