Quick answer
What are standard elevator cab dimensions?
A standard passenger elevator cab is about 68 to 80 in wide, 51 to 68 in deep, and 90 to 96 in tall (1.7 to 2.0 m wide, 1.3 to 1.7 m deep, 2.3 to 2.4 m tall), giving roughly 24 to 38 sq ft of floor area. Freight cabs are far larger, 48 sq ft and up. The cab interior is the clear box a load must fit inside once it is through the door.
Size reference
Cab interior by elevator type.
| Elevator type | Cab width | Cab depth | Cab height | Floor area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private home elevator | 36-48 in (91-122 cm) | 48-60 in (122-152 cm) | 80-96 in (203-244 cm) | 12-20 sq ft |
| Residential passenger | 68 in (173 cm) | 51 in (130 cm) | 90-96 in (229-244 cm) | 24 sq ft |
| Commercial passenger | 80 in (203 cm) | 51-68 in (130-173 cm) | 96 in (244 cm) | 28-38 sq ft |
| Service / hospital | 60-80 in (152-203 cm) | 80-101 in (203-257 cm) | 96 in (244 cm) | 40-56 sq ft |
| Freight | 72-120 in (183-305 cm) | 96-144 in (244-366 cm) | 96-144 in (244-366 cm) | 48-120 sq ft |
Floor area is the usable cab footprint. A load that fits the floor area flat does not need tilting; a taller item can still go in stood on end if its length is under the cab height.
Quick lookups
Quick fit-check examples.
Elevator cab size
The cab is the interior box, measured separately from the door. A residential passenger cab is about 68 by 51 in with a 90 to 96 in ceiling, roughly 24 sq ft of floor. Commercial cabs widen to 80 in and deepen with capacity. The cab height is what lets you stand a mattress, headboard, or tall bookcase on end once it is through the door.
What is the usable floor of an elevator cab
Floor area decides whether a piece can lie flat. A 24 sq ft residential cab (68 by 51 in) takes a coffee table or a folded treadmill flat but needs a sofa stood on end. A service or freight cab with 48 sq ft or more takes most furniture flat, which is why movers ask for those. The door opening still gates what reaches the floor in the first place.
Measure smart
What to measure.
Four numbers decide nearly every fit check. Get these right and the rest follows.
- 01Width, depth, and height of the item, taken at the widest points, including any feet, handles, or protrusions.
- 02The clear opening of every space the item passes through, measured at the tightest point rather than the nominal size.
- 03The item's smallest dimension, which decides whether tilting or turning it on edge gets it through.
- 04Diagonal clearance at turns, landings, and openings, where the real bottleneck usually is.
Don't make these
Common mistakes.
Most “it didn't fit” stories trace back to one of these oversights.
- ⚠Trusting the printed or nominal size instead of measuring the item and the space yourself.
- ⚠Measuring the frame or outer edge instead of the actual clear opening.
- ⚠Forgetting that a long item can sometimes clear a tight space only when tilted or turned.
- ⚠Planning one space and overlooking the next one in the path.
Run a check
Related fit calculators.
Go deeper
Guides and reference tables.
Frequently asked
Questions we keep getting.
What is the standard size of an elevator cab?
A standard passenger elevator cab is about 68 to 80 inches wide, 51 to 68 inches deep, and 90 to 96 inches tall, for roughly 24 to 38 sq ft of floor. The 68 by 51 inch residential cab and the 80 by 51 inch commercial cab are the two most common.
01How much floor space is in an elevator cab?
A residential passenger cab has about 24 sq ft of floor (68 by 51 inches). Commercial cabs run 28 to 38 sq ft, service cabs 40 to 56 sq ft, and freight cabs 48 sq ft and up. Floor area decides whether a load can lie flat.
02How tall is the inside of an elevator?
Passenger elevator cabs are 90 to 96 inches (7.5 to 8 ft) tall inside. The ceiling height is what lets you stand a long item, such as a mattress or headboard, on end once it is through the door.
03What is the difference between the cab and the door dimensions?
The cab is the interior box a load sits in; the door is the opening it passes through. The door is always narrower than the cab, so the door usually limits wide flat items while the cab height limits tall items stood on end. Check both.
04Will a mattress fit in an elevator cab?
A queen mattress (60 by 80 inches) fits in most passenger cabs stood on its side, because the 80 inch mattress length clears the 90 to 96 inch cab height and the 60 inch width fits the cab depth or width. A king (76 by 80 inches) is tighter and needs a cab at least 76 inches across. Measure the door opening too.
05
Standards Referenced
- ASME A17.1Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators View source
- ADA 407Elevator accessibility — cab size, door width, and controls View source
- ANSI A117.1Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities View source
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