How Many Porta Potties Do I Need? Calculator & Chart
Enter your guests and hours, or your crew size, and get a unit count with the math shown. Charts for parties, weddings and job sites below.
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- Delivery areaEvery count here can be delivered within 80 miles of Portland.
- ArrivalLarge orders: book a week ahead. Small orders: same-day.
- Which unitStandard units for counts; add accessible and sink units.
- CleaningEvents over 2 days need a mid-event service.
- Full costUnits on one trip share one delivery charge.
How many porta potties do I need for my event?
An event needs 1 porta potty for every 50 guests for a 4-hour event, which equals 1 unit per 200 guest-hours. A 150-guest, 6-hour event needs 5 units. Add 1 unit for every 5 when alcohol is served. Make at least 5 percent of units, and at least 1, wheelchair-accessible.
Porta potty chart by guests and hours
The porta potty chart below shows standard units needed by guest count and event length, with no alcohol. Read across from your guest count to your event length. A 200-guest, 8-hour event needs 8 units. Add units for alcohol and accessible needs using the steps above.
| Guests | 2 hrs | 4 hrs | 6 hrs | 8 hrs | 10 hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 50 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 100 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 150 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
| 200 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| 300 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 400 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 500 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| 750 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 30 | 38 |
| 1000 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
Standard units, no alcohol. Worked example: 300 guests × 6 hours = 1,800 guest-hours ÷ 200 = 9 units. With a bar, add 9 ÷ 5 = 1 (rounded down), for 10 units.
How many porta potties does a construction crew need?
A construction crew of 20 or fewer workers needs at least 1 toilet under OSHA Table D-1. For a unit cleaned once a week, plan 1 porta potty per 10 workers on a 40-hour week. A crew of 25 working 50-hour weeks needs 25 ÷ 10 × 50 ÷ 40 = 3.1, rounded up to 4 units.
| Workers | OSHA minimum (Table D-1) | Recommended, weekly service, 40 hrs |
|---|---|---|
| 1–20 | 1 toilet | 1 unit per 10 workers (1–2) |
| 21–199 | 1 seat + 1 urinal per 40 workers | 1 unit per 10 workers |
| 200+ | 1 seat + 1 urinal per 50 workers | Site plan with 2 services/week |
Legal minimum: OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51. Farms: 1 toilet and 1 hand-washing facility per 20 workers within a quarter-mile walk, per OSHA 1928.110. The recommendation is ours. Not legal advice; confirm with your safety officer.
Sizing questions
How many porta potties do I need for 100 guests?
100 guests for a 4-hour event need 2 porta potties. For 8 hours, plan 4. If alcohol is served, add 1 unit to the 4-hour count, for 3.
How many porta potties do I need for 50 people?
50 people for up to 4 hours need 1 porta potty. For 6 to 8 hours, plan 2. A deluxe unit with a sink works well for a 50-person backyard party.
How many porta potties for 10 workers?
10 workers on a 40-hour week need 1 porta potty cleaned weekly. That is also above the OSHA minimum, which is 1 toilet for 20 or fewer workers.
How many porta potties for 500 people?
500 people for 4 hours need 10 porta potties, plus 1 for every 5 if alcohol is served, which brings the total to 12. At least 1 unit in each cluster should be wheelchair-accessible, and an all-day event needs a mid-day service.
Do women need more porta potties than men?
Women take longer per visit on average, so events with mostly female guests, such as showers and many weddings, should add 1 unit to the chart count. Units with urinals help mostly male crowds move faster.
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(615) 237-6088- Same-day delivery available on most days
- One itemized price: unit, days, delivery, pickup and servicing
- Weekend events: drop-off Friday, pickup Monday