Standard shipping container dimensions are 8 ft wide and 8 ft 6 in tall outside, in two lengths, 20 ft and 40 ft, and the 40ft high cube is 9 ft 6 in tall. Inside, the walls, floor and door frame take about 4 inches of width, 8 inches of height and 6 to 8 inches of length, so a 20ft gives you roughly 19 ft 4 in by 7 ft 8 in by 7 ft 10 in to actually use.
Those inside numbers and the door opening decide whether your mower, pallets or truck will fit. The chart below gives all of them in feet and inches and in meters, followed by what fits through the door.
Shipping container dimensions chart
| Spec | 10ft | 20ft standard | 40ft standard | 40ft high cube |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outside length | 10' (about 3.0 m) | 20' (19'10.5", 6.06 m) | 40' (12.19 m) | 40' (12.19 m) |
| Outside width | 8' (2.44 m) | 8' (2.44 m) | 8' (2.44 m) | 8' (2.44 m) |
| Outside height | 8'6" (2.59 m) | 8'6" (2.59 m) | 8'6" (2.59 m) | 9'6" (2.90 m) |
| Inside length, about | 9'3" (2.82 m) | 19'4" (5.90 m) | 39'5" (12.03 m) | 39'5" (12.03 m) |
| Inside width, about | 7'8" (2.35 m) | 7'8" (2.35 m) | 7'8" (2.35 m) | 7'8" (2.35 m) |
| Inside height, about | 7'10" (2.39 m) | 7'10" (2.39 m) | 7'10" (2.39 m) | 8'10" (2.70 m) |
| Door opening W x H, about | 7'8" x 7'5" (2.34 x 2.28 m) | 7'8" x 7'5" (2.34 x 2.28 m) | 7'8" x 7'5" (2.34 x 2.28 m) | 7'8" x 8'5" (2.34 x 2.58 m) |
| Floor area, about | 70 sq ft (6.5 m2) | 150 sq ft (13.9 m2) | 300 sq ft (28 m2) | 300 sq ft (28 m2) |
| Volume, about | 560 cu ft (15.9 m3) | 1,170 cu ft (33.2 m3) | 2,390 cu ft (67.7 m3) | 2,690 cu ft (76.3 m3) |
| Empty weight, about | 2,500 to 3,000 lb | 4,800 to 5,100 lb | 8,000 to 8,400 lb | 8,600 to 8,900 lb |
Outside sizes follow ISO 668, and inside figures are typical of manufacturer spec sheets. Inside measurements vary by an inch or so with the manufacturer and age, and 10ft boxes vary more because many are cut down from a longer container or built for storage. Width stays the same across all four sizes: 8 ft outside and about 7 ft 8 in inside.
20ft container dimensions
Outside, a 20ft is 20 ft long, 8 ft wide and 8 ft 6 in tall. Inside it's about 19 ft 4 in by 7 ft 8 in by 7 ft 10 in, with a door opening about 7 ft 8 in wide by 7 ft 5 in high. That's about 150 sq ft of floor and 1,170 cu ft of space, and it weighs about 4,800 to 5,100 lb empty.
This is the box most people picture. It holds roughly the contents of a one-car garage, or 9 standard 48 x 40 pallets (10 only with a mixed layout), and it suits most driveways, because a tilt-bed truck needs only about 60 to 100 ft of straight approach to drop one. 20ft containers are the most common size for home storage, small farms and jobsites.
Under the ISO standard, a "20ft" container is actually 19 ft 10.5 in long. The inch and a half missing from each box leaves a 3 in gap when two 20s sit end to end in a 40ft slot on a ship, and that's where the locking hardware goes. For your driveway, 20 ft is close enough.
40ft container dimensions
Outside, a 40ft is 40 ft long, 8 ft wide and 8 ft 6 in tall. Inside it's about 39 ft 5 in by 7 ft 8 in by 7 ft 10 in, with the same 7 ft 8 in by 7 ft 5 in door opening as a 20. That's about 300 sq ft and 2,390 cu ft, and it weighs about 8,000 to 8,400 lb empty.
A 40ft container gives about double the floor of a 20ft, holds about 20 standard pallets and usually costs well under double the price, which makes it the better buy per square foot if your site can take it. The truck needs roughly 100 to 150 ft of straight, clear approach, and the box itself is about as long as two full-size pickups parked nose to tail.
40ft high cube dimensions
Outside, a high cube is 40 ft long, 8 ft wide and 9 ft 6 in tall. Inside it's about 39 ft 5 in by 7 ft 8 in by 8 ft 10 in, with a door opening about 7 ft 8 in wide by 8 ft 5 in high. That's about 300 sq ft and 2,690 cu ft, and it weighs about 8,600 to 8,900 lb empty.
The only difference from a standard 40 is one foot of height, which adds about 13 percent more volume and a foot to the door opening. That foot is why the 40ft high cube is the usual pick for workshops, offices and anything with tall shelving, because after insulation and a ceiling you can still stand up straight. Most new 40s are built as high cubes, so it's also the easiest new 40 to find. The high cube vs standard guide covers when the extra height is worth paying for.
10ft container dimensions
Outside, a 10ft is 10 ft long, 8 ft wide and 8 ft 6 in tall. Inside it's about 9 ft 3 in by 7 ft 8 in by 7 ft 10 in, with the standard door opening. That's about 70 sq ft and 560 cu ft, and it weighs about 2,500 to 3,000 lb empty.
A 10ft has roughly the floor of a large garden shed, and it's the answer for a tight side yard or a small lot where a 20 won't go. Before you order one, know that 10ft boxes are rarely used in shipping. Many are built new for storage and others are cut down from a 20 or 40, so the specs vary more than the chart suggests. Supply is patchy too, and the price often lands close to a 20ft. Ask for one when the space demands it.
Door opening sizes
Standard cargo doors give an opening about 7 ft 8 in wide by 7 ft 5 in high on every standard-height container, and 7 ft 8 in by 8 ft 5 in on a high cube. Each door leaf is about 4 ft wide and swings outward, so leave at least 4 ft clear in front of the doors, and more if you'll carry things in.
What fits through, using typical vehicle and equipment sizes:
| Item | Typical size | Fits a standard door? |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 48 x 40 in pallet | 4' x 3'4" | Yes, two side by side with the 40 in sides across |
| Zero-turn mower, 60 in deck | about 5'6" wide, 6'6" long | Yes |
| Side-by-side UTV | about 5'4" wide, 10 to 12' long | Yes, in a 20ft |
| Mid-size sedan | about 6' wide with mirrors folded, 15 to 16'4" long | Yes, in a 20ft, with about 9 in each side |
| Full-size crew cab pickup | about 6'8" to 7' wide with mirrors folded, 19 to 20' long | Through the door, yes, but it's too long for a 20ft in practice, so plan on a 40ft |
| Standard-roof cargo van | about 6'11" to 7' tall | Tight on a 7'5" door; measure the roof rack |
| High-roof cargo van | about 8'4" to 9'2" tall | No on a standard door, and only the lower ones fit an 8'5" high cube door |
Vehicle figures are typical and vary by model, so measure yours, including mirrors and roof accessories. Width is rarely the problem. Length is what catches people with trucks, and height is what catches people with vans.
Interior vs exterior: where the inches go
The side walls are corrugated steel set inside the frame, and between the corrugation and the posts the box loses a little under 2 inches each side, so the 96 in outside width becomes about 92 in inside.
Height loses more. Of the 102 in outside height on a standard box, about 6 inches sit under the floor in the steel cross members and the inch-and-an-eighth plywood deck, and another inch or two goes to the roof, leaving about 94 in inside. The high cube starts 12 in taller and loses the same amount, so its inside height is about 8 ft 10 in.
Length loses about 6 inches to the front end wall and the door assembly. On a 20ft the nominal length is already an inch and a half short, so 20 ft outside becomes about 19 ft 4 in inside.
In practice, measure what you're storing against the inside figures and the door opening, and keep the outside ones for planning the site. A 20ft gives you a 19 ft 4 in space with a 7 ft 5 in doorway.
Square feet and cubic feet by size
| Size | Floor, about | Volume, about | What that holds, typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10ft | 70 sq ft | 560 cu ft | A large shed's worth, or about 100 medium moving boxes with room to reach them |
| 20ft | 150 sq ft | 1,170 cu ft | A one-car garage, 9 pallets (10 with a mixed layout), or roughly a two- to three-bedroom home's furniture by movers' rule of thumb |
| 40ft | 300 sq ft | 2,390 cu ft | A two-car garage, about 20 pallets, or a four-bedroom home or a small business's inventory |
| 40ft high cube | 300 sq ft | 2,690 cu ft | Same floor as a 40ft with 13 percent more volume for tall shelving |
To check the arithmetic, a 20ft is about 232 in long, 92 in wide and 94 in high inside, which comes to about 1,160 cu ft. Spec sheets list about 1,170 because the true inside measurements run a fraction of an inch over those rounded figures. A medium moving box is about 3 cu ft, so in theory the container holds nearly 400 of them stacked solid, but with an aisle and real-world packing you should plan on 200 to 250.
Floor area matters most for shelving and workshops, and volume matters most for boxes and bulk. If you're between two sizes, the which size you need guide walks through the choice by use, and how much each size weighs matters for the ground under it and for anyone moving it later.
Frequently asked questions
How wide is a shipping container?
Every length is 8 ft wide outside and about 7 ft 8 in wide inside, and the door opening is also about 7 ft 8 in wide. Width is the one dimension that stays the same across a 10, a 20, a 40 and a high cube.
How tall is a shipping container?
A standard container is 8 ft 6 in tall outside and about 7 ft 10 in inside. A high cube is 9 ft 6 in outside and about 8 ft 10 in inside. Door openings are about 7 ft 5 in and 8 ft 5 in high respectively.
Are all shipping containers the same dimensions?
Very nearly. ISO 668 fixes the outside dimensions, so 20ft and 40ft boxes from any manufacturer match to within a fraction of an inch. Inside figures vary slightly with the wall and floor construction, and 10ft containers vary the most because they aren't a standard shipping size.
Will a car fit in a shipping container?
Usually, yes. A mid-size sedan fits in a 20ft with the mirrors folded, with roughly 9 in of clearance each side through the 7 ft 8 in door. A full-size crew cab pickup is 19 to 20 ft long and needs a 40ft. Measure your vehicle's width with the mirrors folded and its height including any rack.
How much floor space is in a 40ft container?
About 300 sq ft, from an inside floor of 39 ft 5 in by 7 ft 8 in. A 40ft high cube has the same floor and only adds height, which takes the volume from about 2,390 to about 2,690 cu ft.
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