Key facts
- Up to 4 hours: 1 unit per 50 guests.
- Up to 6 hours: 1 per 40; up to 8 hours: 1 per 30.
- Alcohol: +1 unit per 4.
- Accessible: 5% per cluster, minimum 1.
- Farm crews: 1 toilet + 1 handwash per 20 workers.
How many porta potties do I need?
Plan 1 standard unit per 50 guests for up to 4 hours, 1 per 40 for up to 6 hours, and 1 per 30 for up to 8 hours. Add 1 unit for every 4 when alcohol is served. Make at least 5% accessible where required, and add 1 two-sink handwash station per 4 toilets when food is served.
Porta potty calculator
Porta potty chart by guests and hours
This chart shows standard units before alcohol and accessibility adjustments. 60 guests for 4 hours need 2 units; 150 guests for 6 hours need 4; 500 guests for 8 hours need 17. For overnight shelters and camp-outs, plan closer to 1 unit per 25 people.
| Guests | Up to 4 h | Up to 6 h | Up to 8 h |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 60 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 100 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 150 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 250 | 5 | 7 | 9 |
| 500 | 10 | 13 | 17 |
| 2000 | 40 | 50 | 67 |
Worked example: a 2,000-person festival
A festival with 2,000 people on its peak day, 7 hours, beer sold: 2,000 ÷ 30 = 66.7, so 67 units by the chart, plus 17 for alcohol. Real festivals spread arrivals across the day, which is why one 40-year festival runs well on 12 units, 3–4 handwash stations and a Saturday-night service.
How many porta potties does a work crew need?
Construction crews follow OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51: 1 toilet for 20 or fewer workers, then 1 seat and 1 urinal per 40. Farm field crews of 11 or more follow OSHA 29 CFR 1928.110: 1 toilet and 1 handwash per 20 workers within a quarter-mile walk.
Straight answers
Questions callers asked us
How many porta potties do I need for 30, 60 or 100 guests?
For a 4-hour party: 30–50 guests need 1 unit, 60–100 guests need 2, and 100–150 need 3. Add 1 unit for every 4 when alcohol is served. One caller planned 1 unit for 100 guests — we recommend 2 so the line never backs up.
Does a public event need a handicap unit?
Where portable restrooms serve the public, the 2010 ADA Standards section 213.2 calls for at least 5% of units in each cluster, and no fewer than one, to be accessible. In our call log, a 2,000-person festival had not planned any until dispatch asked. Plan at least one.
How many porta potties does my crew need?
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51 Table D-1 requires 1 toilet for 20 or fewer workers, then 1 seat and 1 urinal per 40 workers, and 1 seat and 1 urinal per 50 workers at 200 or more. Valley heat is a good reason to go above the minimum.
What do farm field crews need?
OSHA 29 CFR 1928.110 requires 1 toilet and 1 handwashing facility for every 20 field workers, within a quarter-mile walk of where they work. The rule applies when 11 or more workers are in the field. A towable unit-plus-sink setup can move with the crew between fields.
How often is the porta potty cleaned?
Units on 28-day rentals are serviced once a week: pumped, scrubbed, deodorized and restocked. Event units arrive clean and stocked. Festivals and multi-day events can add a mid-event service, such as a Saturday-night clean before a Sunday crowd.