20ft Container Dimensions
Dimensions table: standard and high cube
Both are built on the same frame, so length, width and door width match; the high cube gains a foot of height and the space that comes with it. High cube 20ft units are less common in shipping line fleets than the standard ones.
| Measurement | 20ft standard | 20ft high cube |
|---|---|---|
| Outside (L × W × H) | 19′10½″ × 8′ × 8′6″ 6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 m | 19′10½″ × 8′ × 9′6″ 6.06 × 2.44 × 2.90 m |
| Inside (L × W × H) | 19′4″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″ 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 19′4″ × 7′8½″ × 8′10″ 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.69 m |
| Door opening (W × H) | about 7′8″ × 7′6″ about 2.34 × 2.28 m | about 7′8″ × 8′6″ about 2.34 × 2.59 m |
| Inside volume | about 1,170 cu ft about 33.1 m³ | about 1,320 cu ft about 37.4 m³ |
| Floor area | about 150 sq ft about 13.9 m² | about 150 sq ft about 13.9 m² |
| US pallets (48 × 40 in), one layer | 9 | 9 |
| Empty weight (tare) | about 4,700– | about 5,100– |
| Max payload | about 62,000 lb about 28,100 kg | about 62,100 lb about 28,170 kg |
| Max gross weight | 67,200 lb 30,480 kg | 67,200 lb on most units 30,480 kg on most units |
20ft container dimensions in inches and millimeters
Shipping lines publish their sizes in millimeters, and the inside figures differ by a few millimeters from one fleet to the next, hence the ranges.
| Measurement | Inches | Millimeters | High cube |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outside length | 238½ in | 6,058 mm | Same |
| Outside width | 96 in | 2,438 mm | Same |
| Outside height | 102 in | 2,591 mm | 114 in (2,896 mm) |
| Inside length | about 232 in | 5,896– | Same |
| Inside width | about 92½ in | 2,348– | Same |
| Inside height | about 94 in | 2,385– | about 106 in (2,690– |
| Door width | about 92 in | 2,338– | Same |
| Door height | about 89½– | 2,274– | about 101¾– |
Weight and payload
Empty, a standard 20ft weighs about 4,700–5,200 lb (2,140–2,350 kg), the range across five fleets’ spec sheets, and a high cube a few hundred pounds more. Ocean fleets rate it for 67,200 lb (30,480 kg) of gross weight, box and cargo together, which leaves a payload of about 62,000 lb. The figures for a given unit are on its doors (gross, tare, net and cubic capacity) and on its safety approval plate; a few high cubes are rated lower, so check the markings.
Volume and pallets
Inside, 19′4″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″ works out to about 1,170 cu ft (33.1 m³: 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m), or 1,320 cu ft in a high cube. On the floor, 9 standard US pallets (48 × 40 in) fit in one layer when you turn one row: five along one wall with their 40-inch side lengthwise, four along the other with the 48-inch side lengthwise, for 88 inches across the 92½-inch width.
What fits in a 20ft
Three numbers decide it: 19′4″ of inside length, a door 7′8″ wide, and a door height of 7′6″ (8′6″ on a high cube), about 4 inches below the ceiling. A car has to clear all three with its mirrors folded and room left to open a door; two cars would need to be under 9′8″ each, so in practice it takes a 40ft. For long items, the 7′8½″ inside width also limits anything you want to turn across. Floor space and pallets, model by model: 20ft containers for sale.
Moving a 20ft container
Most deliveries use a tilt-bed truck that slides the container off where it will sit; it needs about 60–80 ft (18–24 m) of straight, clear approach and 14–16 ft (4.3–4.9 m) of headroom on the way in, with about 20 ft (6.1 m) clear overhead where the bed tilts to slide it off. On a flatbed, the container has to be lifted off by a crane, or by a forklift rated around 5,000–8,000 lb using the fork pockets, which new containers are the most likely to have. Site needs and costs: delivery.
20ft vs 40ft
A 40ft has the same width, height and doors and twice the length outside, for 2,380 cu ft of space and 20 pallets against 9, at 8,000–8,300 lb empty and a maximum gross weight of up to 71,650 lb (32,500 kg), against 67,200 lb for a 20ft. It also needs a longer run for the delivery truck, 100–120 ft (30–37 m) instead of 60–80 ft (18–24 m). 40ft container dimensions · all container sizes compared.
On price, a used 40ft gives you twice the floor for about 36% more: this week a used wind and watertight 40ft starts at $1,900 against $1,400 for a 20ft; new, it’s $5,350 against $2,750. A used 40ft also costs less than two used 20ft units, and since most of the depots whose fees we record charge the same delivery for either size, it comes on one truck for one fee. Choose the 20ft for a small yard or a narrow drive: it takes half the ground, and the truck needs the shorter run given above. Market medians for both sizes, updated monthly, are in our container price index.
Buy a 20ft container
Illustrative image 20ft Shipping Container — Used
Illustrative image 20ft Shipping Container — New (One-Trip)
Illustrative image 20ft High Cube Shipping Container — New (One-Trip)
Frequently asked questions
What is the size of a 20ft container?
Outside, 19′10½″ long, 8′ wide and 8′6″ tall: the “20 foot” is a nominal length, an inch and a half short of the real thing. That covers about 159 sq ft of ground, and inside leaves about 150 sq ft of floor and 1,170 cu ft of space.
Will a car fit in a 20ft container?
Yes, if three numbers work: the car has to be narrower than the 7′8″ door opening with its mirrors folded, lower than the 7′6″ door height (8′6″ on a high cube), and shorter than the 19′4″ of inside length, leaving room to open a door and get out. Measure the vehicle against those three before you buy.
Can two cars fit in a 20ft container?
Not in practice. Parked end to end, each would have to be shorter than about 9′8″, half the inside length, and side by side is ruled out by the 7′8½″ inside width. For two cars, look at a 40ft, which has twice the length.
How much does a 20 foot shipping container weigh empty?
About 4,700–5,200 lb for a standard 20ft and 5,100–5,400 lb for a high cube. The spread comes from the builder: spec sheets from five fleets run from 2,140 to 2,350 kg. The exact tare of a given unit is painted on its doors.
How long is the inside of a 20 foot container?
About 19′4″ (5.90 m), some 6½ inches less than the outside length: the end walls and the doors take the rest.
What is the internal height of a 20 ft container?
About 7′10″ (2.39 m) in a standard 20ft and 8′10″ (2.69 m) in a high cube, measured to the ceiling. The door opening is lower, about 7′6″ and 8′6″, and it’s the door that sets the tallest load.
How much does a 20 foot container cost?
This week, $1,400 used in wind & watertight grade, $1,550 in cargo worthy grade, $2,750 new (one-trip), $4,620 for a new high cube, before delivery and sales tax. 20ft containers for sale.
Sources
The 20ft’s outside size is fixed by ISO 668, where it appears as the 1CC (standard) and 1CCC (high cube); we use the standard’s published summary. Its inside size, door, volume and weights come from the 20ft spec sheets of five shipping lines and leasing companies, who all note that units vary by builder, and the high cube’s from a US builder’s spec sheet and two overseas sellers’. Door markings and the CSC plate are read with the World Nuclear Transport Institute’s guide; truck clearances come from the delivery requirements eight US sellers and carriers publish. Inches, square feet, pallets and the volume check are our arithmetic.