Shipping Container Sizes & Dimensions

Almost every shipping container in North America follows ISO standards: 8 feet wide, either 8’6″ tall (standard) or 9’6″ tall (high cube), and 10, 20 or 40 feet long. Inside, the steel walls, floor and corrugation take away a few inches in every direction. The tables below show typical figures for the containers we sell and deliver from Greensboro, NC.

At a glance Standard containers High cube containers Specialty containers Delivery space Choosing a size

Container sizes at a glance

Container	Outside (L × W × H)	Inside (L × W × H)	Capacity
10ft Standard	10′ × 8′ × 8’6″	9’3″ × 7’8″ × 7’10”	~560 cu ft
20ft Standard	20′ × 8′ × 8’6″	19’4″ × 7’8″ × 7’10”	~1,170 cu ft
20ft High Cube	20′ × 8′ × 9’6″	19’4″ × 7’8″ × 8’10”	~1,340 cu ft
40ft Standard	40′ × 8′ × 8’6″	39’6″ × 7’8″ × 7’10”	~2,390 cu ft
40ft High Cube	40′ × 8′ × 9’6″	39’6″ × 7’8″ × 8’10”	~2,690 cu ft

Standard shipping containers (8’6″ tall)

Standard-height containers are the most common choice for on-site storage, farm and job-site use, and general cargo.

Specification	10ft Standard	20ft Standard	40ft Standard
Outside length	10’0″	20’0″	40’0″
Outside width	8’0″	8’0″	8’0″
Outside height	8’6″	8’6″	8’6″
Inside length	9’3″	19’4″	39’6″
Inside width	7’8″	7’8″	7’8″
Inside height	7’10”	7’10”	7’10”
Door opening (W × H)	7’8″ × 7’5″	7’8″ × 7’6″	7’8″ × 7’6″
Empty (tare) weight	~2,900 lb	~4,850 lb	~8,150 lb
Max gross weight	~22,400 lb	67,200 lb	67,200 lb
Capacity	~560 cu ft	~1,170 cu ft	~2,390 cu ft

High cube shipping containers (9’6″ tall)

High cubes add a full foot of height for tall equipment, racking, workshops and conversions. They cost a little more and need a little more overhead clearance at delivery. Read our High Cube vs Standard guide for help deciding.

Specification	20ft High Cube	40ft High Cube
Outside length	20’0″	40’0″
Outside width	8’0″	8’0″
Outside height	9’6″	9’6″
Inside length	19’4″	39’6″
Inside width	7’8″	7’8″
Inside height	8’10”	8’10”
Door opening (W × H)	7’8″ × 8’5″	7’8″ × 8’5″
Empty (tare) weight	~5,070 lb	~8,750 lb
Max gross weight	67,200 lb	67,200 lb
Capacity	~1,340 cu ft	~2,690 cu ft

Specialty containers

Specialty units share the same outside footprint as standard containers but change how you get in or what they can hold.

Type	What is different	Best for
Open side / side door	Full-length or multiple side doors in addition to the rear double doors	Retail, workshops, events, fast loading of long items
Roll-up door	Roll-up door(s) instead of, or in addition to, swing doors	Frequent daily access, contractor tool storage
Open top	Removable roof bows and tarp cover; inside height about 7’8″ on a 40ft	Tall or crane-loaded cargo
Flat rack (collapsible)	No side walls or roof, folding end walls	Machinery, vehicles, oversize loads
Refrigerated (reefer)	Insulated walls reduce inside width to about 7’6″; needs electric power	Food, produce, pharmaceuticals, cold storage
Bunded / chemical storage	Steel spill bund and extra ventilation	Fuels, oils and chemicals on site

How much space do you need for delivery?

Most containers arrive on a tilt-bed truck or trailer that slides the unit onto the ground, so the truck needs room to pull forward as the container comes off.

Container	Straight clearance needed	Width	Overhead clearance
10ft	about 40 ft	12 ft	14 ft
20ft	about 60 ft	12 ft	14 ft
40ft	about 100 ft	12 ft	14–16 ft

Choosing the right size

• 10ft: tight spaces, tools and small equipment, backyard storage.
• 20ft: the most popular size. Holds the contents of a 1–2 bedroom home, job-site tools or farm supplies, and fits most driveways.
• 40ft: the lowest cost per square foot. Suits business inventory, vehicles, large equipment and conversions.
• High cube: choose it when you need to stand tall shelving, store tall machinery or add insulation and lighting.
• One-trip or used: new-condition one-trip units look best; used cargo-worthy units save money. See our One-Trip vs Used guide.