Our guide covers everything construction managers need to know when renting portable toilets for job sites, including:
- How many porta potties you need per person
- Porta potty best practices
- OSHA’s guidelines for construction site toilets
- Types of portable toilets for construction sites
- FAQs on portable toilet pricing & the rental process
How Many Porta Potties Do You Need per Person?
The typical rule of thumb is that you need one porta potty per 20 people — and OSHA standards are mostly aligned.
- Construction job sites with fewer than 20 crew members require one portable toilet.
- Job sites with 20 to 200 crew members require one portable toilet & one urinal per 40 workers.
- Job sites with 200+ require one portable toilet & one urinal per 50 construction workers.
To break this down further:
- Teams of <20 = 1 portable toilet
- Teams of 40 = 1 portable toilet & 1 urinal
- Teams of 80 = 2 portable toilets & 2 urinals
- Teams of 120 = 3 portable toilets & 3 urinals
- Teams of 160 = 4 portable toilets & 4 urinals
- Teams of 200 = 4 portable toilets & 4 urinals
- Teams of 250 = 5 portable toilets & 5 urinals
- Teams of 300 = 6 portable toilets & 6 urinals
- Teams of 350 = 7 portable toilets & 7 urinals
- Teams of 400 = 8 portable toilets & 8 urinals
- Teams of 450 = 9 portable toilets & 9 urinals
- Teams of 500 = 10 portable toilets & 10 urinals
However, teams that follow ANSI standards for the construction industry should note that their guideline is more strict than OSHA’s — recommending one portable restroom per 10 crew members, with the option to adjust to one per 15 people if the facilities are serviced more than once a week.
In addition, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that construction sites have one handicap-accessible restroom for every 20 standard portable toilets.
Porta Potty Best Practices
There are three important best practices when renting portable toilets for job sites (or really any site or outdoor event):
1. Toilets need to be sanitary!
Toilets should be cleaned once a week when <10 people are using units and twice a week when 20+ people are regularly using toilets.
Most rental providers (like ASAP) will schedule servicings on your behalf, so this doesn’t create an extra chore. During servicings, haulers will stop by to clean restrooms and replace toilet paper.
Also, consider the length of your project here.
For a quick week-long job with part-time crews, basic portable toilets will serve you well. But when you’re looking at months of frequent daily use, you might choose to rent a portable toilet with sinks or even a restroom trailer. These elevated facilities keep your team comfortable and maintain better site hygiene.
2. Consider if anyone on-site will need an ADA handicap portable toilet.
As mentioned above, the ADA requires large job sites with 20+ portable toilets to have at least one handicap-accessible toilet, but smaller teams and job sites might require these, as well. Make sure you’re offering proper accommodations for all of your crew members.
3. Toilets need to be quickly and easily accessible (no more than a quarter mile or a five-minute walk away).
Think about where you’ll place toilets so they’re a quick walk for all crew members. Also, consider accessibility for weekly servicings — you don’t need to be on site for these, but haulers need to be able to get inside porta potties to clean and replace toilet paper.
OSHA Regulations for Portable Toilets on Construction Sites
Take a look at the full list of OSHA requirements for portable toilets on construction sites:
- Portable toilets should be lockable from the inside and have walls high enough to ensure privacy.
- Crews with mixed-gender staff should provide separate bathroom facilities per gender. Job sites must have the same number of available restrooms per gender.
- You must supply complimentary hand-washing stations adjacent to toilet facilities with running water, soap, and a sanitary drying method (e.g., clean hand towels).
- Please note that hand sanitizer should not be used as a replacement for true hand-washing facilities. While hand sanitizer can be used as an interim in situations where soap and water are not readily available, proper handwashing with soap and water is the preferred method of infection control in the work environment — and OSHA’s sanitation standard to avoid adverse health effects.
- Portable toilets must provide proper ventilation.
- You must provide adequate lighting around facilities — this is required when work extends beyond sunset.
- Portable toilets must remain in a clean, sanitary condition and undergo weekly cleanings (at minimum).
- Teams with disabled workers on site must provide at least one ADA-compliant portable toilet.
- Portable toilets must be easily accessible from the work site — no more than a quarter mile or a five-minute walk away.
- Construction sites where hazardous chemicals are present must have proper eye-wash stations or body-drenching equipment no more than 100 feet from the work area.
You can also read more here: OSHA 1926 Safety and Health Regulations for Construction
Types of Portable Toilets for Construction Sites
- Standard. The classic porta potty. Built for one person at 90″ tall and 45″ wide/deep, with a 50-70 gallon tank. This is your standard worksite or event solution.
- ADA Handicap Portable Toilets. Extra-spacious, ADA-compliant design with plenty of room for mobility devices like wheelchairs, scooters, and canes. Same 90″ height as standard units, but wider at 70″ in both width and depth, with a 70-gallon tank capacity.
- Portable Toilet with Sink. All the features of our standard unit, plus a built-in sink similar to airplane lavatories. Often includes a door-mounted mirror. Standard dimensions: 90″ tall, 45″ wide/deep.
- Flushable Portable Toilet. Like our standard model but with real flushing capability. Same compact footprint: 90″ tall, 45″ wide/deep. Perfect when you want a more home-like experience.
- High-Rise Portable Toilet. Our space-saving solution. More compact at 70″ tall, 33″ wide, and 53″ deep. Includes built-in wheels for easy maneuvering and repositioning. Ideal for tight spaces or areas requiring frequent moves.
- Restroom Trailers. The luxury option. Housing multiple private bathroom stalls and sinks with running water, mirrors, and spacious countertops — available in 2, 3, 5, or 8-10 stall configurations. These restroom facilities are perfect for upscale events like outdoor weddings or long-term construction projects.
- Portable Sink. A standalone handwashing station that serves multiple toilets. Available in single or multi-spout configurations. Offering a cost-effective solution for sites needing multiple handwashing stations.
FAQs on Portable Toilet Rentals
What’s the average porta potty rental cost?
A standard porta-potty rental typically starts around ~$150, but pricing is dependent on:
- Your service area and availability
- Preferred product model — for example, ADA-compliant toilets are typically more expensive than standard porta potties, and luxury bathrooms like restroom trailers cost more
- The number of portable toilets you need
Rental companies may also charge additional taxes and fees, depending on local inventory and waste disposal regulations.
We created a porta potty pricing calculator so construction crews can quickly gauge estimated costs — but you can also call us at 888-413-5105 for a fast, free quote.
Do I need a permit for a portable toilet?
Whether you need a permit depends on local regulations and varies from city to city.
In most cases, you only need a permit if you’re placing portable toilets on public property — on a street, sidewalk, parking lot, or trail — or in an area that blocks public property.
However, construction crews and job sites might be subject to additional regulations — for example, some local areas might have rules about where portable toilets can be placed or how many you can have on a construction site.
We always advise double-checking local laws before kicking off your construction project to ensure you have all the necessary permits.
Is it an OSHA violation to not have working bathrooms on job sites?
Yes. OSHA requires employers to provide all workers with sanitary and immediately available toilet facilities.
How do you set up a servicing schedule to ensure toilets remain sanitary?
We’ll plan this with you when placing your rental. We’ll discuss team size and rental duration to provide a recommendation on how often you should schedule servicings (once or twice a week).
After we’ve confirmed your servicing frequency, we’ll coordinate with haulers to plan servicings through your rental period. We’ll update you on when to expect haulers for cleanings so you can ensure restrooms are accessible and prepared for their arrival.
How do I prepare for porta potty drop-offs and pick-ups?
When placing your rental, you’ll be asked to specify:
- Desired drop-off dates
- Placement location and instructions
- Preferred pick-up dates
Your rental provider will gather drop-off dates and placement instructions from you and walk you through the details of what to expect on the day of. You do not need to be around for drop-offs or pick-ups, we just need a contact number to reach you in case we have questions.
As mentioned, you don’t need to do much to prepare for pick-ups. Just make sure that bathrooms are unlocked and accessible for haulers to load them up.
What does the porta potty rental process look like?
At ASAP, we strive to make this process as quick and easy as possible. We gather all of the details about your rental when you place your order, and then we take care of everything after (like scheduling drop-offs, servicings, and pick-ups with haulers).
Here’s a preview of what to expect when working with us.
- You can rent porta potties online or call us to place your order with one of our experts. We’ll connect with our network of haulers to find you the best pricing and availability.
- During the ordering process, you’ll be asked to specify the duration of your rental, drop-off dates, placement instructions, and pick-up dates. (You can always extend rentals if project schedules run longer than originally planned.)
- We’ll coordinate with haulers to relay all rental details, secure portable toilets, and plan a servicing schedule.
- We’ll update you at each step so you know when rentals and drop-off dates are confirmed. We’ll also provide weekly updates on servicings so you know when to expect haulers.
- We’ll connect with you before your preferred pick-up date to confirm (or reschedule) pick-ups.
- We send an invoice immediately (within a week of delivery) so you can account for costs and incorporate them in customer invoices.
Set Your Construction Crew Up for Comfort & Schedule Your Porta Potty Rentals with ASAP Marketplace
We are an all-in-one site services provider with experience with construction companies of all sizes. We supply crews with portable toilets, handwashing stations, and other rentals like roll-off dumpsters, temporary fencing, construction trailers, and even equipment — and we have a vast network of haulers to find you the most affordable rental rates.
Our team offers support at each step of the rental process to eliminate back-and-forth phone calls and blunders like missed drop-off dates. We confirm all of the details of your rental at the first contact, and then we keep you updated as we plan drop-offs, servicings, and pick-ups with haulers — taking this task off construction managers’ plates so they can focus on more value-adding work.
Get in touch with our team at 855-303-1745 to set your crews up with the most convenient portable toilet rentals!
