How Many Guests Can One Porta Potty or Trailer Handle?

One of the most important questions people ask when renting restrooms is: how many people will each unit serve? Whether you’re planning a backyard wedding in Orange County, managing a construction site in Rockland, or hosting a festival in Sullivan County, knowing capacity is critical. Too few units leads to long lines and messy facilities. Too many, and you may overspend.

At Light It Up – Rent To Go, we’ve helped thousands of customers plan restroom capacity. Here’s how many guests a porta potty or trailer can handle, plus tips to make sure your event or project runs smoothly.

General Porta Potty Capacity Guidelines

Standard Porta Potty: Ideal for up to 50 guests over a 4–6 hour event.
ADA-Compliant Porta Potty: Serves around 10–15% of total attendees when accessibility is needed.
Construction Sites: OSHA suggests 1 unit for every 10 workers over a 40-hour workweek.

A single porta potty is fine for a small birthday party. But if you’re hosting 100 guests, you’ll need at least two units to avoid lines. At a Rockland County construction site, one porta potty per 10 workers ensured the crew never had to wait, even during peak shifts.

Restroom Trailer Capacity

2-Station Trailer: Handles up to 150 guests for a 4–6 hour event.
5-Station Trailer: Comfortable for 250–300 guests.
7-Station Trailer: Can serve 400+ guests at weddings or festivals.
11-Station Trailer: Perfect for 600–1,000 guests at large gatherings.

Restroom trailers offer higher capacity with more comfort. For example, a wedding in Orange County with 120 guests used a 2-station trailer. Everyone had quick access, and guests complimented the hotel-style bathrooms. At a Sullivan County festival, two 7-station trailers comfortably served over 1,000 attendees all weekend.

How Long Is the Event?

Short Events (4–6 hours): Fewer units may be fine.
Full-Day Events: Add 1–2 extra units per 100 guests.
Multi-Day Events: Plan for more units or daily servicing to keep facilities fresh.

A family reunion in Warwick with 75 people and one porta potty worked for an afternoon. But for a two-day festival in Monticello, organizers added 20 porta potties and scheduled mid-event servicing to keep lines short and units clean.

CHOOSE FROM OUR EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF PORTA PORTY RENTALS

Porta Potties

Restroom Trailers

Handwashing Trailer

Water Tanks

Explore All Product & Services

Construction Site Capacity Rules

OSHA Standard: 1 unit for every 10 workers per 40-hour week.
Large Crews: Add more units if workers are spread across different areas.
Handwashing Stations: Required when crews handle food or hazardous materials.

A contractor in Rockland County had 30 workers on site. Following OSHA, he rented three porta potties and two handwashing stations. Weekly servicing kept them fresh, and his crew never had delays.

Factors That Increase Capacity Needs

Food and Drinks: Events with alcohol require more units.
Families with Children: Kids use restrooms more often.
Accessibility Needs: Plan for 1 ADA unit per 10–15% of guests.
Climate: Hot weather makes people drink more water, increasing restroom use.

For example, a summer wedding in Orange County served wine and cocktails. The couple added one extra porta potty to keep lines short. At a Sullivan County festival in July, organizers doubled their original estimate because guests drank more water in the heat.

Checklist: How to Calculate Restroom Needs

Guest Count: Start with total attendees or workers.
Event Duration: Adjust for full-day or multi-day events.
Special Factors: Alcohol, kids, accessibility, and climate.
Type of Unit: Standard porta potty vs. multi-station trailer.

If you’re unsure, always round up. One extra porta potty is cheaper than emergency servicing mid-event.

Real-World Examples

Backyard Wedding in Orange County, NY: 120 guests, 2-station trailer. Perfect balance of comfort and capacity.
Festival in Sullivan County, NY: 1,000 guests, 20 porta potties + two 7-station trailers. No lines, even at peak times.
Construction Site in Rockland County, NY: 25 workers, three porta potties + handwashing stations. Crew always had access.
Corporate Gala in Manhattan, NY: 300 guests, one 5-station trailer. High-end look with enough capacity for the evening.

FAQs About Restroom Capacity

How many guests can one porta potty serve?
Up to 50 guests for 4–6 hours. Larger events need more units or servicing.
How many porta potties do I need for 200 people?
At least four. If alcohol is served, add one or two more.
Can restroom trailers handle multi-day events?
Yes, with scheduled servicing or water tank refills

What about ADA requirements?
Provide one ADA-compliant unit per 10–15% of your total guest count.

“We had 250 guests at our outdoor fundraiser. Light It Up recommended a 5-station trailer and two porta potties. It was perfect — no long lines, and guests kept complimenting the bathrooms.”

Final Takeaway

So, how many guests can one porta potty or trailer handle? A porta potty works for about 50 guests over a few hours, while restroom trailers range from 150 to 1,000 depending on size.

At Light It Up – Rent To Go, we’ll help you calculate exactly how many units you need based on your guest count, event length, and site. With porta potties in Rockland, Orange, and Sullivan County NY and restroom trailers across the Hudson Valley, NYC, and North Jersey, you’ll never have to guess.