Did you know you can risk getting fined if you fail to meet the legal requirements of toilets at public events? If you’re planning an upcoming event, it can be stressful when figuring out the details.

Let us handle all of the restroom requirements so that you don’t have to worry about it. In this article, we answer how many portable toilets you will need at your event.

Our guide makes it easy to figure out how many toilets are necessary based on the size and type of event, the number of guests, and other important factors.

Get started today understanding just how many portable toilets your next event requires based on the size of the event you’re hosting. Let us help with your event planning. Read on to discover the best kinds of toilets for your function that will keep you within the legal requirements.

Variables to Consider

There are lots of variables you’ll need to consider when you’re planning what type of portable toilet and the number you’ll need for your event. Before you look into hiring toilets, you’ll need to think about these questions first:

  • How many people are attending your event?
  • How long will the event last?
  • Is there food and alcohol being served at the event?
  • What temperature will it be during the event?
  • Are there mainly women and children at the event?
  • Will there be people with mobility issues at the event?

These factors may mean that you need to increase your portable toilet quota by 20 to 30%.

Types of Events

The type of event will determine how many toilet facilities you will need. Here are the two most popular types of events that need a portable toilet hire along with an approximate number of toilets you’ll need.

Community Events

For events that span more than 6 hours and no food or drinks are provided, it is recommended to offer one toilet for every 85 women attending as well as 1 unit per 425 men. Additionally, a urinal should be available for every 125 individuals present.

Sporting Events and Festivals

For gatherings that are expected to last more than 6 hours and offer food, and beverages (including alcohol), the suggested ratios must be increased.

Organizers of large events should provide one portable toilet for every 75 women expected and a single unit for every 400 men, plus an additional urinal for every 100 attendees.

Other Small and Single-Day Events

When it comes to intimate events such as weddings, parties, or gatherings with no more than 250 attendees, you’ll need between 1–3 toilets depending on the length of your event.

Hosting a fifty-person event over four hours would likely only require one portable restroom. Conversely, if you’re planning an occasion with two hundred and fifty attendees for five or more hours, then three portable restrooms should suffice to ensure adequate comfort levels are met.

When hosting a single-day event, restroom maintenance can typically wait until after the function.

Other Large Single and Multi-Day Events

For sizable events hosting anything between 500-20,000 attendees, the number of porta potties required increases proportionally depending on how many guests are attending and for how long.

Don’t forget to factor in all volunteers, security guards, and vendors when estimating your total guest quantity. As a rule of thumb, we assume that one portable toilet can accommodate around 200 people throughout the event and each attendee will need access to restroom facilities every 4 hours or so.

When determining the number of necessities for an event, it is better to plan ahead and overestimate.

For example, if you are hosting a 10-hour event with 5,000 guests in attendance, then around 63 portable toilets should be provided. However, when hosting a similar length of time but with double the number of attendees (10,000), 125 portable toilets would be needed.

Servicing

Even for a major one-day event, the restrooms will not require servicing until after it has finished.

To ensure the best outcome for your multi-day event, we suggest having our team service each portable toilet daily. Servicing should include checking toilet paper levels, and cleaning and deodorizing all of the toilets with a pleasant scent to make sure everyone is comfortable using them.

Hand Wash Facilities

To provide you and your guests with the best experience, all of our portable restrooms come stocked with hand sanitizer.

To ensure everyone has access to clean hands, we highly recommend one additional service. We recommend a portable hand wash station for every 10 bathrooms. With this added amenity, your event will be sure to impress and it will increase hygiene levels.

Types of Portable Toilets

There are a wide variety of portable toilets available. The type you choose will depend on the type of event you’re hosting. Here are the most common types.

  • Single Stall Portable Toilets
  • Double Stall Portable Toilets
  • Restroom Trailers
  • Urinal Only Units
  • High Rise Portable Toilets

Looking to Hire Portable Toilets for Your Event?

Portable toilets are an essential part of any event planning process, and it’s important to know the right number and type for your specific occasion. Whether you’re hosting a small gathering or a large multi-day festival, this guide should help you determine exactly how many portable toilets will be needed to ensure that everyone is comfortable.

If you need additional assistance with renting the perfect porta potty for your next big function, our team of experts at Arkansas Portable Toilets can provide advice on which types would best serve all of your guests’ needs while also helping keep hygiene levels up. Contact us today to get started!