How many toilets do I need for my event?
One toilet per 50 guests over four hours, more with alcohol or a late finish.
1 per 50guests, for an event of four hours
Toilet calculator
No email address, no phone number. It works as you type.
The ratios come from hire companies that publish them, Poles & Holes and Instant Toilets. Answer four questions to get the number, with a rough cost.
Quick answers
Toilets needed for an event of up to six hours unless marked, rounded up. Accessible toilets are extra: about one per 100 guests.
| Guests | No alcohol | Alcohol | Alcohol, 6-8 hrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 50 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 80 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 100 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 150 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 200 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 300 | 6 | 8 | 9 |
| 500 | 10 | 12 | 15 |
| 1000 | 20 | 24 | 30 |
Portaloos or a luxury trailer?
Count cubicles, not units. A luxury trailer holds two, three or four cubicles, so for 150 guests with a bar you need four cubicles: four portaloos, two twin trailers, or one four-cubicle trailer. Weddings mostly go the trailer route; they have lighting, mirrors and a proper flush, and they need a flat spot the truck can reach.
Big public events
A festival, market or concert open to the public usually needs a council permit, and the council sets the minimum toilets. Ask them first. The numbers above are for private events such as weddings, parties and functions.
Building site instead?
Site toilets follow workplace safety rules, not guest counts. Work out what your site needs.