Building Code Administrators and Inspectors Florida Principle and Practice Licensure Practice Exam

Parking spaces must be _____ feet wide.

1. 10

2. 12

3. 14

4. 15

The correct answer is: 12

The correct answer of 12 feet for the width of parking spaces is based on widely adopted standards for public and private parking facilities. A width of 12 feet accommodates a majority of vehicle sizes, allowing for ease of entry and exit and creating sufficient space to navigate around parked vehicles. This width provides a balance between maximizing the number of vehicles that can be parked in a given area while also ensuring driver and passenger comfort and safety. Choosing a width of 10 feet may not adequately accommodate larger vehicles, such as SUVs and trucks. Meanwhile, widths of 14 or 15 feet could lead to inefficient use of space, resulting in fewer vehicles being able to fit into the same area, which could be problematic in high-demand parking scenarios. Thus, the standard minimum width of 12 feet aligns well with both practical use and safety considerations.