Shipping container dimensions are one of the few things in this industry you can rely on completely. Because containers are built to the international standard ISO 668, a 20 ft box made in any factory in the world has the same footprint, the same corner fittings, and stacks on any other. This guide gives you the full set of shipping container sizes in one master table, explains the difference between exterior and interior measurements, and helps you pick the right size and confirm it will actually fit on your property.
Interior figures and weights vary slightly by manufacturer and build year, so treat interior dimensions, tare, and payload as close approximations. Exterior dimensions are standardized.
| Size | Exterior (L × W × H) | Interior (L × W × H) | Door opening (W × H) | Capacity | Tare weight | Max payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft | 9′10″ × 8′0″ × 8′6″ | 9′3″ × 7′8″ × 7′10″ | 7′8″ × 7′6″ | ≈560 cu ft | ≈2,900 lb | ≈19,500 lb |
| 20 ft standard | 19′10″ × 8′0″ × 8′6″ | 19′4″ × 7′8″ × 7′10″ | 7′8″ × 7′6″ | ≈1,170 cu ft | ≈4,850 lb | ≈48,000 lb |
| 40 ft standard | 40′0″ × 8′0″ × 8′6″ | 39′5″ × 7′8″ × 7′10″ | 7′8″ × 7′6″ | ≈2,390 cu ft | ≈8,250 lb | ≈58,900 lb |
| 40 ft high cube | 40′0″ × 8′0″ × 9′6″ | 39′5″ × 7′8″ × 8′10″ | 7′8″ × 8′5″ | ≈2,690 cu ft | ≈8,750 lb | ≈58,400 lb |
| 45 ft high cube | 45′0″ × 8′0″ × 9′6″ | 44′6″ × 7′8″ × 8′10″ | 7′8″ × 8′5″ | ≈3,040 cu ft | ≈10,350 lb | ≈56,800 lb |
The walls are corrugated steel, the floor sits on steel cross-members topped with a wood or bamboo floor, and the ceiling has structural framing. Together that eats roughly 4 inches of width, 6 inches of length, and 8 inches of height compared to the outside measurements. If you are planning shelving, equipment, or a vehicle, always work from the interior column and the door opening, not the exterior numbers.
Nothing goes in that does not fit through a 7 ft 8 in wide opening. Height at the doors is 7 ft 6 in on standard containers and about 8 ft 5 in on high cubes. Measure your largest item against the door opening first.
A high cube (HC) container is 9 ft 6 in tall outside instead of 8 ft 6 in, which gives you an interior ceiling around 8 ft 10 in. For pure storage of boxes and tools, standard height is fine. For anything a person works or lives inside, a workshop, an office, a home conversion, that extra foot is the difference between a ceiling that feels like a building and one that feels like a box, especially once insulation and finishes take a few inches back. As of 2026 the high cube premium is typically modest, and most 40 ft production is high cube anyway.
Containers arrive on a tilt-bed truck that backs in and slides the box off the rear. Rules of thumb that hold for most deliveries:
Every AnchorBox order includes free delivery and placement in all 50 US states through our regional depot partners, and we confirm site access before dispatch. If you are not sure your site works, call (509) 575-1198 with rough measurements and we will tell you straight whether a 40 ft is realistic or a 20 ft is the smarter call. You can compare all footprints side by side in our shipping containers catalog.
Standard ISO dry containers are 8 ft wide outside, with about 7 ft 8 in usable inside. Wider units exist for specialty uses, but anything sold as a standard 10, 20, 40, or 45 ft container will be 8 ft wide.
A high cube is 9 ft 6 in tall outside, one foot taller than a standard container, with an interior ceiling of roughly 8 ft 10 in and a door opening around 8 ft 5 in high.
Tare weight is approximately 4,850 lb for a 20 ft, 8,250 lb for a 40 ft standard, and 8,750 lb for a 40 ft high cube, varying a bit by manufacturer. That weight is why placement is a truck job, not a forklift-at-home job, and why we include professional placement with delivery.
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