How Many Porta Potties Do I Need? Cal/OSHA Section 1526 Calculator
California requires one separate toilet facility for every 20 employees, or fraction thereof, of each sex. That per-sex wording is why a California job site usually needs more units than federal OSHA would require for the same crew.
Cal/OSHA unit calculator
Applies 8 CCR 1526 as written: one facility per 20 workers or fraction thereof, counted separately for each sex.
2 units required
1 for 12 male workers and 1 for 8 female workers, because the ratio is applied separately to each sex.
At least 1 of those 2 must be toilets - urinals may cover no more than half.
This calculator implements the regulation as written. It is not legal advice, and site-specific conditions can change what an inspector expects.
Call (323) 831-1979The regulation, quoted in full
California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 1526 - Toilets at Construction Jobsites
“A minimum of one separate toilet facility shall be provided for each 20 employees or fraction thereof of each sex.”8 CCR 1526(a)
“The number of toilets shall not be less than one half of the minimum required number of facilities.”8 CCR 1526
California requires one toilet facility for every 20 workers, or any fraction of 20, counted separately for each sex. Because the ratio is applied per sex rather than to the crew as a whole, California job sites routinely need close to double the units that federal OSHA would require for the same headcount.
Commonly got wrong: Most contractors and most competitor websites apply the 1-per-20 ratio to total headcount. Cal/OSHA applies it per sex. A 30-person crew split evenly needs two units, not one - and that difference is exactly what gets cited in an inspection.
Source: California Department of Industrial Relations, California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 1526 - Toilets at Construction Jobsites (verified against the primary source)
How to work it out by hand
- 1
Count your crew by sex
Cal/OSHA applies the ratio separately to male and female workers, so a total headcount alone is not enough to determine compliance.
- 2
Divide each count by 20 and round up
Twenty employees or any fraction of twenty requires one facility. Eleven male workers require one; twenty-one require two.
- 3
Add the two results together
The required total is the sum of the per-sex requirements, not the crew total divided by twenty.
- 4
Check the urinal limit
Toilets must make up at least half the required facilities. Urinals may cover the remainder but never more than half.
- 5
Apply the small-crew exception
With fewer than five employees, one all-gender single-user toilet is sufficient for the whole site.
Worked examples
| Crew | Split | Required units | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 workers | Any | 1 | Under the 5-employee threshold, one all-gender single-user unit |
| 20 workers | All one sex | 1 | Exactly 20 of one sex triggers a single facility |
| 30 workers | 15 / 15 | 2 | Each 15-person group is a fraction of 20, so each needs its own |
| 60 workers | 30 / 30 | 4 | Two per sex, because 30 rounds up to 2 on each side |
| 60 workers | Unknown | 3 to 4 | Without the split you can only bound it - which is why we ask |
Answers
Cal/OSHA restroom questions
Still unsure after reading these? Calling is faster than typing.
How many porta potties does OSHA require in California?
One toilet facility per 20 employees or fraction thereof, of each sex, under Cal/OSHA Title 8 Section 1526. The per-sex application is what separates California from the federal standard.
Does the 1-per-20 ratio apply to the whole crew?
No, and this is the most common mistake. It applies separately to each sex. A 30-person crew split evenly needs two units, not one, because each 15-person group triggers its own facility.
What if I have fewer than 5 workers?
One all-gender single-user toilet is sufficient. Section 1526 provides this exception explicitly for very small crews.
Can I use urinals instead of toilets?
Partly. The regulation states the number of toilets shall not be less than one half of the minimum required number of facilities, so urinals may cover at most half the requirement.
Do I need a permit for the units themselves?
Not for the unit, but yes if it sits in the public right-of-way. Each city issues its own encroachment permit - we list every permit desk in our LA County permit guide.
This guide implements 8 CCR 1526 as written and is not legal advice. Site conditions, local amendments, and inspector judgement can all affect what is expected on a specific job.