When designing washrooms you need to consider how many toilet cubicles and washbasins are required. For male facilities you may wish to consider whether urinals should be provided and if so, how many. The starting point is understanding the number of people who will use the facilities. There are also a number of regulations and standards to follow.
We’ve compiled a guide of standard cubicle requirements for a range of premesis below:
Office & Factory Washrooms
How many toilets should a workplace have?
Minimum scale of provision of sanitary appliances for staff toilets in offices, shops, factories and other non-domestic premises used as place of work.
Female washrooms and male washrooms without urinals
| Number of Empolyees | Required WCs | Required Wash basins |
| 1 to 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 to 15 | 2 | 2 |
| 16 to 30 | 3 | 3 |
| 31 to 45 | 4 | 4 |
| 46 to 60 | 5 | 5 |
| 61 to 75 | 6 | 6 |
| 76 to 90 | 7 | 7 |
| 91 to 100 | 8 | 8 |
| Above 100 | 8 & 1 WC and washbasin for every additional 25 people |
Male washrooms
| Number of Employees | Required WCs | Number of Urinals | Required Wash basins |
| 1 to 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 to 30 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 31 to 45 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 46 to 60 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 61 to 75 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 76 to 90 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 91 to 100 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| above 100 | 4 & 1 WC, urinal and washbasin for every additional 50 or less people. |
School Washrooms
How many toilets should a school have?
Miniumum provision of sanitary appliances for school washrooms.
Standards for school premises guidelines can be found here.
Nursery Schools (aged 5 years and under)
| Appliance | Number Required |
| WC | 1 per 5-10 pupils |
| Washbasin | 1 per WC |
| Deep sink, bath or shower | 1 per 40 pupils |
Primary Schools (aged 4-11 years old)
| Appliance | Number Required | Notes |
| WC and urinal | 1 per 5-10 pupils unde 5 years. 1 per 5-15 pupils or less over 5 years. | no more than 2/3rds urinals |
| Washbasin | 1 per WC/Urinal | Every WC/Urinal must be close to a washbasin |
Secondary Schools (aged 11+ years old)
| Appliance | Number Required | Notes |
| Boy’s WC and urinal | 1 per 20 or less pupils | no more than 2/3rds urinals |
| girls WC | 1 per 20 pupils | |
| Washbasin | 1 per WC/Urinal when 3 or less otherwise 2 basins per 3 WC/Urinal | Every WC/Urinal must be close to a washbasin |
Shopping Centre or Large Store washrooms
Minimum provision of sanitary appliances for customer washrooms in shops and shopping malls with a retail area in excess of 1,000 m2.
| Appliance | Male Customers | Female Customers |
| WC | 1 per 500 males plus 1 for every additional 1,000 males. Where urinals are not used, WC numbers to be half of those used for females | 1 per 100 females up to 500 then 1 per every additional 200 females |
| Urinal | 2 for up to 500 males then 1 for every additional 500 males | |
| Washbasin | 1 per WC plus 1 per 5 or less urinals. | 1, plus 1 per 2 WCs |
Entertainment Venue Washrooms
Miniumum provision of sanitary appliances for entertainment venues.
Venues with most washroom use is during intervals
Such as theatres, cinemas, concert halls, sports arenas/stadiums or other similar.
| Appliance | Male Customers | Female Customers |
| WC | 2 for up to 250 males plus 1 for every additional 250 or less males. | 2 for up to 20 females plus 1 for every additional 20 or less females up to 500 then 1 for every additional 25 females or less. |
| Urinal | 2 for up to 50 males then 1 for every additional 50 males | |
| Washbasin | 1 per WC plus 1 per 5 or less urinals. | 1, plus 1 per 2 WCs |
Venues with consistent washroom use
For example libraies, museums, exhibition or convention centres.
| Appliance | Male Customers | Female Customers |
| WC | 1 for up to 250 males plus 1 for every additional 500 or less males. Male WC provision should be half female provision if urinals are not used. | 2 for up to 40 females 3 for up to 70 females 4 for up to 100 females plus 1 for every additional 50 females or less. |
| Urinal | 1 per 50 males up to 100 males then 1 for every additional 100 males or less. | |
| Washbasin | 1 per WC plus 1 per 5 or less urinals. | 1, plus 1 per 2 WCs |
Restaurant Washrooms
How many toilets does a retaurant need?
Miniumum provision of sanitary appliances for restaurants or other venues that provide seating for eating and drinking.
| Appliance | Male Customers | Female Customers |
| WC | 2 for up to 150 males and 1 for every additional 250 males or less. 2 for up to 50 males if urinals are not provided. | 2 for up to 30 females plus 1 for every additional 30 females up to 120 then 1 for every additional 60 females or less. |
| Urinal | 1 per 60 males or less up to 120 males then 1 for every additional 100 males or less. | |
| Washbasin | 1 per WC plus 1 per 5 or less urinals. | 1 per WCs |
Pubs, Bars & Nightclub Washrooms
How many toilets does a bar need?
Miniumum provision of sanitary appliances for licensed pubs, bars and nightclubs.
| Appliance | Male Customers | Female Customers |
| WC | 2 for up to 150 males and 1 for every additional 250 males or less. 2 for up to 50 males if urinals are not provided. | 2 for up to 30 females plus 1 for every additional 30 females up to 120 then 1 for every additional 60 females or less. |
| Urinal | 1 per 60 males or less up to 120 males then 1 for every additional 100 males or less. | |
| Washbasin | 1 per WC plus 1 per 5 or less urinals. | 1 per WCs |
Swimming Pool Washrooms
Miniumum provision of sanitary appliances for swimming pools.
| Appliance | Male Customers | Female Customers |
| WC | 2 for up to 100 males and 1 for every additional 100 males or less. | 1 per 5 femalesfor up to 50 females plus 1 for every additional 10 females or less then 1 for every 50 females or less. |
| Urinal | 1 per 20 males up to 100 males then 1 for every additional 80 males or less. | |
| Washbasin | 1 per WC plus 1 per 5 or less urinals. | 1 plus 1 per 2 WCs or less |
| Shower | 1 per 10 males or less | 1 per 10 females or less |
