Guides / Car lifts · Updated
Ceiling height for car lift
Every number here is off the maker's product page. The install manual for your exact lift has the final say.
Short answer
Most full-height two-posts need 12 ft (144 in), and a few need more. A floorplate two-post needs 9 ft 5 in to 10 ft 2 in. A four-post needs its rise plus the car you park on top, plus 6 in.
Measure to the lowest thing overhead
That's usually the garage door track or the opener, not the drywall. Measure with the door open. Lights, a beam or a water line count too. If the door track is the problem, a high-lift or wall-mount conversion can buy you room.
Two-post, overhead or clearfloor
| Lift | Capacity | Min ceiling | Overall height | Max rise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger CL10AV3 Columns 134 or 140 in, 143 in with the cylinder out | 10,000 lb | 144 in (12 ft 0 in) | 140 in | 74.125 in |
| Rotary SPOA10-AV Shockwave version needs 150 in | 10,000 lb | 144 in (12 ft 0 in) | 143.5 in | 81.5 in |
| Rotary SPO10 Shockwave version needs 148 in | 10,000 lb | 144 in (12 ft 0 in) | 140.5 in | 78.25 in |
| Forward I10 | 10,000 lb | 144 in (12 ft 0 in) | 143 in | 76.25 in |
| BendPak 10AP Rise plus pad | 10,000 lb | - | 145 in | 73 in |
| BendPak 10APX High-rise. Rise plus pad | 10,000 lb | - | 157 in | 79.5 in |
Two-post, floorplate
| Lift | Capacity | Min ceiling | Overall height | Max rise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger CLFP9 | 9,000 lb | 122 in (10 ft 2 in) | 120.875 in | 78.125 in |
| Rotary BP9 | 9,000 lb | 113 in (9 ft 5 in) | 111.25 in | 72 in |
| BendPak 9APF | 9,000 lb | - | 123 in | 70 in |
Four-post
| Lift | Capacity | Min ceiling | Overall height | Max rise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger CL4P7 | 7,000 lb | - | 79.5 in | 68.125 in |
| Challenger CL4P9S | 9,000 lb | - | 84.5 in | 73.25 in |
| Challenger CL4P9X Tall version. The CL4P9W is the wide one | 9,000 lb | - | 96.5 in | 85.5 in |
| BendPak HD-9 | 9,000 lb | - | 88 in | 70 in |
| BendPak HD-9ST | 9,000 lb | - | 88 in | 70 in |
| BendPak HD-9SW | 9,000 lb | - | 90 in | 70 in |
| BendPak HD-7P | 7,000 lb | - | 100 in | 82 in |
Portable and low-rise
| Lift | Capacity | Min ceiling | Overall height | Max rise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MaxJax M7K Portable two-post | 7,000 lb | - | 89.5 in | 47.25 in |
| BendPak MD-6XP Mid-rise scissor | 6,000 lb | - | - | 47 in |
| QuickJack 6000TL Up to 26.75 in with adapters | 6,000 lb | - | - | 22 in |
| QuickJack 8000TL Up to 27 in with the truck kit | 8,000 lb | - | - | 22 in |
A dash under min ceiling means the maker doesn't print one. Go by the overall height, and leave room to raise the car. Only 6 of these lifts come with a stated minimum.
Four-post lift ceiling height
Four-posts are short. The ones here stand 79.5 to 100 in tall. What sets the ceiling is the car on top. Add the lift's rise, the top car's height and about 6 in to spare.
On a BendPak HD-9 with 70 in of rise, a Camry on top needs about 132.9 in (11 ft 1 in). A crew cab F-150 needs about 153 in (12 ft 9 in). Most garages don't have that.
The car underneath matters too. It has to fit under the runways at full rise. More on that in two-post or four-post.
Low ceiling? Your options
Under 9 ft 5 in, a full two-post is out. A floorplate two-post like the Rotary BP9 is the lowest one here with a stated ceiling. Below that, look at the portable lifts. A MaxJax goes up to 47.25 in, and a QuickJack 22 in. You won't stand under either, but you can do wheels, brakes and oil. More in low ceiling car lift.
See what fits at 10 ft or what fits at 12 ft. The car lift calculator takes your ceiling, vehicle and slab and picks the lift type.