The short answer
US interior doors are standardized at 80 inches tall (2.03 m). UK interior doors are 1,981 mm tall (78 in), slightly shorter. Continental European doors range from 2.00 m to 2.10 m depending on country.
Door widths vary by purpose: US bedrooms typically use 30-inch doors, bathrooms 28 or 32 inches, accessible installations 36 inches. Garage doors are 7 or 8 feet tall depending on home age.
This guide covers door heights across major markets, building code minimums, and the practical differences DIYers and importers should know.
US standard interior doors
The US standard for residential interior doors has been 80 inches tall (6 feet 8 inches) since the post-war housing boom of the 1950s. The width varies by intended use:
| Door type | Standard width | Standard height |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom door | 30 in (762 mm) | 80 in (2,032 mm) |
| Primary bedroom / bathroom door | 32 in (813 mm) | 80 in (2,032 mm) |
| Accessible / wheelchair-compliant | 36 in (914 mm) | 80 in (2,032 mm) |
| Closet door (single) | 24 to 28 in | 80 in |
| Closet door (bifold) | 30 to 60 in | 80 in |
| Powder room | 28 in (711 mm) | 80 in |
| Pocket door | 24 to 36 in | 80 in |
The 80-inch height was chosen as a compromise: tall enough to accommodate any adult, short enough to allow a header (typically 4 inches) under an 8-foot ceiling. For 9-foot ceilings (the current new-construction norm, see standard ceiling heights), 8-foot doors (96 inches tall) are increasingly common, but 80-inch doors still dominate the bedroom and bath market.
US exterior doors
Exterior entry doors are typically the same 80-inch height as interior doors but with thicker construction and different width:
| Door type | Standard width | Standard height |
|---|---|---|
| Primary entry door | 36 in (914 mm) | 80 in (2,032 mm) |
| Side entry door | 30 to 36 in | 80 in |
| Patio sliding door (double) | 60 to 72 in (1.5 to 1.8 m) | 80 in |
| French doors (paired) | 60 to 72 in total | 80 in |
| Storm door | 32 or 36 in | 80 in |
The “80 inches” universal height for exterior doors means that an interior and exterior door from the same room transitions cleanly. The wall above each door is flush at 80 inches.
For taller exterior doors, premium construction now uses 96-inch (8-foot) doors, often with a transom window above to reach the 9-foot ceiling. This is a clear marker of upscale construction.
UK door sizes
The UK uses a metric-imperial hybrid that came from the metrication of the construction industry in the 1970s. UK doors are sold in nominal metric sizes that closely match older imperial standards:
| UK Standard | Metric | Imperial equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Internal door (universal) | 1,981 × 762 × 35 mm | 78 × 30 × 1.4 in |
| Internal door (wide) | 1,981 × 838 × 35 mm | 78 × 33 × 1.4 in |
| External door | 1,981 × 762 × 44 mm | 78 × 30 × 1.7 in |
| Fire door | 1,981 × 762 or 838 × 44 mm | 78 × 30 or 33 × 1.7 in |
The “1,981 mm” height is unusual but historical: it corresponds to 6 ft 6 in, the traditional British internal door size. The 762 mm width corresponds to 30 inches. The UK kept these conversions when adopting metric so that existing buildings could continue to be repaired with off-the-shelf doors.
A UK internal door is about 50 mm (2 in) shorter than a US standard door. A US-sourced door will not fit a UK opening without modification. UK doors are also slightly thinner (35 mm vs US 1 3/8 in = 35 mm for interior, but US exterior doors run 1 3/4 in = 44 mm).
Continental European door sizes
European interior doors use cleaner metric sizes:
| Country | Standard interior height | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| France | 2.00 m or 2.10 m | 2.10 m more common in new builds |
| Germany | 2.00 m or 2.10 m | Strict 2.10 m for accessible installations |
| Spain | 2.00 m or 2.03 m | Hybrid range, some matching US |
| Italy | 2.00 m or 2.10 m | Style-dependent |
| Netherlands | 2.00 m (older), 2.30 m (newer) | Tall doors for tall people |
| Scandinavia | 2.10 m | Universal high standard |
Widths in Europe usually start at 60 cm (23.6 in) for closets and step up by 10 cm: 70 cm, 80 cm, 90 cm, 100 cm. Standard bedroom doors are 80 to 90 cm wide.
European doors are generally taller than US doors. A 2.10 m (82.7 in) door is 2.7 inches taller than the US standard 80 in. A 2.30 m Dutch door (90.6 in) is 10.6 inches taller. This is a real consideration when bringing US-bought furniture or appliances into a European home with taller-than-US ceilings: the doorway may need a custom door for symmetry.
Garage doors
Garage doors are sized separately and the standards vary by region:
| Type | US standard | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Single-car residential (older) | 7 × 8 ft to 9 × 8 ft | 2.13 × 2.44 m |
| Single-car residential (newer) | 8 × 8 ft to 9 × 8 ft | 2.44 × 2.44 m |
| Double-car residential | 16 × 7 ft to 16 × 9 ft | 4.88 × 2.13 to 4.88 × 2.74 m |
| RV-compatible | 10 × 12 ft or larger | 3.05 × 3.66 m or larger |
| Commercial | 10 × 10 ft to 20 × 14 ft | varies |
The “tall” 8-foot height is becoming the new residential standard, replacing the older 7-foot height. Modern SUVs and pickup trucks often exceed the 6 ft 6 in clearance under a closed 7-foot garage door (which has trim that drops below the actual opening). The 8-foot door provides 7 ft 6 in of actual opening clearance, fitting most modern vehicles.
For converting between specific door height values, the calculator on the homepage gives exact values. Common conversions: 2.03 m to feet (US standard), 2.10 m to feet (European), and 2.44 m to feet (8-foot garage door height).
Code minimums
The International Residential Code (IRC) requires:
| Door type | IRC minimum height | IRC minimum width |
|---|---|---|
| Primary exterior door | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 32 in (813 mm) |
| Bedroom door (egress) | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 24 in (610 mm) |
| Bathroom door | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 24 in (610 mm) |
| Accessible (ADA) | 80 in (2.03 m) | 32 in (813 mm) |
Most US homes exceed these minimums by using 80 in doors everywhere. Bathroom doors at 6 ft 4 in are rare; the universal 80 in standard is easier to source and looks cleaner.
For the closely related question of how ceiling heights interact with door heights, see standard ceiling heights for US homes. For metric conversion workflow when working between US and European construction, see convert metric blueprints to feet and inches.
Quick reference
The numbers worth memorizing:
| Door type | Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| US standard interior | 80 × 30 in | 2,032 × 762 mm |
| US standard exterior | 80 × 36 in | 2,032 × 914 mm |
| UK standard interior | 78 × 30 in | 1,981 × 762 mm |
| European standard (mid) | 78.7 × 31.5 in | 2,000 × 800 mm |
| European tall | 82.7 × 31.5 in | 2,100 × 800 mm |
| US garage (new) | 96 × 96 in | 2.44 × 2.44 m |
That covers 90 percent of door dimensions you will encounter. For arbitrary heights or specific manufacturer specs, the calculator handles any value.
Sources and further reading:
- International Residential Code: Section R311 (egress)
- Wikipedia: Door
- Architectural Graphic Standards (the canonical US reference)
- BS EN 1303: UK door standards
- Our guide: Standard ceiling heights for US homes