Standard Bollard Height: Sizes & ADA Rules (2026)

The standard above-grade bollard height is 36 to 42 inches in commercial parking-lot and storefront applications, with 27 inches as the ADA cane-detection minimum and 48 inches as the typical maximum for most pedestrian-zone uses. The exact height depends on application: storefront and pedestrian-protection bollards use the standard range; warehouse forklift bumpers run shorter at 24 to 30 inches; security perimeter bollards run taller at 42 to 48 inches. Cojo set 40-inch above-grade bollards on a Portland mixed-use ground-floor retail line in February 2026 because the spec called for both vehicle-protection and visibility from inside passenger vehicles. This guide covers height by application and the underlying ADA and code references.

For category context, see our What Are Bollards hub. For the diameter companion question, see Bollard Diameter Guide. For ADA-specific clearance details, see Bollards and ADA Accessibility Clearance.

What's the Standard Bollard Height?

The standard above-grade height for commercial bollards is 36 to 42 inches. That range hits four design constraints:

1. Vehicle hood-line. A 36 to 42 inch bollard contacts the vehicle hood or grille rather than passing under the bumper or over the windshield.
2. ADA cane detection. The U.S. Access Board ADA Standards Section 307.2 requires objects to be detectable by a person using a white cane, which generally means at least 27 inches tall.
3. Pedestrian visibility. A 36 to 42 inch bollard reads as a barrier to pedestrians without obstructing sight lines.
4. Stability and overturning resistance. Taller bollards generate more overturning moment under impact, increasing the foundation depth required.

For typical parking-lot, storefront, and pedestrian-zone applications, this standard range covers 80% of installs.

How Does Bollard Height Vary by Application?

Application matrix:

Application	Above-Grade Height	Reasoning
Storefront facade	36 to 42 in	Hood-line contact, pedestrian visibility
Drive-thru lane	36 to 42 in	Vehicle contact at slow speed
Parking-lot perimeter	36 to 42 in	Standard vehicle protection
Pedestrian-only path	36 to 48 in	Tall enough to read as barrier
Warehouse forklift zone	24 to 30 in	Forklift mast contact at industrial vehicle height
Loading dock	30 to 42 in	Truck rear-bumper contact
Government building perimeter	36 to 48 in	Vehicle-impact plus visibility from a distance
Decorative architectural	24 to 36 in	Aesthetic priority over protection
Removable for fire access	30 to 36 in	Easy lift-out by single person
ATM enclosure	36 to 42 in	Standard vehicle hood contact

For the comprehensive Salem-area work where Cojo handles a lot of mid-height bollard installs, see Bollard Installation Portland.

What Does ADA Say About Bollard Height?

The U.S. Access Board's ADA Accessibility Guidelines treat bollards as protruding objects under Section 307.

Why Is 27 Inches the ADA Minimum?

ADA Section 307.2 establishes that objects between 27 and 80 inches above the floor cannot protrude more than 4 inches into a circulation path. Below 27 inches, an object is considered cane-detectable -- a person using a white cane in standard sweep technique will contact the object before walking into it.

For bollards, the implication: a bollard under 27 inches tall is detectable by cane sweep but may be a tripping hazard. A bollard over 27 inches is detectable visually and by cane.

What's the ADA Maximum?

ADA does not set a maximum bollard height for protruding-object purposes. However, bollards taller than 80 inches that lean over a path or that have arms protruding more than 4 inches into the path violate Section 307. Standard parking-lot bollards never approach those limits.

For parking-spec interactions with ADA, see our ADA parking requirements Oregon service guide.

How Does Vehicle Type Affect Height Choice?

Different vehicles strike at different heights, which affects bollard performance.

Passenger Cars

Passenger car hoods sit 30 to 38 inches above grade. A 36 to 42 inch bollard contacts the hood or grille, transferring impact energy through the vehicle frame.

Light Trucks and SUVs

Light truck and SUV hoods sit 36 to 48 inches above grade. The same 36 to 42 inch bollard still hits the front face of the vehicle, though closer to the lower edge.

Medium-Duty Trucks

Medium-duty truck bumpers sit 24 to 36 inches above grade. A standard bollard contacts the bumper directly, which is the design intent for ASTM F2656 testing.

Forklifts and Industrial Vehicles

Forklift mast and front-fork lift heights vary widely. Warehouse bollards typically run 24 to 30 inches to contact the lower mast at typical operating heights, per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.176 materials handling standards.

What Does the FHWA Say About Bollard Height?

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) doesn't specify bollard heights but references typical 36 to 42 inch bollards for traffic channelization on roadside applications. The MUTCD applies primarily to public-road work; private parking-lot bollards follow the same general ranges by industry practice.

How Tall Should a Decorative Bollard Be?

Decorative bollards are usually shorter than vehicle-protection bollards because the design priority is aesthetic. Common ranges:

• Architectural pedestrian markers: 30 to 36 inches
• Landscape and pathway lighting (where the bollard is also a fixture): 36 to 48 inches
• Cast-iron historical reproductions: 30 to 42 inches
• Cap-style decorative covers over functional pipe bollards: 36 to 42 inches (matching the underlying bollard height)

Where decorative bollards also serve as vehicle protection, they should hit the 36 to 42 inch standard range.

What Height Mistakes Show Up in Retrofit Work?

Three height mistakes show up frequently in our retrofit and re-spec projects:

1. Bollards under 27 inches in pedestrian paths. Creates ADA Section 307 cane-detection issues and tripping hazards.
2. Bollards taller than 48 inches in storefront applications. Obscures sight lines from inside the store and creates visual clutter without adding protection.
3. Inconsistent heights along a single line. A bollard line with mixed 36 inch and 42 inch heights reads as a defect; pedestrians and vehicle drivers misread the line.

For the maintenance side after install, see our bollard curb stop painting service guide.

Get a Site-Specific Height Recommendation

Bollard height interacts with vehicle type, ADA compliance, and site visibility. Cojo specs and installs bollards across Oregon at appropriate heights for each application, including ADA-compliant pedestrian zones and forklift-rated industrial sites. Contact Cojo for a site-specific height recommendation.

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