Off-Street Loading.
Philadelphia Code § 14-806
in effect§ 14-806. Off-Street Loading.
All development shall comply with the off-street loading standards in this section. Uses that are not permitted in a particular zoning district shall provide off-street loading in accordance with the zoning district in Table 14-806-1 that has the strictest requirements for that use at the gross floor area occupied by that use. In the case of mixed-use buildings or developments, off-street loading requirements shall be calculated by determining the required loading spaces for the cumulative gross floor area occupied by each group of uses listed in each row of Table 14-806-1 or Table 14-806-2, as applicable, and then taking the highest result of these calculations. 926
Notes
926 | Amended, Bill No. 130804 (approved December 18, 2013); amended, Bill No. 150766 (approved December 8, 2015).
(1) General Requirement for All Districts Except RMX-3, CMX-4, and CMX-5.
Every building on a property that is abutting two or more streets shall provide off-street loading spaces in accordance with Table 14-806-1.
(a) Notes for Table 14-806-1. 926.1
[1] In the I-3 district, where a Research and Development use occupies more than 50% of the building’s gross floor area, the off-street loading requirements for a Research and Development use shall be applied to the entire building.
Table 14-806-1: Off-Street Loading 927
{For printable PDF version, click HERE}
Use | Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.) | Required Loading Spaces
Use | Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.) | Required Loading Spaces
Residential Districts except RMX-3
Office, Hospital, Public, Civic, and Institutional, Visitor Accommodation, or Residential | 100,000 - 150,000 | 1
150,001 - 400,000 | 2
400,001 - 660,000 | 3
660,001 - 970,000 | 4
970,001 - 1,300,000 | 5
Over 1,300,000 | 1 additional space per each additional 350,000 sq. ft.
Commercial Districts except CMX-4 and CMX-5
Office, Hospital, Public, Civic, and Institutional, Visitor Accommodation, or Residential | 100,000 - 150,000 | 1
150,001 - 400,000 | 2
400,001 - 660,000 | 3
660,001 - 970,000 | 4
970,001 - 1,300,000 | 5
Over 1,300,000 | 1 additional space per each additional 350,000 sq. ft.
All other permitted uses, except non-accessory parking | 20,000 - 40,000 | 1
40,001 - 100,000 | 2
100,001 - 160,000 | 3
160,001 - 240,000 | 4
240,001 - 320,000 | 5
Over 320,000 | 1 additional space per each additional 90,000 sq. ft.
Industrial Districts except IRMX
Research and Development [1] | Up to 100,000 | 1
Over 100,000 | 1 additional space per each additional 200,000 sq. ft.
All other permitted uses, except non-accessory parking | 10,000 - 20,000 | 1
20,001 - 40,000 | 2
40,001 - 60,000 | 3
60,001 - 80,000 | 4
80,001 - 100,000 | 5
Over 100,000 | 1 additional space per each additional 50,000 sq. ft.
IRMX
Office, Hospital, Public, Civic, and Institutional, Visitor Accommodation, or Residential | 100,000 - 150,000 | 1
150,001 - 400,000 | 2
400,001 - 660,000 | 3
660,001 - 970,000 | 4
970,001 - 1,300,000 | 5
Over 1,300,000 | 1 additional space per each additional 350,000 sq. ft.
All other permitted uses, except non-accessory parking | 20,000 - 40,000 | 1
40,001 - 60,000 | 2
60,001 - 80,000 | 3
80,001 - 100,000 | 4
100,001 - 120,000 | 5
Over 120,000 | 1 additional space per each additional 50,000 sq. ft.
Notes
926.1 | Added, Bill No. 250523 (approved June 13, 2025).
927 | Amended, Bill No. 120774-A (approved January 14, 2013); amended, Bill No. 130804 (approved December 18, 2013); amended, Bill No. 150168 (approved April 21, 2015); amended, Bill No. 150766 (approved December 8, 2015); amended, Bill No. 220418 (approved November 30, 2022); amended, Bill No. 250523 (approved June 13, 2025).
(2) RMX-3, CMX-4, and CMX-5 Districts.
(a) Required Spaces. 928
Off-street loading in RMX-3, CMX-4, and CMX-5 districts shall be provided in accordance with Table 14-806-2.
Table 14-806-2: Off-Street Loading in RMX-3, CMX-4, and CMX-5 929
{For printable PDF version, click HERE}
Use | Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.) | Required Loading Spaces
Use | Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.) | Required Loading Spaces
Office and Visitor Accommodation | 100,000 - 150,000 | 1
150,001 - 400,000 | 2
400,001 - 660,000 | 3
660,001 - 970,000 | 4
970,001 - 1,300,000 | 5
Over 1,300,000 | 1 additional space per each additional 400,000 sq. ft.
Residential | 100,000 - 200,000 | 1
200,001 - 500,000 | 2
Over 500,000 | 3
All other permitted uses, except non-accessory parking | 40,000 - 100,000 | 1
100,001 - 160,000 | 2
160,001 - 240,000 | 3
240,001 - 320,000 | 4
Over 320,000 | 1 additional space per each additional 90,000 sq. ft.
(b) Minimum Dimensions. 930
Loading spaces shall be designed to meet the dimensions in Table 14-806-3.
Table 14-806-3: Required Loading Space Dimensions 931
{For printable PDF version, click HERE}
Required Loading Space | Dimensions
Required Loading Space | Dimensions
1 | 10 ft. wide, 40 ft. long, 14 ft. high
2 [1] | 11 ft. wide, 60 ft. long, 14 ft. high
3 | 10 ft. wide, 30 ft. long, 14 ft. high
4 | 10 ft. wide, 40 ft. long, 14 ft. high
5 [1] | 11 ft. wide, 60 ft. long, 14 ft. high
Each additional | 10 ft. wide, 30 ft. long, 14 ft. high
Table Notes:[1] Except where access to the loading space is by a street which is less than 35 ft. wide in which case, such space may be at least 10 ft. wide, 40 ft. long, 14 ft. high.
(c) Enclosed Structure Required.
Every off-street loading space shall be located either (1) within the building it serves, or (2) in an enclosed structure with direct access to each building the loading spaces serve.
(d) Ingress and Egress. 932
(.1) Each individual loading space or group of loading spaces shall be limited to one two-way curb cut with a maximum width of 24 ft. on the street frontage or two one-way curb cuts with a maximum width of 16 ft. on each street frontage; provided that, for curb cuts on the south side of Fairmount Avenue, between Broad Street and Thirteenth Street, on lots designated "CMX-4", the 24 ft. maximum width shall not apply to a two-way curb cut and a maximum of two two-way curb cuts shall be allowed if the curb cuts are intended to be used for a mixed use development with at least 50,000 gross sq. ft. of space for retail use.
(.2) As an exception to § 14-806(2)(d)(.1), when the loading spaces or their access drives have direct access to a street of less than 40 ft. wide, there shall not be a limit imposed on the size of the curb cut(s) to that street. 933
(.3) Driveways that cross the public sidewalk must be at the same level as the sidewalk. The driveway material must change at the building line to demarcate the transition to the sidewalk. Sidewalks should be visually continuous across driveways to indicate pedestrians have the right-of-way. 934
(e) Common Loading.
Two or more buildings may share a common loading area provided that the loading area is located within a commonly accessible structure and that the total number of loading spaces provided is calculated on the basis of the sum of the loading spaces required for each building that the common spaces are intended to serve.
(f) Trash Storage.
All trash storage areas shall be located within the building, within a completely enclosed trash storage area located on the same lot as the building it serves, or within a common loading area as provided in § 14-806(2)(e) (Common Loading).
Notes
928 | Amended, Bill No. 130908-A (approved March 31, 2014); amended, Bill No. 140858 (approved October 20, 2015); subsection (a)(.2) deleted, Bill No. 160096 (approved May 10, 2016); amended, Bill No. 210075 (approved March 29, 2021).
929 | Amended, Bill No. 150766 (approved December 8, 2015); amended, Bill No. 220418 (approved November 30, 2022).
930 | Amended, Bill No. 130908-A (approved March 31, 2014); amended, Bill No. 160096 (approved May 10, 2016).
931 | Amended, Bill No. 140009 (approved March 31, 2014).
932 | Amended, Bill No. 130908-A (approved March 31, 2014); amended, Bill No. 150492 (approved June 30, 2015); amended, Bill No. 160096 (approved May 10, 2016); amended, Bill No. 161003-A (approved May 8, 2017).
933 | Amended, Bill No. 210075 (approved March 29, 2021)
934 | Amended, Bill No. 210075 (approved March 29, 2021)
(3) General Design and Access Standards.
Except as provided in § 14-806(2) (RMX-3, CMX-4, and CMX-5 Districts), the following standards apply to all required off-street loading spaces.
(a) Where off-street loading spaces do not adjoin the street, convenient access at least 12 ft. wide to each space shall be provided.
(b) Access driveways across sidewalks shall be subject to the approval of the Streets Department.
(c) Each required off-street loading space shall be at least 11 ft. wide, 60 ft. long, and have at least 14 ft. of unobstructed height unless otherwise stated in another provision of this Zoning Code for a specific location.
(d) No required off-street loading space may be located in a required front setback or rear or side yard area.
(4) Adjustments to Loading Requirements.
(a) Subject to the determination of the Commission and the Streets Department that the proposed adjustments would provide an adequate number of off-street loading spaces for the proposed use and are necessary given certain constraints that would preclude the provision of loading as required in this § 14-806 (Off-Street Loading), one or more of the following adjustments may be permitted to the off-street loading requirements of this § 14-806 (Off-Street Loading).
(.1) A reduction in the number of required off-street loading spaces by no more than two loading spaces, except at least one required off-street loading space shall be provided.
(.2) A reduction in the required loading space width for one or more required off-street loading spaces such that each required off-street loading space shall be at least 10 ft. wide.
(.3) A reduction in the required loading space length for one or more required off-street loading spaces such that each required off-street loading space shall be at least 30 ft. long.
(.4) An increase in the maximum width of any curb cut otherwise permitted for off-street loading by no more than 12 ft.
(b) The applicant shall provide the Commission and Streets Department with any requested documentation of those constraints that would preclude the provision of loading as required in this § 14-806 (Off-Street Loading) before the approval of any adjustment under § 14-806(4)(a).
Notes
935 | Added, Bill No. 161003-A (approved May 8, 2017).
Source: City of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Code and Home Rule Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-294012Fetched: 10/27/2026