Will your car fit a private parking space?

1. Write down the dimensions of the car you will bring

Use the owner's manual or manufacturer information for your actual model, year and configuration. Check what each number includes before copying it into your notes. A body-width measurement and a measurement across the mirrors answer different questions.

For example, Tesla's Model 3 dimensions page separates mirror positions and body width, and notes that dimensions are approximate and can depend on options. Use that as a reminder to read the definitions in your own vehicle's documentation, rather than copying another model's specifications.

Record the vehicle as you expect to arrive with it. Roof-mounted equipment, a rear carrier or another attachment may add an outer edge that a standard vehicle diagram does not describe. If you cannot establish the resulting dimensions, do not fill the gap with a guess.

• Overall length, including anything that projects beyond the vehicle.
• Width and the mirror position covered by that measurement.
• Height in the configuration you will use, including any roof-mounted equipment.
• Room you need to open a door, unload passengers or use the luggage area.

Source: Tesla Model 3 owner's manual: dimensions

2. Compare the usable area, not the whole driveway

Ask for the length and width of the area actually offered for parking. A measurement from the front of a property to the back is unhelpful if only part of that area is designated for your vehicle. Check where each measurement starts and ends, and whether an object reduces the usable area.

Keep a separate note for the narrowest entrance or passage along the permitted route. A car might fit inside the parking area while the opening leading to it is too narrow. A wall, post or other obstruction can also make one part of the route more restrictive than the area shown in the main photo.

Curbi's marked photo explains where the vehicle should be parked. It is not a scale drawing or a dimensional-fit certificate. For the broader checks around the marked area, confirmation and arrival, use the private-driveway booking checklist.

Private-driveway booking checklist

3. Keep vehicle and space measurements side by side

Use one unit throughout the comparison. Label an unknown measurement as unknown. Do not substitute the apparent size of another car in a photo or assume that a space described as suitable for an SUV fits every SUV.

Keep completed notes private. This comparison does not confirm fit, access or a booking.

Subtraction can help you notice a tight comparison, but it cannot confirm that parking will work. Hypothetically, a usable length of 216 inches minus a vehicle length of 184 inches leaves 32 inches in total. That is not 32 inches at each end. It also says nothing about how much room the entrance, turning route or unloading task needs.

These are invented worksheet numbers, not a Curbi listing, a recommended clearance or a parking-space standard. A positive remainder is only a measurement comparison. It is not permission to park or a guarantee that the space is suitable.

4. Check the approach and the room you need to use the car

Look at the permitted route into the space, not just the final rectangle. A turn through a narrow opening can require a different assessment from driving straight into an open area. A slope, a change in surface level or an obstacle may also make a simple length-and-width comparison incomplete. Ask about uncertain access details before relying on the space; do not use a vehicle to test an opening that may be unsuitable.

For covered parking, check the lowest restriction along the route as well as above the parked car. Consider what you need to open after parking. A closed-vehicle height does not describe the path of a lifting luggage door. Tesla's Model 3 manual, for example, separately flags the space needed when its rear trunk opens; follow the relevant instructions for your own vehicle.

Think about the people using the space too. A car that fits between two fixed objects may still leave too little room for the door opening or unloading you need. If someone needs particular access arrangements, confirm those arrangements directly rather than treating this worksheet as an accessibility assessment.

5. Resolve missing details before choosing the space

Put the unresolved measurements into one short question. For example: 'Could you confirm the usable parking length and width, the narrowest entrance width and any overhead restriction?' Add a specific access concern if one matters for your vehicle. Use the contact route actually available for the space; do not assume a particular messaging feature exists.

Share only what is needed to answer the fit question. Keep private access instructions, an exact address and identifying vehicle details out of public posts. A useful explanation can use measurements and a description of the obstruction without publishing someone's private arrival information.

If the key detail remains unknown, keep looking for a space whose suitability you can establish. If the actual space differs from the confirmed instructions on arrival, stop and use the available host or Curbi support route. Do not move another vehicle or improvise a different private area to make the space work.

Curbi support