True Cost Guide Outdoor Living Stripe a Parking Lot

How Much Does Parking Lot Striping Cost?

Q: How much is a parking lot striping machine rental?

Parking lot striping machine rentals cost $20 to $250 per day , depending on the model you rent. Simple residential models cost $20 to $30 per day, with professional models running $100 and up . Rentals average $125 per day . Purchasing a simple machine costs $150 to $1,500 . Purchasing a professional grade parking lot striping machine costs $4,000 to $20,000 .

Typical Range:

$300 - $700

Cost data is based on research by HomeAdvisor.

Updated September 21, 2022

Written by HomeAdvisor.

Parking lot striping costs $0.25 to $1 per linear foot, depending on the width of the line. A parking lot striping pricing for 30 to 50 spaces averages $500 but could cost as low as $300. For parking lots with more than 50 spaces or for brand new paint jobs, expect to pay up to $3,000. You’ll pay 20% to 50% less if it’s a repaint. While some parking lot painters will include arrows or stop lines in their prices, not all will.

Average Parking Lot Striping Cost

Average Cost	$1,000
High Cost	$3,000
Low Cost	$300

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Parking Lot Line Striping Pricing Per Linear Foot

Calculating paint cost by size doesn’t work as well with striping. When calculating, know that the width of most parking lot lines is four to six inches wide. You might pay anywhere from $0.25 to $1 per linear foot, depending on what needs painting:

Type of Paint Job	Cost per Linear Foot
Single line painting (for a parking stall)	$0.25 – $0.65
Other ground painting (fire lane, cross-hatching, no parking or loading zones)	$0.25 – $0.50
Curb painting (red or yellow)	$0.75 – $1

Most companies will paint lines that are four inches thick, but you can request up to 12 inches thick for other applications, like a crosswalk. A single line for a parking stall is typically $5 to $7.

Per Square Foot

Parking lot striping costs $0.03 to $0.10 per square foot on average, but up to $0.25 per square foot for things like cross-hatching and accessible parking spots. You’ll pay more per square foot for smaller parking lots, since your professional's overhead costs remain roughly the same. Expect all pricing to start at $300.

You’ll likely never receive an estimate based on the square footage of your parking lot. Most companies won’t charge by the area or square footage of the lot, instead charging by the number of lines to paint or linear feet. It’s just a good way to estimate how much it’ll cost you.

A parking stall takes up 250–400 square feet, including the area of the driving aisle it occupies, depending on how wide that area is.
This means that a 100-stall parking lot will take up roughly 25,000–40,000 square feet.
Each stall costs $7–$14 on average to paint, which includes one line and the stop line (front line).
So, a parking lot of 25,000–40,000 square feet will cost $1,000–$2,000 total, depending on things like no parking zones and accessible parking spots, which increases the price.

Parking Lot Square Feet	Average Cost
5,000	$300 – $800
10,000	$450 – $1,200
15,000	$500 – $1,500
20,000	$600 – $2,000
30,000	$900 – $3,000
50,000	$1,500 – $5,000

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Parking Lot Striping Costs per Line

Parking lot striping varies by the number of lines and other special markings you might need, such as some lettering denoting a no parking area. The following table details each cost, which doesn’t include the mobilization fee.

Parking Lot Striping Paint Cost

When bought from the store, a 5-gallon tub of paint costs anywhere from $90 to $250. Professional lot painters factor materials into their total price. The right company will use water-based acrylic paint for best results.

Parking Lot Striping Cost Factors

The three main factors that may affect the price of your next parking lot striping project include call out fees, if you have any accessibility spaces, and if you decide to seal the lot prior to painting.

Call-Out Fees

Call-out fees range from $150 to $300. This covers travel time and overhead, such as fuel, insurance, and permits. Call-out fees are typical for most on-site work. Not all contractors charge this, instead including the cost in the project price.

Accessible Spaces

Accessibility spaces cost $20 to $40 each and usually require blue paint. The added cost comes from the symbol put in the space and not necessarily from the lines around it. These lines are sometimes done in blue paint as well. You may pay an additional fee for any cross hatching needed next to spaces used for van accessibility.

Parking Lot Sealing

The cost to seal asphalt paving in a parking lot runs from $2,000 to $8,000 or more, depending on size. You’ll pay an average of $0.25 per square foot or $5,500 per half acre. Since parking lots experience higher traffic than the average driveway, they sometimes need two coats of sealant. This also raises the prices of sealing a driveway.

DIY vs. Hire a Lot Painting Professional

Professional striping and painting companies don’t just help your business look better; they even prevent accidents. Without a well-organized and easy-to-navigate parking lot, fender benders, accidents, and injuries are far more common.

Safety and convenience are not areas to skimp on. Find a parking lot striping contractor near you to ensure a job well done.

Still Have Questions About Striping a Parking Lot?

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a parking lot striping machine rental?

Parking lot striping machine rentals cost $20 to $250 per day, depending on the model you rent. Simple residential models cost $20 to $30 per day, with professional models running $100 and up.

Rentals average $125 per day.
Purchasing a simple machine costs $150 to $1,500.
Purchasing a professional grade parking lot striping machine costs $4,000 to $20,000.

What are parking lot striping stencils?

Striping stencils are cutouts that make it easy to paint numbers and letters. Here are some examples of when you or your professional will use stencils in your parking lot:

Numbering stalls in an apartment garage so renters know their assigned space
Painting “No Parking” in a fire zone
Labeling VIP stalls (such as “President” or “CEO”)

What kind of parking lot striping equipment do companies use?

Lot painting companies use a variety of equipment based on the needs of the project. You’ll likely see them using the following equipment:

Professional line painting machine (usually costs between $4,000 and $10,000)
Stencils for creating words, numbers, and signs, such as for an accessibility parking spot.
Water-based, acrylic paint

How long does it take to stripe a parking lot?

It will likely take a full day to stripe most parking lots and up to two days for new lots. Contractors need between several hours and a full day to assess, plan, and paint your lot if they’re simply going over the existing lines. If painting is for a brand new lot, contractors might need a week or so to lay out their strategy.

If you need your lot space paved, this will add another one to two days. The cost to pave an asphalt parking lot is $21,000 to $39,000.

How long does it take for paint to dry?

As long as the weather is favorable (sunny days are best), your lines will dry in about four hours. However, it depends on your climate. Moist climates with high humidity and little wind will likely take several more hours to dry, while they could dry sooner in a dry climate. Your professional will know what the actual drying times are for your area.