Guides · Wheelchair users
How to measure your wheelchair for an accessible van
Most problems with accessible vans come down to a few centimetres. Five minutes with a tape measure before you book saves a bad surprise at the airport.
Updated 26 October 2026 · AbleVan · 3 min read
In short: Measure the user's height seated in the chair, the chair's width and length including footplates, and its weight. Compare them with the van's door height, interior headroom, ramp width and maximum ramp load.
The four measurements
- Height seated. From the floor to the top of the user's head, sitting in the chair as they will travel. This is the one that rules out most vans.
- Width. At the widest point, usually the wheels or the armrests.
- Length. From the front of the footplates to the back of the chair, including anything that sticks out, such as a joystick or anti-tip bars.
- Weight. Of the chair, and of chair and user together. Power chairs are much heavier than manual ones.
Approximate figures are fine to start with. Round up rather than down.
What to compare them with
- Door height and interior headroom against the seated height. They are different measurements, and both have to fit.
- Ramp width against the chair's width.
- Ramp maximum load against chair and user together.
- Floor length against the chair's length, if other seats are in use.
Can your chair be travelled in?
Chairs designed to be used as a seat in a vehicle meet the standard ISO 7176-19 and often have a hook symbol at the tie-down points. Take a photo of those points: the rental company may ask for it. If your chair is not tested, check with the manufacturer, or plan for the user to transfer to a vehicle seat.
Send them with your request
When you ask us for a van, you do not need the measurements straight away. If we find a possible van, we ask for them and check them against that van before we send you an offer, so you only pay for one that fits. More in our full van checklist.
Need a van with a ramp? Tell us about your trip and your chair, and we look for a van that suits it before we send you an offer. Free, no commitment, reply within one working day.
Frequently asked questions
What wheelchair measurements do I need for an accessible van?
The user's height seated in the chair, the chair's width and length including footplates, and the weight of chair and user together.
Which measurement matters most for a wheelchair accessible van?
Usually the seated height, measured from the floor to the top of the user's head. Compare it with both the door height and the interior headroom.
Sources
- Allied Mobility, wheelchair accessible vehicle user guide (ISO 7176-19, restraints)
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, guide to wheelchair accessible vehicles
About AbleVan
AbleVan helps visitors to Spain who use a wheelchair hire a van with a ramp. We do not own vehicles: we find one from a Spanish rental company, check that it suits the traveller's chair and arrange the booking. This guide is written by the AbleVan team from official sources, listed above, and is reviewed when the rules change.