Will a Scissor Lift Fit Through a Standard Doorway?

Yes — our 19ft electric scissor is 0.79m wide and 1.98m stowed, so it drives through a standard 820mm internal door with room to spare, and fits most passenger and goods lifts. Bigger scissors need double doors or roller doors — the width table below tells you which.

How wide is each machine?

Width is the number that decides doorway access. A standard Australian internal door leaf is 820mm; commercial doors are often 920mm. Here’s how our fleet compares (RT figures are approximate — verify against the specific machine when you book):

Machine	Width	Fits a standard 820mm door?
19ft electric	0.79m	Yes
26ft narrow electric	1.17m	No — needs double doors
26ft / 32ft standard electric	1.17m	No — needs double doors
40ft electric	1.2m	No — needs double doors
Diesel RT scissors	1.8–2.3m (approx.)	No — roller door or open access only

What about door height?

The 19ft stows to 1.98m high. A standard door opening is 2.04m, so it clears — but only just, and only fully lowered with rails down if the machine has folding rails. Measure the actual clear opening, not the nominal size: door closers, conduits and head flashings all steal height. If your opening is under 2m, tell us before delivery, not after.

Can I take a scissor lift up in a building lift?

Often, yes — and this is how a lot of high-rise fit-out work gets done. Three things have to check out:

Weight: the 19ft weighs 1,520kg. Most goods lifts handle that; many passenger lifts are rated 1,000–1,600kg, so check the lift’s rated load plate — the machine plus an operator pushing it can exceed it
Door and car size: the machine is 0.79m wide and 1.98m stowed, but lift doors and car depth vary — measure both
Building approval: building managers usually want notice, floor protection and sometimes an engineer’s sign-off for the lift

Once it’s upstairs, also think about what the floor can take — our floor loading guide covers that.

Corridors, corners and tight turns

A doorway is one thing; the 90° turn just inside it is another. The 19ft is 1.98m long stowed (rails considered), so a 0.79m-wide machine turning out of a standard corridor generally needs about 2m of clear space to swing. Sketch the route from the truck to the work area — every door, ramp, corner and lift on the way — and send it to us. We do this every day and we’ll tell you in minutes whether it works.

Compare all sizes on the scissor lift hire page, or start from your ceiling height with hire by height.

Common questions

Which scissor lift fits through a single door?

The 19ft electric (0.79m wide, 1.98m stowed) is the machine for single doorways — it’s also our most popular unit, with 27 of them in the fleet at $100/day ex-GST.

Will it damage the floor on the way through?

Electric scissors run solid non-marking tyres, so finished floors are fine. Watch thresholds and ramps — steep transitions can ground the chassis. Diesel RT machines will mark internal floors and shouldn’t come inside anyway.

Can I get a 26ft machine through double doors?

Usually. The 26ft narrow is 1.17m wide, and double door openings are typically 1.45–1.7m clear. Measure the actual clear width with both leaves open — hardware and stops reduce it.

What does delivery cost?

$165 each way within 50km for electric scissors. If access is tricky, mention it when booking so the driver brings the right gear — see the rates page for full transport pricing.

Got a tight doorway? Send us the measurements.

Text a photo and the door width to us and we’ll confirm the machine fits before you book — quotes in 60 minutes.

Call 1300 806 577