How many bicycle spaces are required for a new apartment building?

Multifamily residential uses require a minimum of five bicycle parking spaces or 10% of the proposed motor vehicle parking spaces, whichever is greater.

Where must bicycle racks be located on a commercial site?

At least 50% of required bicycle parking must be within 50 feet of the principal building entrance and visible from the public view. The remaining spaces can be in secure areas, employee entrances, or inside the building.

Are shower facilities required for bicycle commuters?

Showers are required if a developer chooses certain connectivity options. Buildings under 100,000 square feet need two facilities; those 100,000 square feet or larger need four.

Can I pay a fee instead of installing bicycle parking?

Yes, an applicant may request to pay a fee into the Bicycle Parking Fund if the Director determines installation is impractical due to site constraints, protected trees, or if the property was subdivided before bicycle regulations were enacted.

Austin, TX Bicycle Parking Requirements

Bicycle parking is a mandatory component of off-street parking facilities for nearly all developments in Austin. These regulations ensure that bicycle parking is accessible, secure, and provided in proportion to the intensity of the site's use.

Required Number of Bicycle Spaces

The minimum number of bicycle parking spaces is determined by the specific use of the property. If a calculation results in a fraction, the requirement is generally rounded to the next larger whole number if the fraction is 0.5 or greater [§ 25-6-472(F)].

Use Classification	Minimum Bicycle Parking Requirement
Commercial Uses	The greater of 2 spaces or 10% of proposed motor vehicle spaces [§ 25-6-477(C)(1)].
Multifamily Residential	The greater of 5 spaces or 10% of proposed motor vehicle spaces [§ 25-6-477(C)(2)].
Industrial, Civic, & Agricultural	The greater of 1 space or 10% of proposed motor vehicle spaces [§ 25-6-477(C)(4)].
Single-Family or Two-Family	No requirements [§ 25-6-477(C)(3)].
Commercial Off-Street Parking	1 space for every 10 motor vehicle spaces [Appendix A, Schedule A].

Mixed-Use Developments

For sites with multiple uses or adjacent sites served by a common facility, the requirement is the cumulative total of spaces required for each individual use [§ 25-6-476(A)]. Applicants may request an adjustment to this total by submitting a transportation engineering report that addresses peak demand differences and shared parking efficiencies [§ 25-6-476(C)].

Changes in Use or Expansion

Any addition to an existing building, change of occupancy, or change in operation requires a proportional increase in bicycle parking to meet current standards for the new or expanded use [§ 25-6-477(B)].

Location and Design Standards

Bicycle parking must be as convenient as motor vehicle parking and comply with the following location rules:

Proximity to Entrance: At least 50% of all required bicycle parking must be located within 50 feet of the principal building entrance. This area must not be obscured from public view [§ 25-6-477(E)(1)].
Secondary Locations: The remaining spaces may be placed in secure locations within 50 feet of other entryways, at employee-only entrances, inside the building, or in a covered motor vehicle facility within 50 feet of a street-level entrance [§ 25-6-477(E)(2)].
Comparison to Auto Parking: The closest bicycle parking facility must be no farther from the entrance than the closest motor vehicle parking space (excluding accessible parking) [§ 25-6-477(E)(3)].
Technical Standards: All spaces must comply with the design and construction standards found in the Transportation Criteria Manual [§ 25-6-477(D); § 25-6-561].

Showers and Changing Facilities

Certain developments that choose specific "Additional Measures to Improve Connectivity" under the City Code must provide shower and changing facilities:

Buildings < 100,000 sq. ft. GFA: Minimum of two single-user shower-and-changing facilities.
Buildings ≥ 100,000 sq. ft. GFA: Minimum of four single-user shower-and-changing facilities [§ 25-6-477(H)].

Note: Gross floor area (GFA) for these calculations does not include the bicycle storage rooms or shower facilities themselves [§ 25-6-472(C)].

Special Districts

Traditional Neighborhood Districts (TND): Commercial use parking lots or garages must provide at least one bicycle space for every 10 motor vehicle spaces [§ 25-3-83(A)(7)].
Central Business District (CBD) & Downtown Mixed Use (DMU): While motor vehicle parking is often not required, if an applicant requests to increase the maximum allowed motor vehicle parking, bicycle parking must be increased proportionately [§ 25-6-591(C)(2)].

Waivers and Fees-in-Lieu

The City Manager may waive requirements or approve alternate compliance methods based on site characteristics, but the number of spaces cannot be reduced to fewer than two [§ 25-6-477(G)].

Additionally, an applicant may request to pay a fee into the Bicycle Parking Fund instead of installing spaces if:

The property was subdivided before bicycle requirements existed;
There is insufficient space on-site; and
There is available space on the block face for the city to install parking in the right-of-way [§ 25-6-656].

Bicycle Parking Requirements in Austin, TX