Most bollard problems come down to two numbers: the gap between posts and the height of each post. Get the gap wrong and a car slips through. Get the height wrong and drivers reverse into a post they never saw. This guide covers the figures Australian installers and traffic engineers use for driveways, roller doors, shopfronts and car parks.
The short answer
- Spacing: 1.2m to 1.5m clear between posts stops a car and still lets people walk through.
- Pedestrian gaps: leave at least 1000mm clear where wheelchairs and prams pass between bollards.
- Height: 900mm to 1000mm above ground suits most driveways, shopfronts and car parks.
- Accessible parking: AS 2890.6-2022 calls for a bollard at least 1300mm high in the shared area, with a 300mm retroreflective band.
Why 1.5m is the upper limit
Most passenger cars are wider than 1.7m. A clear gap of 1.5m or less between posts leaves no path for a car, while a gap much wider than 1.5m lets a small hatchback squeeze past. Measure the clear gap from the face of one post to the face of the next, not centre to centre. With a 90mm post, the centre-to-centre distance is 90mm more than the clear gap.
Spacing by site
| Site | Typical layout | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Single driveway (about 3m wide) | One bollard in the centre | A 90mm post in a 3m opening leaves about 1.45m either side, under the 1.5m limit. |
| Double driveway (about 6m wide) | Three bollards, evenly spaced | Two posts leave gaps near 1.9m. Three posts bring each gap back to about 1.43m. |
| Roller door | One fixed or removable bollard each side of the door frame, plus a removable bollard in the opening | The side posts protect the door tracks from forklifts and trucks. The centre post blocks access out of hours. |
| Shopfront | A row at 1.2m to 1.5m, set back from the glass | Keeps vehicles off the footpath and away from the glazing while leaving the entry open to foot traffic. |
| Car park space | 300mm to 500mm back from the kerb or parking line | Leaves room for the front overhang of a car parked against the kerb, so the bumper stops short of the post. |
| Walkway or shared zone | At least 1000mm clear between posts | Keeps the path usable for wheelchairs, prams and delivery trolleys. |
How tall should a bollard be?
For general use, 900mm to 1000mm above the finished ground is the common range. A post at this height sits inside a driver's view in the rear window and mirrors, and stays below the height where people lean on it or snag bags.
Accessible parking is the exception. AS 2890.6-2022 sets a minimum height of 1300mm for the bollard in the shared area beside an accessible space, with a 300mm retroreflective band starting at least 900mm above the floor. Many off-the-shelf bollards stand 1000mm to 1200mm, so check the height before you order for this use.
Visibility
A bollard nobody sees gets hit. High-vis yellow or reflective bands suit car parks, warehouses and loading docks where vehicles move at night or under poor lighting. AS 1428.1 looks for a clear luminance contrast between an obstruction and the surface around it, and AS 1906.1 covers retroreflective materials. Black or stainless finishes suit homes and shopfronts where appearance matters more, as long as the site is well lit.
90mm or 114mm diameter?
A 90mm post handles most residential driveways, carports and light commercial access points. A 114mm post adds steel and mass for warehouses, loading docks and sites with regular truck or forklift traffic. Stainless steel in either size resists corrosion on coastal and wash-down sites without relying on a painted coating.
Clearances around other objects
- Keep about 500mm clear around fire hydrants, EV chargers and electrical pits so they stay reachable.
- Keep bollards out of the car door opening zone beside a parking space. AS 2890.1 allows for about 1m of door swing.
- Check for services before drilling. An in-ground sleeve needs a solid concrete depth, and a core drill through a buried cable or pipe turns a small job into a large one.
Removable bollards and sleeves
A removable bollard sits in a sleeve set into the concrete. When the post comes out, a cover plate closes the sleeve flush with the surface, so there is nothing to trip on or drive over. Spacing rules stay the same whether the post is fixed or removable. The difference is who needs access and how often: a removable post suits a driveway or roller door that opens daily, and a fixed post suits a shopfront or column that never needs to open.
Which standards apply?
- AS 2890.1: off-street car parking, including layout and door clearances.
- AS 2890.6: accessible parking, including the 1300mm shared-area bollard.
- AS 1428.1: access and mobility, including clear widths and luminance contrast.
- AS 1906.1: retroreflective materials.
Standard removable and in-ground bollards sold for driveways, roller doors and car parks are not crash-rated products. Sites needing hostile vehicle mitigation, such as crowded public spaces, use bollards tested to impact standards such as IWA 14 and designed by an engineer. For commercial car parks and public areas, confirm the layout with your building designer or certifier.
Common questions
How far apart should bollards be?
1.2m to 1.5m clear between posts for vehicle control. Where people walk through, keep at least 1000mm clear.
How many bollards for a double driveway?
Three, for a driveway around 6m wide. Two posts leave gaps close to 1.9m, wide enough for a small car.
How high above the ground?
900mm to 1000mm for most sites. Accessible parking shared areas need at least 1300mm under AS 2890.6-2022.
Do I need a permit?
Bollards on your own driveway or private land usually need no permit. Installing on a council footpath or nature strip needs council approval, and strata properties need body corporate consent for work on common property.
Once you know how many posts your site needs and the diameter to suit, compare sizes, finishes and prices in our range of bollards for sale.
