What Size Multi Car Carport Do I Need in Smyrna TN?
JB's Enclosures builds 2 car carport and 3 car carport installations across Smyrna, TN and Rutherford County — from a compact double carport for two standard sedans to a wide-span 3 car configuration covering full-size trucks, SUVs, and anything in between. The most important dimension in a multi car carport isn't height — it's width, and getting it wrong means doors that can't open fully and vehicles that don't fit comfortably under the structure you paid to build.
By Jeremy, Owner & Founder · Last updated July 2026
How Wide Is a 2 Car Carport — and Does That Change for Trucks?
The standard answer you'll find online is that a 2 car carport should be 18–20 feet wide. That's accurate for compact cars and most sedans. For Rutherford County households with a full-size truck or two, it's not enough.
Here's the real breakdown. A full-size pickup — an F-150, Silverado, Ram 1500 — is typically 6.5 to 6.8 feet wide, not including side mirrors. Open the driver's door fully and you're adding another 2.5 to 3 feet in swing clearance. Do that on both sides of two adjacent vehicles, and you start to see why an 18-foot carport leaves people frustrated. The Smyrna area, with a strong manufacturing and trade worker base, skews toward truck-heavy households — two trucks under an 18-foot double carport means entering sideways.
For practical multi-vehicle use, here's how we size installations across Middle Tennessee:
Which carport size fits multiple vehicles in Tennessee is less a question of code minimums and more a question of daily usability. We take actual measurements of the vehicles and the proposed installation site before finalizing dimensions — what works on paper sometimes needs adjustment when you account for driveway angle, post placement, and the clearance to open hatchbacks or truck tailgates.
Is a Multi Car Carport Worth It in Tennessee?
For Smyrna and Rutherford County homeowners with two or more vehicles and no garage space to cover them, yes — the combination of Middle Tennessee's summer heat, hail risk, and storm season makes covered vehicle storage a practical investment rather than a luxury.
Tennessee's summer heat damage is real. Dashboard cracking, upholstery fading, interior UV damage, and accelerated battery drain all accumulate on vehicles left in open sun through a Tennessee summer. Smyrna and Murfreesboro average more than 200 sunny days per year, with July and August temperatures regularly hitting 90°F+. Two vehicles spending those months under a steel carport roof rather than in open sun have meaningfully better interior condition five years from now.
Middle Tennessee hail is the biggest single-event risk. Hailstorms in Rutherford County — particularly in spring and late summer — can cause thousands of dollars in damage to unprotected vehicles in a single storm. A multi car carport doesn't eliminate all risk from the largest hailstones, but it substantially reduces exposure for the moderate events that account for the majority of Tennessee vehicle hail claims. A double carport covering two vehicles protects your full household auto investment rather than only the one car that fits under whatever partial shade was available.
The double carport Middle Tennessee math is straightforward. A multi car carport is built and paid for once. Compare that to years of sun damage repairs, a single hail claim that costs more than the carport itself, or the ongoing cost of off-site storage for a second or third vehicle. Most JB's Enclosures customers who opt for a two-bay carport tell us it paid for itself — or at least stopped costing them money — within a few years of installation.
How Much Does a Multi Car Carport Cost in Smyrna TN?
Multi car carport cost in Middle Tennessee scales with the number of bays, the overall structure size, foundation type, and any optional side panels or custom features. A 2 car carport installation is not simply twice the cost of a single-bay carport — because some infrastructure (posts on one side, foundation work, permit fees) is shared across both bays, a two-bay structure is typically more cost-efficient per vehicle than two standalone single-bay carports built separately.
Adding a second bay to an existing single carport generally costs less than the original installation, for the same reason — one side of the structure is already in place, and only the new posts, foundation extension, and roof panels need to be added. However, this varies significantly based on whether the existing structure was built with expansion in mind and whether the permit for the addition runs through the same process as a new build. We assess existing structures before quoting additions and give you an honest scope.
For 3 car carport contractor pricing in Nashville TN and across Rutherford County, larger structures sit at the upper end of the standard carport price range. Our Tennessee carport cost guide covers the full cost breakdown by structure size and feature. Financing starts at $125/month and is available for all multi-car carport projects — call or text (615) 713-7902 for a free, no-obligation estimate on your specific configuration.
Do You Need a Permit for a Multi Car Carport in Smyrna TN?
Yes — and the department you apply through depends on your address, the same as any accessory structure in Rutherford County.
Smyrna town limits: The Town of Smyrna Building Safety Department handles permits for all carport and accessory structure work within the incorporated city (315 S Lowry St, 615-355-5706). Multi-bay carports are explicitly included as accessory structures requiring a site plan submission and permit approval before construction begins.
Unincorporated Rutherford County: The Rutherford County Building Codes Department at 1 South Public Square, Murfreesboro (615-898-7734) handles permits for properties outside Smyrna, La Vergne, and Murfreesboro city limits.
One consideration specific to multi-bay carports: attached configurations, where the carport connects to an existing garage or home structure, typically trigger additional permit review beyond a standard detached accessory structure. If you're planning to attach the carport to your home or garage wall — a common approach that uses the existing structure as one side — confirm the specific requirements with the relevant department before work begins. JB's Enclosures handles the permit application on every project and knows which questions to ask for each configuration.
Which Smyrna and Rutherford County Areas Do We Serve?
As the best multi car carport installers near Smyrna TN and one of the top rated 2 and 3 car carport contractors in the Nashville area, JB's Enclosures builds across Rutherford County and the surrounding region:
Smyrna — neighborhoods along Sam Ridley Parkway, Rocky Fork Road, and the growing residential areas east of the Nissan plant corridor where multi-vehicle households are the rule, not the exception
La Vergne — properties along the I-24 corridor; frequent requests for double carports serving commuter households
Murfreesboro — our home base; two and three-bay carports across Blackman, West Murfreesboro, and the Barfield Road corridor
Nolensville and Spring Hill — newer suburban neighborhoods where attached garage space often doesn't match the number of vehicles the household owns
We also serve Nashville, Franklin, and Brentwood. For homeowners who also need RV or boat storage, see our companion guides: RV carport installation in Smyrna and boat carport installation in Smyrna. For the full range of carport services and our location pages, visit our carports service page and the Smyrna location page. Financing is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How wide is a 2 car carport?
A functional 2 car carport for Smyrna households should be 20–24 feet wide for most vehicle combinations. The 18-foot minimum that appears in generic guides works for compact cars but leaves no comfortable door-swing clearance for full-size trucks or larger SUVs — which are common in Rutherford County. We recommend 22 feet as the practical standard for a household with at least one full-size truck, and 24 feet if both vehicles are large. We always measure your actual vehicles before finalizing the width spec.
2. Can multi car carports be attached to a garage?
Yes. An attached multi-bay carport can be connected to an existing garage structure, using the garage wall as one side of the carport and requiring posts only on the open side. This lean-to configuration is a common and cost-effective approach — it eliminates the need for posts and foundation work on the garage-side wall, and creates a covered transition area between the garage and the carport. Attached configurations typically require a permit and may trigger additional code review if the connection involves any structural modification to the existing garage. We assess the attachment point during the free estimate and document what the permit process requires for your specific setup.
3. Do I need a permit for a multi car carport in Smyrna TN?
Yes. In Smyrna, the Town of Smyrna Building Safety Department handles permits for all accessory structures including carports (315 S Lowry St, 615-355-5706). In unincorporated Rutherford County, the county Building Codes Department handles permits. Multi-bay carports, and especially attached configurations, require a site plan and permit approval before any installation begins. JB's Enclosures pulls the permit on your behalf on every project.
4. How much does it cost to add a second bay to a carport?
Adding a second bay to an existing single-car carport costs less per bay than the original installation because one side of the structure is already in place. Shared foundation work, the existing posts on one side, and installation efficiency all reduce the marginal cost of the second bay compared to building two separate structures. The exact cost depends on how the existing structure was built, its current condition, and whether any foundation extension or structural modification is required. We quote additions the same way we quote new builds — on site, in person, before anything starts.
5. Can multi car carports withstand Tennessee tornadoes?
Properly anchored steel carports are designed to handle the severe thunderstorm and straight-line wind events that are the primary weather risk for Rutherford County properties — including storms that produce 60–80+ mph gusts. The 2024 International Residential Code, adopted by Rutherford County in May 2026, requires structures to be engineered for approximately 115 mph basic wind speed. A well-anchored JB's Enclosures carport will perform better than an unanchored or improperly anchored structure in any wind event.
A direct-hit tornado at EF2 strength or above is a different situation. No standard residential carport structure — regardless of material or anchoring — is engineered to survive a direct EF2+ hit. For context: neither are most residential garages or outbuildings. The carport does substantially reduce hail, rain, and wind damage exposure for the events that account for the vast majority of Tennessee storm-season vehicle damage, which don't involve direct tornado contact.
Contact JB's Enclosures for a free multi car carport estimate in Smyrna or anywhere across Rutherford County and Middle Tennessee.
Call or Visit Us
JB's Enclosures 1349 Marymont Dr. Murfreesboro, TN 37129 Phone: (615) 713-7902
Serving Smyrna and surrounding areas including La Vergne, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Nolensville, Spring Hill, Franklin, and all of Middle Tennessee.
