Quick answer
How far in advance should you book a porta potty?
Quick answer
Book 2 to 3 days ahead for a standard porta potty at no extra charge, or by 2 PM the day before for next-day delivery at $95. Book a luxury restroom trailer 2 to 3 months ahead for a Saturday between May and October, 2 weeks off-season. Pottyline books online 24/7; cancellation is free more than 48 hours out.
The short answer
Two to three days for a standard unit, by 2 PM for next-day delivery, and two to three months for a restroom trailer on a peak-season Saturday. Units are easy to schedule because we stock them at the yard in Hayward; trailers are the constraint because a Saturday in June is sold once. Book the trailer first and the units can follow a week before the date.
The details
The rule. Standard, luxury flushing, ADA and handwash units: 2 to 3 days of lead time inside the 25-mile zone, no surcharge. Next-day: order by 2 PM, $95. Off-hours delivery before 6 AM, after 6 PM or on a weekend: $150, useful for a 5 AM film call or a Sunday street event. Trailers: 2 to 3 months ahead from May through October, about 2 weeks the rest of the year.
The exception. Large orders and public spaces need more runway than the units do. A 500-person festival with 12 units is a two-truck morning, so give us a week. Placement on a public sidewalk, parking lane or park needs the city's permit, which takes longer than our delivery: San Francisco's Street Space permit from Public Works should be applied for well ahead of the date, and Oakland's obstruction permit requires No Parking signs 72 hours before. Our permit guide lists the offices.
Worked example: a backyard wedding for 100 guests in Walnut Creek on a Saturday in September.
| When | Action | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months before | Book the 2-stall luxury trailer | $2,495 + 15% peak = $2,869; the date is now held |
| 2 weeks before | Add 1 standard unit for the catering crew and 1 handwash | $195 + $99 |
| 1 week before | Send a pin and two photos of the pad and the gate | we confirm the 12-by-8-foot pad and power |
| Friday | Delivery, leveling, power test, walkthrough | included |
| Monday | Pickup | included |
| Mileage | Walnut Creek is 30 miles: 5 extra each way | about $18 |
Walnut Creek sits 5 miles past the zone line, so the quote shows the $18 as its own line. The trailer timeline, pad size and generator question are on the wedding page.
Lead times at a glance.
| Order | Lead time | Surcharge |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 standard units, inside 25 miles | 2–3 days | none |
| Next-day, ordered by 2 PM | 1 day | $95 |
| Off-hours delivery | scheduled | $150 |
| 10+ units for a festival | 1 week | none |
| Luxury trailer, May–Oct Saturday | 2–3 months | +15% peak season |
| Luxury trailer, Nov–Apr | 2 weeks | none |
What we do at Pottyline
Booking is online 24/7: the instant price calculator sizes the order, prints the all-in price by ZIP and takes payment by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or ACH, so a Sunday-night booking is on Monday's route. Contractors with Net-30 book the same way and are invoiced once a month. The driver texts a photo of the unit in place at delivery.
If you are inside the 48-hour window and need to move the date, call (650) 977-2883; we will move it when the route allows and the 25% charge applies only when it does not. For a project in Oakland or Fremont starting Monday, a Thursday order lands the unit Friday or Monday morning at no charge; the construction page has the package prices.
Book your date now and lock the price: Instant price · or call (650) 977-2883.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a porta potty delivered tomorrow?
Yes. Order by 2 PM and Pottyline delivers the next morning for a $95 next-day surcharge, inside the 25-mile zone around Hayward. Orders placed after 2 PM go on the following day's route. Same-day is possible when a truck is already routed near you and a stocked unit is free; call (650) 977-2883 and we will tell you in the same call. Off-hours delivery is $150.
How far in advance should I book a restroom trailer for a wedding?
Two to three months for a Saturday between May and October, when trailers book first and the 15% peak-season surcharge applies. Off-season weekends usually need 2 weeks. Pottyline delivers the day before the wedding and picks up the day after, and cancellation is free more than 48 hours before delivery, so booking early costs nothing if plans change.
How far in advance should a contractor order porta potties?
Order when you schedule mobilization, typically 1 to 2 weeks out, so the unit is on the pad before the first worker. Cal/OSHA requires toilets from day one with no grace period. Pottyline delivers in 2 to 3 days at no charge or next day for $95; a unit added mid-project for a crew surge follows the same clock, so a Monday call lands a unit by Wednesday.
What is the cancellation policy on a porta potty booking?
Free more than 48 hours before the scheduled delivery, 25% of the order inside 48 hours. That applies to single units and trailers alike. Rain dates are the usual reason to move a party; call before the 48-hour line and the change is free. Bookings are paid online by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or ACH, and approved contractors on Net-30 are billed once a month.
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