Ergonomics · Office
Office Desk & Chair Clearance (Space Behind the Chair)
Clear floor space required behind a desk chair to roll back, stand up comfortably, and — if needed — let someone pass.
Description
This clearance combines with the desk depth to size a full workstation: room to push back from the desk and rise from the chair without hitting anything behind it, plus extra depth if that zone also doubles as a walkway behind a seated occupant.
Notes
- Measured from the back of the chair, pushed fully in, to the nearest wall, cabinet, or other obstruction.
- Add this clearance to the desk depth (610–762 mm / 24–30 in) to find the total front-to-back footprint of a single workstation.
- Increase toward the higher end for reclining or larger-format task chairs, or where the space behind the chair also serves as a shared corridor.
Sources
- Office space planning guidelines
- Architectural Graphic Standards
Tags
Values
Minimum (roll back & stand only)Minimum
760 mm30 in
Recommended (comfortable rollback)Recommended
915–1065 mm36–42 in
With walk-through behind the chairRange
1220–1525 mm48–60 in
Total workstation depth (desk + clearance)Range
1525–1980 mm60–78 in
Related dimensions
1220–1524 mm
48–60 in
Standard Office Desk Size (Width × Depth)
ErgonomicsTypical plan dimensions of a single-person office desk or workstation surface.
deskofficeworkstation
580–710 mm
23–28 in
Office Chair Footprint (Width × Depth)
ErgonomicsPlan footprint of a task chair — including armrests and casters — while seated at the desk.
chairofficefootprint
711–762 mm
28–30 in
Standard Desk Height
ErgonomicsFixed-height work surface for seated desk work, matched to an average-height adult.
deskofficeergonomics