Jerry Can Dimensions: Complete Size, Height, and Capacity Guide
A standard 5-gallon jerry can measures
18.5 inches tall,
13.5 inches long, and
6.5 inches wide.
This is the most common size sold across the USA,
built around the original 20-liter military spec.
Jerry can dimensions shift with capacity and material. A small 1.25-gallon can looks nothing like a 7-gallon industrial drum.
This guide breaks down every common size, explains why the numbers change between steel and plastic, and shows how to match a can to your truck, shelf, or garage rack.
Standard Jerry Can Dimensions by Capacity
all-jerry-can-dimensions
5 Gallon (20 Liter) Jerry Can Dimensions
The 5-gallon (20-liter) can is the benchmark size. It stands 18.5 inches tall, runs 13.5 inches long, and stays 6.5 inches wide in steel. Empty weight lands between 4.4 and 9.7 pounds, depending on material.
Filled with gasoline, it weighs close to 34 pounds. Filled with water, that climbs to roughly 45 pounds, since water is heavier per gallon than fuel.
10 Liter Jerry Can Dimensions
A 10-liter jerry can, close to 2.64 gallons, is the practical middle ground for camping gear, lawn equipment, and marine engines. Height usually falls between 11.5 and 12 inches, with a length of 9 to 11 inches and a width of 5.5 to 8 inches.
Brand shape changes the width the most. Empty weight stays under 2.5 pounds, light enough to carry one-handed.
2.5 Gallon and 1.25 Gallon Jerry Can Dimensions
The 2.5-gallon can measures 11.5 inches tall, 9 inches long, and 8 inches wide, weighing about 2.2 pounds empty. The 1.25-gallon can drops to 9 inches tall, 8 inches long, and 6.5 inches wide, weighing close to 1.1 pounds.
Both sizes fit ATV racks, generator kits, and emergency car trunks without eating up much space.
7 Gallon and Larger Jerry Can Dimensions
Past 7 gallons, jerry cans move into industrial and farm territory. A typical 7.9-gallon (30-liter) can stands around 21.5 inches tall, 15.5 inches long, and 7.5 inches wide, with an empty weight near 6.6 pounds.
Filled with fuel, that weight jumps past 50 pounds, the point where OSHA recommends two-person lifting or mechanical help.
The same 5-gallon can looks slightly different depending on whether it’s steel or HDPE plastic.
Steel Jerry Can Dimensions
Steel holds its shape under pressure, so steel cans stay narrow. A NATO-spec steel can measures 17.75 inches tall, 13.5 inches long, and 6.5 inches wide.
Brands like Midwest Can and Wavian build to this exact military profile, keeping the can compatible with standard vehicle mounts.
Plastic (HDPE) Jerry Can Dimensions
HDPE plastic flexes slightly under fuel pressure, so makers widen the base for stability. A Scepter plastic can runs 18.3 inches tall, 14.3 inches long, and 6.9 inches wide.
That extra 0.4 inches of width does not sound like much, but it can stop a plastic can from sitting flush in a rack built for the slimmer steel profile.
Jerry Can Neck, Spout, and Cap Dimensions
The neck opening decides which spouts, caps, and filters actually fit.
Standard Neck Opening Size
Most civilian jerry cans use a neck opening near 38 millimeters across. NATO military cans use a wider opening, closer to 44 millimeters.
Spout Length for Vehicle Filling
A standard flexible spout runs 10 to 12 inches long, enough to reach most car and truck fuel necks without spilling. Vehicles with a high filler opening, like a Jeep Wrangler’s fender-mounted neck, often need a longer 14 to 16-inch spout extension sold separately.
Why Jerry Can Dimensions Are Standardized
NATO Military Origin
The jerry can began in Germany in 1937 as the Wehrmachtkanister, built for the German military to move fuel fast across rough terrain. Allied troops in World War II nicknamed Germans “Jerries,” and the container picked up the name jerry can.
Its flat-sided, stackable shape worked so well that NATO later adopted the same 20-liter footprint as the global military standard.
EPA Type 1 vs Type 2 Changes
In the United States, a 2009 EPA regulation added child-resistant caps, automatic shut-off valves, and flame-mitigation screens to portable fuel containers. These Type 2 cans run slightly taller than older Type 1 designs, since the added safety hardware needs extra room at the neck.
California’s CARB rules go further, adding vapor recovery systems that can push height up another inch or two.
A standard jerry can, the 5-gallon (20-liter) size, measures 18.5 inches tall, 13.5 inches long, and 6.5 inches wide. Exact numbers shift slightly between steel and plastic versions.
What are the dimensions of a 20 litre jerry can?
A 20-liter jerry can measures 18.5 inches (47 cm) tall, 13.5 inches (34 cm) long, and 6.5 inches (17 cm) wide. Empty weight runs from 4.4 to 9.7 pounds depending on material.
How big is a 10 litre jerry can?
A 10-liter jerry can stands roughly 11.5 to 12 inches tall, with a length of 9 to 11 inches and a width of 5.5 to 8 inches. Empty weight stays under 2.5 pounds.
Use the interactive Can Dimension Calculator below to calculate can height, diameter, capacity, and volume in seconds.
James Walker is a content researcher and writer specializing in dimensions, measurements, size comparisons, and conversion topics. He creates clear, practical, and easy-to-understand guides that help readers visualize and understand real-world measurements.
