# QR code size for a vehicle wrap

> Size vehicle-wrap QR codes for the parked case — 20 cm reads from 2 m on the pavement, 50 cm from across the street at 5 m. Do not aim codes at moving traffic; dwell time and angle rule it out and drivers should not scan. Use error correction Q for road grime and abrasion.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/print/qr-code-size-for-a-vehicle-wrap · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

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## The parked vehicle is the billboard that works

A wrapped van spends most of its life stationary — outside jobs, at the kerb, in car
parks — and that is when its code gets scanned. Size for those moments:

| Scenario | Distance | Minimum code width |
|---|---|---|
| Passer-by on the pavement | 2 m | 20 cm |
| Across a residential street | 5 m | 50 cm |
| Driver stopped behind, at lights | 8–10 m | 80–100 cm |
| Any vehicle moving | — | do not design for it |

The moving case is a
[billboard problem](/docs/print/qr-code-size-for-a-billboard) with worse geometry — both
parties may be moving, the dwell is seconds, and the only person positioned to scan is
driving. Print a short, memorable URL and phone number in large type for the traffic
audience, and let the code serve the pavement audience. For tradespeople, the van parked
outside a job *is* the campaign — the neighbour who scans it is the warmest lead
[a trades business gets](/qr-codes-for/tradespeople).

## Placement on the vehicle

- **Rear doors and side panels**, between roughly 0.8 and 1.5 m off the ground — pavement
  eye-line, and the flattest sheet metal on the vehicle.
- **Avoid compound curves** — wheel arches, bumper corners, sculpted body lines. A code
  bent in two axes distorts the grid the same way
  [cylindrical packaging](/docs/print/qr-codes-on-cylindrical-packaging) does, but less
  predictably.
- The rear-door code earns the lights-queue scan from a *passenger*; 80–100 cm of door is
  rarely available, so treat that audience as a bonus, not the plan.

## Grime, sun and the uniform-loss trap

**EC Q** is right for wraps: stone chips, scratches and edge wear are localised damage
that [error correction](/docs/spec/error-correction-levels-explained) repairs. But the
wrap-specific failure is different — **road film**. A layer of traffic dust dims the whole
code evenly, and uniform contrast loss is something error correction cannot touch, because
no individual module is "damaged"; the whole image is just greyer. A laminated cast-vinyl
wrap wipes clean in seconds; unlaminated matt prints hold the film. Specify laminate, and
put "wipe the code" on the vehicle-cleaning rota alongside the number plate.

Sun exposure is the slow version of the same failure —
[UV fading](/docs/print/uv-fading-and-qr-codes) lifts the dark modules toward grey over a
wrap's 5–7 year life, so start from maximum contrast: black modules on a white panel, per
the [contrast rules](/docs/design/qr-code-colors-that-scan).

Run the payload through the [size calculator](/size-calculator) at 2 m before the wrap
shop scales the artwork, and [confirm the final file decodes](/validate) — a wrap is among
the most expensive places to fix a dud code. Material and installation notes live on the
[vehicle wraps surface page](/qr-codes-on/vehicle-wraps).

## FAQ

### How big should a QR code be on a vehicle wrap?
20 cm to be scanned from the pavement at 2 m, 50 cm from across a street at 5 m. Size for the parked vehicle — that is when wrap codes actually get scanned.

### Do QR codes on moving vehicles work?
No. Dwell time is a few seconds, the geometry changes constantly, and the person best positioned to scan is driving. Give moving traffic a memorable URL and phone number in large type instead, and let the code work while parked.

### Where should a QR code go on a van?
On flat panels — rear doors and body sides — between about 0.8 and 1.5 m off the ground. Avoid wheel arches and sculpted curves, which bend the code in two axes and distort the grid.

### What error correction level suits a vehicle wrap?
Q, for stone chips and scratches. Note that error correction cannot fix an even film of road grime, which dims the whole code uniformly — specify a laminated wrap that wipes clean, and clean the code regularly.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/url
- https://useqr.app/size-calculator
- https://useqr.app/validate