Where to Put a Bat House (Height, Sun, Direction)

Where to put a bat house: on the sunny side of a wood, stone, or brick building, or on a tall pole, facing south to southeast in most of the U.S. and east where summers are very hot. Keep the bottom of the house at least 12 feet off the ground, ideally 15 to 20 feet, with open air below it and no branches, wires, or perches within about 20 feet. Keep it out of yard and security lighting and away from doors, windows, and walkways. If you can, choose a spot within a quarter mile of a stream, pond, or lake. A live tree is the weakest choice.

The numbers below come from state wildlife agencies, USDA, university extension fact sheets, and Bat Conservation International. They do not always agree, so each section shows the range and the cautious choice we would start from. This page covers the spot itself, not paint shade, install timing, or how long to wait for bats.

Never touch a bat with bare hands, and make sure everyone in your household knows to leave grounded bats alone. The CDC lists bats among the animals most often found with rabies in the U.S. If anyone may have had contact with a bat, or was bitten or scratched, get medical help and talk to your local health department. For an injured or grounded bat, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or your state wildlife agency. This guide is not medical or legal advice.

Where to Put a Bat House: The Short Answer

• Mount: a sunny wall of a wood, stone, or brick building first, a sturdy pole second, a live tree last. Never a metal building or a light pole.
• Height: the bottom of the house at least 12 feet up; 15 to 20 feet is better.
• Direction: south to southeast in most regions, east with morning sun in hot southern climates, and the warmest side you have in the far north.
• Sun: 6 to 8 or more hours of direct sun in most of the country.
• Clearance: about 20 feet from tree branches, wires, and perches, with an open drop under the entrance.
• Below the house: nothing you mind collecting droppings, nothing shiny, and no deep open container.
• Avoid: yard and security lights, busy roads, vents with fumes or exhaust, exposed hilltops, and spots where people, pets, or livestock bump the house or post.
• Water: ideally within a quarter mile of a stream, pond, lake, or wetland.

How High Should a Bat House Be?

Height is about room to fly. Bats drop from the house to begin flight, so Bat Conservation International (BCI) asks for at least 12 feet (3 meters) of open space under the exits and says higher is better. A Rutgers Cooperative Extension fact sheet makes the same point: bats swoop into and out of the house and need plenty of clearance. Most agencies give both a minimum and a preferred height.

Our reading: measure from the bottom of the house, not the roof, as the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service technical note does, and treat 12 feet as the floor. That clears the lowest minimum on the list and matches BCI, Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources, and Rutgers. If you can reach 15 to 20 feet, you meet the preferred height of every source that gives one. The Wisconsin DNR Bat Program allows houses as low as 8 feet, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game advice mentions bats roosting in cabin siding a few feet above a deck, but those are exceptions, not a target.

On a single-story home, the wall below the eaves may not give you 12 feet of clear drop, so measure before you buy hardware. A gable end or a second-story wall can add height, and a pole can make up the rest. Working at that height means ladder work: have a second person steady the ladder and hand the house up, or hire someone with the right equipment.

Which Direction Should a Bat House Face?

Direction sets how much sun the house gets and when, and warmth inside the house is what bats are choosing. The NRCS note says east-, southeast-, or south-facing houses are generally best for a single house in most climates, and it reports a southeast bearing of 140 degrees as optimal. Iowa DNR and Rutgers both say south or southeast, Virginia DWR says a southern exposure is generally best, and Delaware’s Division of Fish and Wildlife prefers morning sun on the east or south side of your house. The right answer shifts with climate:

In hot climates, the goal flips from collecting warmth to shedding it. BCI recommends east-facing walls in warm southern climates, where houses get morning rather than afternoon sun, and calls light paint and shade structures especially important where heat is a serious problem; it notes that a roof eave can shade a house, too. A USDA Forest Service flyer from Hoosier National Forest describes a warm east wall the same way: morning sun, shielded from the hot afternoon sun.

In the north it runs the other way. Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife says a minimum of four hours of daily sun is very important north of 40 degrees latitude, which includes Oregon, Washington, and northern California. We would treat four hours as the floor there, not the goal. Alaska’s advice favors the warmest exposure on the property, and Wisconsin’s guidance notes that houses on buildings warm up faster than houses on poles and that eaves can trap warmth in the evening and buffer overnight temperature swings.

Before you drill, watch the spot through a sunny day and note when direct sun arrives and leaves. If you are choosing in early spring, picture the trees in full leaf, since a wall that is sunny in March can be shaded by June. The NRCS note says to plan for the next 10 years of tree growth, and suggests a thermometer next to or inside the box once it is up, so you can see the highs and lows and adjust.

Wall, Pole, or Tree: Where to Mount a Bat House

BCI ranks the options plainly: a pole is better than a tree, and the side of a human home is better than a pole. The NRCS note says houses on buildings, poles, or dead trees are the easiest for bats to locate and have greater occupancy rates.

On a building

A house mounted against a wall is better insulated than one on a pole, according to BCI, and wood, stone, or brick buildings are preferred. Bats rarely use a bat house on a metal building, a point both BCI and the NRCS note make. Iowa DNR adds that your chances improve on a building, especially one that already has a bat colony. Virginia DWR lists the side of a house or a chimney as options.

Two details matter on a wall. Droppings fall from the open bottom, so the NRCS note says to avoid placing bat houses directly above windows, doors, or walkways; it adds that 2 to 4 inch spacers between the house and the wall may reduce droppings on the siding. And single-chamber houses belong on buildings, not poles, per the NRCS note, because they are less thermally stable.

Mounting a bat house on a pole

A pole is the fallback when no sunny wall fits, and it gives you control over height and direction. Iowa DNR lists wooden posts, steel poles, and pivot poles. The NRCS note specifies a schedule-40 galvanized steel pole with an inside diameter of at least 2 inches, or a 4 by 6 inch wooden post. Rutgers describes joining two 10-foot, 2-inch galvanized pipes into a 20-foot mount and setting about 4 feet of it (20 percent of the length) in concrete, which leaves the house about 16 feet up. Rutgers also says a pole mount is the most labor-intensive option and needs at least three people to install safely.

Poles have trade-offs. BCI says a pole-mounted house is not as well insulated as one on a wall, and Alaska’s advice warns that a pole house swings more in temperature and is more likely to get cold. Where the pole stands matters, too. Rutgers says not to put it in the middle of an open field with no shelter from wind, and Wisconsin’s guidance says to keep the house sheltered from wind and off hilltops. If climbing predators are a concern, the NRCS note suggests a predator guard on the pole; Oregon DFW describes a 2-foot-wide band of sheet metal below the house, painted dark to reduce glare into the crevices.

Two houses back to back

Pairing houses on one pole is one of the few points where the sources line up. The NRCS note calls two multi-chambered houses mounted back to back, one facing north and one facing south, ideal; it says to set them about 3/4 inch apart and cover both with a roof so rain stays out of the gap between them. BCI says back-to-back houses help with insulation. Wisconsin’s guidance suggests south and north, or east and west, and notes that bats can roost in the space between. Rutgers recommends back-to-back pole mounts or a single house on a building in cool or dry climates, and says a north and south pair may increase use in hot, humid climates.

If you put up two houses in separate spots instead, BCI says installing at least two near each other gives bats a range of microclimates, ideally no more than 100 meters (about 330 feet) apart so they can switch roosts easily.

On a tree, as a last resort

Most agencies advise against live trees. The NRCS note says houses on live trees are often not successful, largely because of shade. Iowa DNR adds that branches make it harder for bats to drop into flight and leave them more open to predators, and Virginia DWR and Wisconsin cite shade as well. Rutgers draws a useful line: live trees are a poor choice, but a standing dead tree in full sun, with no leaves or low branches, can be appropriate. Alaska’s advice says tree trunks can be good options in parts of Alaska. If a tree is your only choice, Oregon DFW recommends the same sheet-metal band below the house that it suggests for posts, and says to enlarge it as the tree grows.

Keep the Flight Path and the Ground Below Clear

Distance from trees is where the sources disagree most. The NRCS note asks for at least 20 feet from the nearest tree branches, wires, or perches for aerial predators, and calls 25 to 50 feet from tree cover ideal. Delaware’s guidance also says no less than 20 feet from the nearest perch for owls and hawks, Rutgers asks for a 20-foot radius free of obstruction, and Iowa DNR says houses are easier for bats to find at least 20 to 30 feet from tree branches. On the other side, Wisconsin’s guidance places houses about 10 to 15 feet from trees, and Rutgers suggests a pole 10 to 15 feet from the tree line for wind shelter. We would start at 20 feet from the nearest branch and go farther if you have the room.

Below the house, the NRCS note says the 10 feet under the box should be free of shrubby plants, debris, or other flight obstacles, and Wisconsin’s guidance says to cut back tall shrubs below it. Virginia DWR suggests fencing the area or planting low shrubbery to keep people and pets from disturbing the house. These fit together: low plantings at the base are fine as long as they stay well below the drop zone.

What sits on the ground matters, too. The NRCS note says a potted plant or a shallow tray can go underneath to catch droppings, but not a deep container unless 1/4-inch or smaller mesh covers the whole top, because young bats that fall could be trapped. It also says not to mount a bat house over bright or shiny surfaces that reflect light into the box. Oregon DFW warns against white or light-colored materials under the house for the same reason, and Wisconsin’s guidance suggests a non-reflective tray if you want to collect guano for the garden.

Spots to Avoid

• Night lighting. The NRCS note says bat houses should not be lit by bright lights, to avoid yard and security lights, and never to mount a house on a light pole. Rutgers and the Alaska advice say the same.
• Busy roads. The NRCS note says to avoid locations directly along busy roads, where bats are vulnerable to traffic.
• Foot traffic and bumping. Virginia DWR’s first placement rule is a spot you can view from a distance with little traffic from people or pets. The NRCS note warns against places where the house may be vibrated or bumped, such as a post in a pasture where livestock rub. Delaware’s guidance says an established colony tolerates people as long as the house or post is not disturbed.
• Fumes and exhaust. The NRCS note says to keep houses away from air vents carrying smoke, fumes, or exhaust, and Rutgers says no vents should blow air at the house.
• Wind and deep shade. The NRCS note says to avoid windy spots such as exposed hilltops, and shaded, cool locations.

Water and the Surrounding Landscape

The quarter-mile figure appears in almost every source. The NRCS note says most bats choose roosts within 1/4 mile of slow-moving water that lasts through summer, preferably a stream, lake, or wetland. Virginia DWR says maternity sites are usually within 1/4 mile of a natural water source, and Iowa DNR, Wisconsin, and Rutgers give the same distance. The best surroundings are mixed: NRCS, Wisconsin, and Rutgers all describe a blend of farmland, woods, and developed or natural land near water, which, per the NRCS note, produces different insects through the night and over the season.

You may not know where the nearest water is. Virginia DWR says to try the house anyway, since the bats likely know of a water source you do not. If you have a swimming pool, Florida’s wildlife commission notes that pools attract bats to drink and hunt and that a bat can fall in, and the page recommends a wildlife escape ramp so bats and other animals can climb out.

Small Yards and City Lots

A small lot does not rule out a bat house; it just narrows where to hang a bat house. Virginia DWR says bat houses can go in yards or around the home where they will not get in the way of daily activities, and the Hoosier National Forest flyer notes that little brown and big brown bats, the species most likely to use bat houses, do well in suburbia. On a tight lot, the wall of your home is often the answer, and it is the mount BCI ranks first anyway.

Walk the outside of the house with this list. Pick the wall with the most direct sun. Rule out any spot above a door, window, walkway, patio, or the place where you park. Skip the side with the porch light or a motion light. Check that you can get 12 feet of open drop under the house and keep branches and wires about 20 feet away. If you rent or live under an HOA, read the lease or the association rules before you drill into siding. If no spot meets the basics, Virginia DWR and the NRCS note both encourage experimenting with placement, and a house in a so-so spot can be moved later.

Putting Up a House for Bats Leaving Your Building

If bats are being excluded from your attic or walls, location changes slightly. Florida’s wildlife commission suggests placing the bat house in the bats’ exit flight path, or as close to the existing roost as possible, while the roost is still in use, and Rutgers also says to install it as close as possible to the former roost. Florida notes that bats are unlikely to switch to a bat house until they are forced out of the building. Exclusion itself is regulated and the allowed dates differ by state, so contact your state wildlife agency before any work; this guide does not cover exclusion methods. For a single bat inside your home, the CDC advises contacting animal control or your health department so it can be captured and checked for rabies.

Bat House Placement FAQ

Can I put a bat house on my house near a door, window, or patio?

On the house, yes; directly above those spots, no. Droppings fall from the open bottom, and the NRCS note says to avoid placing bat houses directly above windows, doors, or walkways. Move it along the wall to a section with nothing below, keep it away from porch and security lights, and consider 2 to 4 inch spacers to reduce droppings on the siding.

What if my bat house gets too hot in summer?

In hot climates, BCI recommends an east-facing spot that gets morning rather than afternoon sun, a light color, and shade structures; a roof eave can also shade the house. The NRCS note says that with only part-day sun, morning sun is preferable, and suggests a thermometer next to or inside the box to see how warm it actually gets.

Can I move a bat house to a better spot?

Yes, but only when it is empty. BCI says never to disturb a bat house while it is occupied, and the NRCS note schedules repairs for winter, when bats are not present. If a house stays empty for two full years, both the NRCS note and the Alaska advice suggest trying a different location.

How far should a bat house be from trees?

At least 20 feet from the nearest branch is the cautious choice, per the NRCS note, Delaware, Rutgers, and Iowa DNR (which gives 20 to 30 feet). NRCS calls 25 to 50 feet from tree cover ideal and says to allow for tree growth. Wisconsin’s guidance uses a shorter 10 to 15 feet.

Final Thoughts

Start with the wall or pole that gets the most sun, put the bottom of the house 12 to 20 feet up, face it south to southeast (east in hot country), and keep the drop below it open, dark, and free of anything you care about. Once you know the spot, it is easier to choose a bat house for it: a wall can take a single-chamber house, while a pole calls for a multi-chambered house or two back to back. A bat house is also built differently from most birdhouse plans, with an open bottom and narrow chambers. None of these heights carry over to songbirds; nest box placement depends on the species you hope to host. Every number here links to the agency or organization that published it; see How We Review for how we research guides. More nest box and bat house guides are collected in our Birdhouses section.

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