A porte-cochere is a sheltered open structure over a driveway with columns, forming a kind of pavilion, which is attached to a building next to one of its entrances. Its purpose is to enable persons to get out of a vehicle in rain or snow and transfer to the building without getting wet. It is typically found on large houses and mansions, apartment buildings, hotels, and public buildings of high stature.

The driveway passes beneath the shelter so that people can transfer between a vehicle and the adjoining entrance. The open, column-supported arrangement forms a covered arrival space without enclosing the vehicle.

An entrance canopy covers a pedestrian entrance area. A porte-cochere extends that sheltered arrival arrangement over a driveway; the prestige or use of the building does not define the feature.