Two of the main sources of position error in parallel manipulators are clearances at joints and elastic deformations of the links. The former are usually necessary in order to produce a smooth movement between the pin and the hub of a joint. The latter are unavoidable and they tend to be greater in manipulators designed for pick-and-place tasks due to the need of light links. It can be stated that the end-effector pose error depends on the mechanism configuration, the applied external wrenches, the nature and magnitude of clearances, and the rigidity of the mechanical components. This paper proposes a procedure to calculate position error in parallel manipulators due to both clearances and elastic deformations. Although the procedure is applicable to any planar or spatial parallel manipulator, a planar 5R mechanism is used as an illustrative example in order to make it easier to understand.