Legal paper size
North American sizes · Trade standard
215.9 × 355.6 mm
8.5 × 14 in · 21.59 × 35.56 cm · 8 1/2 × 14 in
- Aspect ratio
- 1:1.65
- Area
- 767.7 cm² (119 in²)
- Pixels @ 300 dpi
- 2,550 × 4,200
- Also called
- US Legal
- Used in
- United States, Canada, Mexico, Philippines
Legal is 8.5 × 14 in (216 × 356 mm), the same width as Letter but 3 in longer. It is the standard sheet for contracts and court paperwork in the United States and Canada, and is called Oficio in Mexico.
Legal dimensions in every unit
Legal size in inches, cm and mm
Legal is 8.5 × 14 inches, or 21.59 × 35.56 cm (215.9 × 355.6 mm).
| Unit | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Millimetres | 215.9 mm | 355.6 mm |
| Centimetres | 21.59 cm | 35.56 cm |
| Inches (decimal) | 8.5 in | 14 in |
| Inches (fraction) | 8 1/2 in | 14 in |
| Points | 612.0 pt | 1,008.0 pt |
| With 3 mm bleed | 221.9 mm | 361.6 mm |
Legal size in pixels
At 300 dpi, the usual resolution for print, Legal is 2,550 × 4,200 pixels. At 96 dpi, the screen resolution Word and web browsers use, it is 816 × 1,344 pixels.
| Unit | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| At 72 dpi | 612 px | 1,008 px |
| At 96 dpi | 816 px | 1,344 px |
| At 150 dpi | 1,275 px | 2,100 px |
| At 200 dpi | 1,700 px | 2,800 px |
| At 300 dpi | 2,550 px | 4,200 px |
| At 600 dpi | 5,100 px | 8,400 px |
What Legal is used for
- Contracts and agreements with long clauses
- Court filings and pleadings
- Property deeds and mortgage documents
- Spreadsheets that need extra rows
- Legal pads and lined writing tablets
- Restaurant menus and long tables
Sizes around Legal
Envelopes that fit
Flat or folded, these envelopes take a Legal sheet.
Printing on Legal
Most office lasers and multifunction copiers accept Legal, but the tray often needs an extension pulled out or an adjustable guide moved. Many compact home inkjets handle Legal only through a rear or manual feed, and some do not support it at all. Check the specification for "8.5 × 14" before buying stock.
Unprintable margins match Letter: about 0.17 in (4 mm) on inkjets and 0.25 in (6 mm) on lasers. With 0.125 in bleed on all sides a Legal artboard becomes 8.75 × 14.25 in (222 × 362 mm). At 300 dpi the trimmed page is 2550 × 4200 pixels.
A Letter document prints on Legal at 100% with 3 in spare at the bottom, but a Legal document must shrink to 79% to fit on Letter. To fit on A4 scale to 83%. When duplexing, remember the extra length makes a Legal booklet awkward to fold; a folded Legal sheet gives two 7 × 8.5 in panels.
Where Legal comes from
Legal shares its 8.5 in width with Letter and has no formal origin for its 14 in length. The most common explanation is practical: lawyers and clerks wanted room for long clauses and signature blocks without adding pages, and the 3 in of extra length became associated with legal documents. The size was never adopted by ANSI/ASME Y14.1 and survives entirely by trade custom.
Many US courts now require Letter for filings, and some state bar associations have campaigned to retire Legal paper altogether, but it remains stocked in every office supply store and is still the default for deeds, leases and legal pads.
Questions people ask about Legal
What is Legal size in mm?
Legal paper is 215.9 × 355.6 mm, usually rounded to 216 × 356 mm. In inches it is 8.5 × 14.
Is Legal bigger than Letter?
Yes. Legal is the same 8.5 in width as Letter but 14 in long instead of 11 in, so it is 3 in (76 mm) longer.
Can I print Legal on a home printer?
Many home inkjets can, usually through a rear feed or by extending the paper tray. Some compact models top out at Letter, so check the maximum paper size in the printer specifications.
What is Legal size called in Mexico?
In Mexico the 8.5 × 14 in sheet is called Oficio. Some countries also use Oficio for 8.5 × 13 in, so confirm the dimensions when ordering.
What is the closest A size to Legal?
There is no direct match. A4 (210 × 297 mm) is close in width but 59 mm shorter, so a Legal document scales to 83% to fit on A4.
Keep going
North American sizes
| Letter | 215.9 × 279.4 mm |
|---|---|
| Legal | 215.9 × 355.6 mm |
| Tabloid | 279.4 × 431.8 mm |
| Ledger | 431.8 × 279.4 mm |
| Executive | 184.2 × 266.7 mm |
| Half Letter | 139.7 × 215.9 mm |
| Junior Legal | 127 × 203.2 mm |
| Government Letter | 203.2 × 266.7 mm |
| Government Legal | 215.9 × 330.2 mm |
| Super B | 330.2 × 482.6 mm |
| Quarto (US) | 215.9 × 275.1 mm |