US standard
US Legal paper size
US Legal is 8.5 × 14 inches — the same width as US Letter but three inches taller. It is the traditional paper size for legal contracts, real-estate paperwork, ledgers and long single-page forms. Outside North America it is rare.
Exact dimensions
Legal is defined in inches. Millimetre and pixel values are derived. Note that Legal is taller than A4 (355.6 mm vs 297 mm) but slightly wider, so the two are not interchangeable.
| Unit | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Millimetres (mm) | 215.9 | 355.6 |
| Centimetres (cm) | 21.59 | 35.56 |
| Inches (in) | 8.5 | 14 |
| Pixels @ 72 DPI | 612 | 1,008 |
| Pixels @ 96 DPI | 816 | 1,344 |
| Pixels @ 150 DPI | 1,275 | 2,100 |
| Pixels @ 200 DPI | 1,700 | 2,800 |
| Pixels @ 300 DPI | 2,550 | 4,200 |
| Pixels @ 600 DPI | 5,100 | 8,400 |
US Legal — 8.5 × 14 in
Where Legal is used
- · Legal contracts, leases and agreements
- · Real-estate closing documents
- · Accounting ledgers and balance sheets
- · Long single-page forms that would otherwise paginate
- · Some court filings (though many courts have moved to Letter)
Why the extra height?
Legal's extra 3 inches gives roughly 25–30% more vertical space than Letter at the same margins. For contracts that traditionally needed to fit on a single page — to keep clauses visually grouped and signatures on the same sheet — this extra room is the whole point. Modern digital signing has reduced the need, but the format persists.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dimensions of US Legal paper?
US Legal is 8.5 × 14 inches, which is 215.9 × 355.6 millimetres or 21.59 × 35.56 centimetres.
How is Legal different from US Letter?
Legal is the same width as US Letter (8.5 inches) but 3 inches longer (14 inches instead of 11). The extra height is useful for contracts, ledgers and forms that would otherwise spill onto a second page.
Is Legal paper used outside the United States?
Rarely. It is mostly a North American size — common in the US, Canada and the Philippines. Most other regions use A4 or B4 for similar long-document needs.
Can I print US Legal on a normal home printer?
Many home and small-office printers support Legal as a secondary tray option, but you usually have to select it manually and load the longer sheets. A4-only printers (common in Europe) cannot print Legal at full size.
What is the pixel size of Legal at 300 DPI?
At 300 DPI, US Legal is 2550 × 4200 pixels — wide enough to fit a Letter image and tall enough to accommodate the extra 900 pixels of length.