Yes, Letter paper is 8.5 x 11 inches, the standard printer-paper size used across the United States.
For the full breakdown, see our best 8.5 X 11 Printer Paper guide.
If you’ve ever bought a ream of printer paper and wondered whether that 8.5 x 11 measurement is the actual standard, it is. US Letter, as it’s formally known, measures exactly 8.5 by 11 inches (215.9 by 279.4 mm), and it’s the default choice for office, school, and home printing in the US. Its dimensions are so common that most printers, trays, and paper products are designed around this one size.
Because the US hasn’t adopted the metric-system A-series paper sizes, Letter is the anchor measurement for documents, forms, and home printing. Its width is a half-inch narrower and its height is 0.69 inches shorter than A4, the standard used almost everywhere else in the world. This small difference matters when you’re buying paper from an international brand or printing a document designed abroad, since A4 (210 x 297 mm) is just slightly taller and narrower than US Letter.
How US Letter Became The Standard
The 8.5 x 11-inch dimension didn’t become the default by accident. In the early 1980s, the US federal government standardized its forms on Letter size, replacing an older 8 x 10.5-inch government paper. That single decision pushed the paper industry, printer manufacturers, and office suppliers to treat 8.5 x 11 as the one size to design for.
When you compare it to other US paper sizes, Letter sits in a practical middle ground. Legal paper runs 8.5 x 14 inches for contracts and official documents, while Ledger or Tabloid size doubles the width at 11 x 17 inches for spreadsheets and posters. Letter’s dimensions are the reason standard file folders, binders, and filing cabinets fit documents without folding.
Letter vs. A4: What’s The Actual Difference?
The difference between Letter and A4 is easy to overlook until you try to print a document from another country. Letter is 8.5 x 11 inches (215.9 x 279.4 mm), while A4 measures 210 x 297 mm, which comes out to roughly 8.27 x 11.69 inches. When you hold them side by side, Letter looks slightly wider and noticeably shorter than A4.
That combination of dimensions breaks down in practice if you switch sizes: a file printed on A4 paper will come out too short if you then print it on Letter paper. Margins and page breaks shift, and the document’s pagination changes. For US buyers, the metric used at your local store is the reliable one—every package labeled “8.5 x 11” is Letter, also sometimes marked as ANSI A.
Where To Find Quality 8.5 x 11 Paper
Since 8.5 x 11 is the most widely produced paper size in the US, almost every office supply store, big-box retailer, and online shop stocks it. What varies is the paper’s weight (usually 20 or 24 lb), brightness, and finish, which matter more for printing photos and professional documents than for everyday drafts.
A Quick Reference: Paper Sizes At A Glance
| Name | Dimensions (in) | Where It’s Used |
|---|---|---|
| US Letter | 8.5 x 11 | Standard printing, documents, school |
| US Legal | 8.5 x 14 | Contracts, legal documents |
| Ledger/Tabloid | 11 x 17 | Spreadsheets, posters, blueprints |
| A4 (International) | 8.27 x 11.69 | Standard in Europe, Asia, and worldwide |
References & Sources
- Cornell University Library. “Paper Sizes.” Historical documentation of US paper-size standards, including Letter’s 8.5 x 11 dimensions.
- Wikipedia. “Letter (Paper Size).” Documents Letter’s dimensions (215.9 x 279.4 mm) and its standard use in the US.
- IBM Documentation. “Page Sizes and Their Dimensions.” Reference table confirming US Letter, Legal, and Ledger measurements.