Legal vs Letter
Legal is US Letter with three extra inches of length: 8.5 × 14 in against 8.5 × 11. Same width, so a Letter layout prints on Legal with a blank strip at the bottom, and a Legal layout loses its last three inches on Letter.
Compare a Different Pair
Legal and Letter, Side by Side
| Legal | Letter | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millimetres | 215.9 × 355.6 | 215.9 × 279.4 | 0 × 76.2 mm |
| Inches | 8.5 × 14 | 8.5 × 11 | 0 × 3 in |
| Centimetres | 21.6 × 35.6 | 21.6 × 27.9 | |
| Area | 0.0768 m², 76,774 mm² | 0.0603 m², 60,322 mm² | 1.27× |
| Aspect ratio | 1 : 1.647 | 1 : 1.294 | different |
What Is Lost Printing One on the Other
At 100% scale, both centred, nothing resized. A positive figure on the wider or taller side is cropped; on the other it is a blank margin.
| Axis | Gap | Legal onto Letter | Letter onto Legal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 0 mm (0 in) each side | lines up | lines up |
| Height | 38.1 mm (1.5 in) each end | Legal loses it | blank band |
Scale-to-Fit Percentages
The figure to type into a printer or PDF dialog to scale one to fit inside the other:
| Letter to fit Legal | 100% | leaves a thin border on one pair of edges |
|---|---|---|
| Legal to fit Letter | 79% | leaves a thin border on one pair of edges |
Which Should You Use?
Letter for almost everything. Legal only where a form or a court demands it, or where a table genuinely needs the extra rows on one page.
Beyond the Measurements
Envelopes: Legal fits #10, #14; Letter fits #10, 9 × 12, 6 × 9.
Worth Knowing
Legal paper is a habit more than a need now. The extra length was meant for long itemised contracts, and plenty of US firms have quietly moved those back to Letter and more pages. Where it still bites is filing: a Legal document in a Letter folder sticks out and gets dog-eared, and a Legal sheet fed into a printer set to Letter loses its footer. Choose Letter unless something external is forcing Legal, and keep the two paper trays clearly labelled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Legal bigger than Letter?
Legal is bigger. It is 215.9 × 355.6 mm against 215.9 × 279.4 mm for Letter, about 1.27 times the area.
What is the difference between Legal and Letter?
Legal is US Letter with three extra inches of length: 8.5 × 14 in against 8.5 × 11. Same width, so a Letter layout prints on Legal with a blank strip at the bottom, and a Legal layout loses its last three inches on Letter.
Can you print Letter on Legal?
Not at full size without a change. Shrink Letter to 100% to fit Legal, which leaves a thin border, or print at 100% and lose 0 mm off each side and 38.1 mm top and bottom.
✓ Dimensions per the standards on the Legal and Letter pages. Differences and scale factors computed. Reviewed . Editorial Process →