5 Different Standard Sizes of Label Sheets & When to Use Them

by Chelsea Camper | Last Updated June 22, 2023

There are several different sizes of label sheets (and countless more sizes of labels) and we’re going to talk about five of the more popular sizes. Some sizes require printers that are capable of printing in those sizes while others can be printed on by almost any printer.

Let’s take a look at what these different sizes are used for.

Letter Size Label Sheets (8.5×11″)

What is it?

LS U wordless smallThe Letter size is the standard size in the United States. This size paper can be found just about anywhere; schools, churches, work, stores, etc. Letter size label sheets can come with any amount of labels in any size that will fit on the label sheet.

What can print on it?

Since it is the standard size in the US, most printers in the United States can print on Letter size paper. However, some specialty printers are excluded from this. For example, thermal label printers, some large format printers, special photo printers, etc.

When should I use it?

You should use this size for any type of work or school printing (outside of legal practice). It’s easy to integrate label sheets of this size into your order fulfillment process since it’s likely that your office already has a printer that can print on it. This size of our integrated labels is good for printing a shipping label plus an invoice or packing list on the same sheet.

Standard envelope sizes have been created to fit Letter size paper that has been folded into a trifold. Any type of letter with labels that you want to mail can be easily mailed when using a Letter size sheet of paper.

Legal Size Label Sheets (8.5×14″)

LS 3.5X1.5B2 14P smallWhat is it?

A Legal size sheet is three inches longer than the standard Letter size. It is also a standard size in the United States, but it is slightly less popular than the Letter size.

What can print on it?

Most printers that can print on a Letter size paper can also print on a Legal size label sheet, but not all. Some smaller inkjet printers can only print on Letter size paper and smaller.

When should I use it?

You should use it when you’re writing a letter or some other long document that you want to be approximately Letter size but would also like to have some labels at the bottom. These labels can be peeled off and affixed to an envelope. Then the remaining label backing can be removed via perforation.

Use legal size paper when you need a little more length while still maintaining the 8.5″ width.

Tabloid Size Label Sheets (11×17″)

LLS 3 12X1 14 16UP 11X17 smallWhat is it?

Tabloid size paper is what youd get if you fused two sheets of Letter size paper together side by side (portrait). While they are a standard size in the United States, they are severely underused.

What can print on it?

Typically most small office printers can’t print on Tabloid size paper. Usually you’ll have to check for the capability to print on Tabloid size paper when buying a printer. It never hurts to check your current printers to see if any of them can print on Tabloid size label sheets.

When should I use it?

You should use this size as often as possible. It can save you a lot of valuable time by printing double of what you could print on a single Letter size label sheet in one pass. The quicker you can get your labels printed, the faster you can get your project done. Use it to print multiple shipping labels out at once, to print up to 160 barcode labels at once, or any other type of label you need in bulk.

A4 Size Label Sheets (297x210mm)

LS A4 A tinyWhat is it?

While A4 is an international standard (not including the US), many printers made for the United States can still print this size. It is similar in size to the Letter size paper except that it’s a little skinnier and a little longer (11.7×8.3″).

What can print on it?

As mentioned earlier, even though the A4 size is not a standard in the United States many office printers can still print on that size. Check your printers to see if they support the A4 size before purchasing a new printer for A4 paper sizes.

When should I use it?

Use A4 size label sheets when you’re shipping products internationally or if you have a small product that requires a small shipping label and invoice. Even if a United States jewelry store doesn’t sell internationally, they can still use the A4 size to print out a shipping label and packing list that will more easily fit inside the small package.

A3 Size Label Sheets (420x297mm)

LS A3 tinyWhat is it?

Similar to how the Tabloid size label sheets are two Letter size sheets side by side, the A3 is two A4 size sheets side by size. This is an international standard size, but not a standard size in the United States. A3 paper (16.5×11.7″) is about the size of Tabloid paper.

What can print on it?

Large format printers and many printers that can also print Tabloid size paper can usually print on A3 size label sheet. Check your printer’s manual to see if your printer can print on size A3 paper.

When should I use it?

Like the Tabloid paper, you can use the A3 paper to print two A4 sheets at once. This will double your throughput and help you get your labels out faster. You should use the A3 paper size when you’re shipping internationally or have small packages that you need bulk shipping labels and/or packing slips for.

Which standard size do you use the most?

Learn more about Shipping Label Sheets!

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