The Definitive Envelope Size Guide: Your Handbook to Standard Envelope Sizes - The Paper Mill Blog (2024)

3. Envelope Size

Envelopes come in a wide range of styles, including:

  • Letter envelope sizes, including business envelope sizes
  • Invitation envelope sizes, including announcement envelopes, as well as baronial and Monarch envelope sizes
  • Catalog and manila envelope sizes
  • Square envelope sizes
  • Small envelope sizes, including coin and mini-lope envelope sizes

To make matters even more complicated, each of these styles comes in a range of different sizes. We’ll spend the rest of this envelope size guide digging into different US envelope sizes and other standard envelope sizes.

Let’s peek under the flap!

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Standard Envelope Sizes

No. 10 regular is the most common envelope size (bills and other business correspondence are typically sent using this size), but there are countless standard envelope sizes available for every imaginable purpose, from teeny-tiny mini-lopes to full size 9” x 12” catalog envelopes.

These are the most common standard envelope sizes used for printing and mailing:

Standard Envelope Sizes for Printing & Mailing

Shop standard envelope sizes:

A1 Envelopes
A2 Envelopes
A6 Envelopes
A7 Envelopes
A8 Envelopes
Monarch Envelopes
No. 10 Commercial Envelopes

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Letter Envelope Sizes

Letter or correspondence envelopes are the most popular envelope style for general correspondence, including most business and personal correspondence. They are typically broken down into two further categories—business and commercial.

These envelopes are used for a variety of purposes, including:

  • Business and personal correspondence
  • Billing
  • Statements
  • Legal correspondence
  • Invoices
  • Promotional mailers
  • Handwritten letters

Business Envelope Sizes

Despite their name, business envelopes are commonly used for both business and personal correspondence. They are available in a number of styles with square, side, or pointed flaps (called “commercial flaps”), as well as with or without windows. The term “regular” indicates that the envelope does not have a window.

They are commonly used for:

  • Business correspondence
  • Bills and notices

Business Envelope Size Chart

Shop business envelope sizes:

No. 6 ¾ Regular Envelopes
No. 10 Regular
No. 10 Policy

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Invitation Envelope Sizes

Invitation envelope sizes include:

  • Announcement envelopes
  • Baronial and monarch envelopes

Announcement Envelope Sizes

Announcement envelopes feature a side seam and a square flap. They are more casual than other styles and are available in a wide range of different paper stocks, including different paper finishes and basis weights.

They are commonly used for:

  • Invitations and wedding stationery
  • Greeting and holiday cards
  • Photos
  • Promotional or marketing material

Announcement Envelope Size Chart

Shop announcement envelope sizes:

A1 Envelopes
A2 Envelopes
A6 Envelopes
A7 Envelopes
A8 Envelopes
A9 Envelopes
A10 Envelopes

Baronial and Monarch Envelope Sizes

Baronial envelopes have diagonal seams with a pointed flap. They are available in many of the same sizes and paper finishes as Announcement envelopes, but their flap style and seam direction make them a more formal alternative. Monarch envelopes are a type of baronial envelopes, but only come in one size (3 ⅞” x 7 ½”).

They are commonly used for:

  • Formal announcements
  • Wedding invitations
  • Hand-lettered notes

Baronial and Monarch Envelope Size Chart

Shop baronial and Monarch envelope sizes:

No. 4 Baronial Envelopes
No. 5 ½ Baronial Envelopes
No. 6 Baronial Envelopes
Monarch Envelopes
Lee Envelopes

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Catalog and Manila Envelope Sizes

Catalog envelopes are constructed using Kraft paper or Manila or other card stocks, with a strong center seam and a heavily gummed flap along the shorter dimension. They’re the perfect size for sending paper documents that can’t be folded, and their strong construction makes them durable and ideal for mailing heavy-weight materials.

They are commonly used for:

  • Catalogs
  • Large booklets
  • Annual reports
  • Documents and contracts
  • Brochures
  • Sales materials

Catalog and Manila Envelope Size Chart

Shop catalog and manila envelope sizes:

No.1 Catalog Envelopes
No. 10 ½ Catalog Envelopes
No. 13 ½ Catalog Envelopes

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Square Envelope Sizes

Square envelopes are a modern and stylish square shape (surprise!) with side seams and contemporary flat flap.

PRO TIP: The United States Postal Service considers square envelopes to be a non-standard, “non-machineable” size, so they require an extra $0.44 (or more, depending on size) in postage per letter in addition to the normal postage required.

They are commonly used for:

  • Announcements
  • Card making
  • Invitations
  • Holiday cards
  • Greeting cards

Square Envelope Size Chart

Shop square envelope sizes:

No. 5 Square Envelopes
No. 5 ½ Square Envelopes
No. 6 Square Envelopes
No. 6 ½ Square Envelopes
No. 7 Square Envelopes
No. 8 Square Envelopes
No. 8 ½ Square Envelopes
No. 9 ½ Square Envelopes

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Small Envelope Sizes

Coin and Mini-lope Envelope Sizes

Coin envelopes and mini-lopes are small specialty envelopes that are typically too small to mail, but they’re ideal for hand-delivered notes, coins, or gift cards. Mini-lopes are more decorative with eye-catching colors and styles, while coin envelopes are also commonly made of Manila card stock.

Coin and Mini-lope Envelope Size Chart

Shop coin and mini-lope envelope sizes:

No. 1 Coin Envelopes
Mini-lopes

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Wrapping Up

Envelopes come in copious styles and sizes, which can make it tricky to know which envelope to use for what purpose. The good news is that there are no “rules” when it comes to selecting an envelope, and you can usually adopt the “if I fits, I sits” approach (IYKYK). So long as the envelope contains the item you are sending and it meets postal regulations, you can send it on its way knowing it will arrive.

Shop all envelope sizes:

Business Envelopes
Announcement Envelopes
Square Envelopes
The Definitive Envelope Size Guide: Your Handbook to Standard Envelope Sizes - The Paper Mill Blog (2024)

FAQs

What size envelope fits a standard paper? ›

Regular Envelopes

This product range includes the popular #10 envelope, which measures 4 1/8″ x 9 1/2″ and is often considered to be the “classic” U.S. envelope size for business purposes.

How do you determine envelope size? ›

How to Measure an Envelope. Although envelopes are measured from the shortest dimension first, this practice does not distinguish the height from the width. Therefore, if the envelope is placed before you with its seal flap at the top, the dimension from the bottom fold to the top fold is the height.

What size is a standard envelope printer? ›

No. 10 commercial envelopes measure 9½ x 4⅛ inches (or 241 x 105 millimeters). Their size makes commercial envelopes ideal for mailing correspondence with normal A4 or 8½” x 11″ printer paper – the document can be folded into thirds to fit neatly inside.

What size is a 5x7 envelope? ›

Paper and Envelope Size Chart
TypeEnvelope SizeEnclosed Size
A44.25" x 6.25"4" x 6"
A6 (6 Bar)4.75" x 6.5"4.625" x 6.25" 4.5" x 6.25"
A7 (Lee)5.25" x 7.25"5" x 7" 5.125" x 7"
A85.5" x 8.125"5.125" x 7.75"
4 more rows

What is standard envelope size USPS? ›

Envelopes must be rectangular and made of paper to qualify for letter prices. Your envelope can be a maximum of 11-1/2" long x 6-1/8" high. (A standard No. 10 envelope is 9-1/2" long x 4-1/8" high.) You can fold what you put in your envelope, but it needs to stay flat—no more than 1/4" thick.

What are office standard paper sizes? ›

The most popular formats of the traditional sizes are the Letter (8.5 × 11 inches), Legal (8.5 × 14 inches) and Tabloid (11 × 17 inches) formats. You more than likely use these formats in your everyday life. Letter is the standard for business and academic documents.

Does envelope size matter? ›

In general, the bigger your mailpiece, the more it will cost to mail. In First-Class Mail, postcards cost less than letters. Letter size mail costs less than flat-size mail. Parcels pay the highest price due to the cost of processing and delivery.

What is a legal size envelope? ›

What is a legal-size envelope? You will normally find that legal-sized envelopes are used for legal documents that have 8 ½ inches by 14 inches dimensions. Most legal envelopes measure 9 ½ inches by 15 inches so that they will easily accommodate legal documents.

How do I print on a standard envelope? ›

Print an envelope
  1. Go to Mailings > Envelopes, and enter delivery and return addresses.
  2. Place the blank envelope in the printer tray, according to the diagram in the Feed box.
  3. Select Print.

How many pages can fit in an envelope? ›

You can send up to 1 ounce via USPS in a regular envelope with one stamp. This works out to around 5 sheets of “regular” (I used 20 lb 8.5×11) in a #10 (4 1/8 x 9 1/2, “business”) envelope. That sixth sheet put it over the ounce mark.

What is the standard paper size to print letter and documents? ›

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) — the standard for everyday office print-outs and academic documents.

What is a 6x9 envelope called? ›

The envelope featured here has a size of 6"x9" and the opening is on the long side. It is usually called a "booklet envelope" because of that format.

Are A7 and C7 envelopes the same? ›

What size is a C7 envelope? Standard C7 envelopes are sized 83 x 112 mm to fit A7 paper or A5 paper folded four times. These are small envelopes and are popular as use for RSVP or thank you cards.

What size is a A4 envelope? ›

An A4 envelope's length is 21.082 cm (or 210.82 mm), while its height measures 29.718 cm (or 297.18 mm), slightly larger than the A4 paper it's designed to hold.

Will a #9 envelope fit inside a #10? ›

#9 / No. 9 / Return Envelope - Size: 3-7/8” x 8-7/8” Can be inserted inside a #10 envelope. Often used with bills or when return correspondence is requested. Larger envelopes used for booklets, catalogs, and large documents.

Does 4x6 fit in envelope? ›

A standard 4×6 picture print can be mailed with a regular envelope. Size A6 (4 3/4 x 6 ½) is the most ideal. Pro tip: If you use an envelope much larger than A6, you'll want to add an additional postage as your envelope won't be a uniform thickness.

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