5 mm ruling
5 mm Lined Paper — Printable PDF
Ruled paper with exactly 5 mm (0.197 in) between lines. This page gives the measured line count for every sheet size, shows how 5 mm compares with the named ruling standards and its nearest neighbouring spacings, and provides a print-ready PDF. 5 mm is the standard bullet-journal dot pitch. As a ruled spacing it is very tight — usable for indexes and ledgers rather than running text.
Quick answer
How many lines are on 5 mm lined paper?
5 mm lined paper has 5 mm (0.197 in) between ruled lines. On A4 that gives about 53 lines per sheet, on US Letter 49, and on Legal 65, allowing a 15 mm margin top and bottom. Download it free as a print-ready PDF.
- Line spacing
- 5.0 mm (0.197 in)
- Lines per inch
- 5.08
- Lines per A4
- 53
- Lines per US Letter
- 49
- Lines per Legal
- 65
- Closest standard
- Dotted paper
- Price
- Free PDF, no signup, no watermark
Instant download
Download 5 mm Lined Paper as PDF
Ruled at exactly 5 mm, print-ready at actual size. Print at 100% scaling so the spacing stays true.
Capacity
How Many 5 mm Lines Fit on a Page
| Sheet | Dimensions | Rulable height | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm | 267 mm | 53 |
| Letter | 215.9 × 279.4 mm | 249 mm | 49 |
| Legal | 215.9 × 355.6 mm | 326 mm | 65 |
Line pitch is measured centre to centre between adjacent rules, which is how ruled paper is specified. Changing the margin in the generator changes the line count accordingly.
In context
5 mm Compared With Standard Rulings
| Format | Pitch | Relative to 5 mm | Lines / A4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notebook | 7.1 mm | 2.1 mm wider | 37 |
| Cursive | 7.1 mm | 2.1 mm wider | 37 |
| Journal | 7.1 mm | 2.1 mm wider | 37 |
| College Ruled | 7.1 mm | 2.1 mm wider | 37 |
| Narrow Ruled | 6.0 mm | 1 mm wider | 44 |
| Cornell Notes | 7.1 mm | 2.1 mm wider | 37 |
| Dotted | 5.0 mm | same | 53 |
| Reporter Notebook | 6.0 mm | 1 mm wider | 44 |
5 mm is the standard bullet-journal dot pitch. As a ruled spacing it is very tight — usable for indexes and ledgers rather than running text.
Nearby spacings
5 mm vs the Closest Other Spacings
5 mm vs 4 mm: a 1 mm difference, tighter — 13 more lines per A4 sheet than 5 mm.
| Spacing | Pitch | Relative to 5 mm | Lines / A4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 mm lined paper | 4 mm | 1 mm tighter | 66 (13 more than 5 mm) |
| 6 mm lined paper | 6 mm | 1 mm wider | 44 (9 fewer than 5 mm) |
| 3 mm lined paper | 3 mm | 2 mm tighter | 89 (36 more than 5 mm) |
Suitability
Who 5 mm Lined Paper Suits
At this pitch there is very little room for a normal adult hand. It suits ledgers, indexes, annotation margins and anyone deliberately writing small. Descenders will collide with the line below unless handwriting is unusually compact.
If you need a named format instead, dotted paper is the closest match. The full specification table lists every ruling on this site, and the glossary explains the terminology.
Last reviewed and updated by linedpaperpdf.com. All measurements on this page describe the paper this generator produces and are verified at each build.