Reference
Ruling Specifications for All Ten Formats
The exact line pitch, imperial equivalent and page capacity of every writing paper format on this site. All figures describe the paper this generator actually produces, so they can be relied on for printing, procurement and comparison. This data is published under CC BY 4.0 — quote it freely with attribution.
Quick answer
How wide is the line spacing on ruled paper?
College ruled paper is ruled at 7.1 mm (9/32 in) between lines, wide ruled at 8.7 mm (11/32 in), and narrow ruled at about 6 mm. On an A4 sheet with 15 mm margins that gives roughly 37, 30 and 44 writing lines respectively. The full table below covers all ten formats in millimetres and inches.
- Formats covered
- 10
- Units given
- Millimetres, decimal inches, fractional inches
- Page sizes
- A4 (210 × 297 mm), Letter (215.9 × 279.4 mm), Legal (215.9 × 355.6 mm)
- Margin assumption
- 15 mm top and bottom
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 — free to quote with attribution
Full table
Line Pitch and Page Capacity, All Ten Formats
| Format | Pitch (mm) | Pitch (in) | Fraction | Lines / inch | Lines / A4 | Lines / Letter | Lines / Legal | Default line style | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notebook | 7.1 mm | 0.28 in | 9/32 in | 3.58 | 37 | 35 | 45 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Handwriting | 8.7 mm | 0.343 in | 11/32 in | 2.92 | 30 | 28 | 37 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Cursive | 7.1 mm | 0.28 in | 9/32 in | 3.58 | 37 | 35 | 45 | Baseline Highlight Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Calligraphy | 10.0 mm | 0.394 in | 25/64 in | 2.54 | 26 | 24 | 32 | Baseline Highlight Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Journal | 7.1 mm | 0.28 in | 9/32 in | 3.58 | 37 | 35 | 45 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| College Ruled | 7.1 mm | 0.28 in | 9/32 in | 3.58 | 37 | 35 | 45 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Wide Ruled | 8.7 mm | 0.343 in | 11/32 in | 2.92 | 30 | 28 | 37 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Narrow Ruled | 6.0 mm | 0.236 in | 15/64 in | 4.23 | 44 | 41 | 54 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Cornell Notes | 7.1 mm | 0.28 in | 9/32 in | 3.58 | 37 | 35 | 45 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Dotted | 5.0 mm | 0.197 in | 13/64 in | 5.08 | 53 | 49 | 65 | Dotted Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Reporter Notebook | 6.0 mm | 0.236 in | 15/64 in | 4.23 | 44 | 41 | 54 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Genkouyoushi | 10.0 mm | 0.394 in | 25/64 in | 2.54 | 26 | 24 | 32 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Right-Handed Slant (Low Angle) | 8.7 mm | 0.343 in | 11/32 in | 2.92 | 30 | 28 | 37 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Right-Handed Slant (High Angle) | 8.7 mm | 0.343 in | 11/32 in | 2.92 | 30 | 28 | 37 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Left-Handed Slant (Low Angle) | 8.7 mm | 0.343 in | 11/32 in | 2.92 | 30 | 28 | 37 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
| Left-Handed Slant (High Angle) | 8.7 mm | 0.343 in | 11/32 in | 2.92 | 30 | 28 | 37 | Solid Lines | A4 · Letter · Legal |
Line counts assume a 15 mm top and bottom margin. Every format's pitch is adjustable from 2 mm to 15 mm in the generator; the values above are the default preset for each format.
Page sizes
Page Size Reference
| Size | Metric | Imperial | Rulable height |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | 210.0 × 297.0 mm | 8.27 × 11.69 in | 267 mm |
| Letter | 215.9 × 279.4 mm | 8.5 × 11.0 in | 249 mm |
| Legal | 215.9 × 355.6 mm | 8.5 × 14.0 in | 326 mm |
A4 follows the ISO 216 international standard. Letter and Legal follow the North American ANSI convention. A4 is 17.6 mm taller than Letter, which is why it holds roughly two extra lines at college ruled pitch.
Method
How These Figures Are Measured
Line pitch is the centre-to-centre distance between two adjacent rules, which is the standard way ruled paper is specified. It is not the visible white gap, which is slightly smaller because it excludes the printed line weight itself.
Imperial equivalents are direct conversions at 25.4 mm to the inch, then expressed as the nearest common fraction used by North American paper manufacturers. Where the metric and imperial standards genuinely differ — narrow ruled being the clearest case, at 6 mm against 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) — both figures are stated rather than rounded together.
Lines per sheet is the rulable height divided by the line pitch, discarding any partial line. Rulable height is the full sheet height minus a 15 mm margin at the top and bottom. Changing the margin in the generator changes the line count accordingly.
FAQ
Ruling Specifications — Frequently Asked Questions
How many millimetres is college ruled paper?
College ruled paper has a 7.1 mm line pitch, equivalent to 0.28 inches or 9/32 of an inch. It is also called medium ruled.
How many millimetres is wide ruled paper?
Wide ruled paper has an 8.7 mm line pitch, equivalent to 0.343 inches or 11/32 of an inch. It is also called legal ruled.
What is the difference between college ruled and wide ruled?
College ruled has a 7.1 mm line pitch and wide ruled has 8.7 mm. The 1.6 mm difference means an A4 sheet holds about 37 college ruled lines against about 30 wide ruled lines — roughly 23% more writing lines per page.
How many lines are on a sheet of ruled paper?
At a 15 mm top and bottom margin, an A4 sheet holds about 37 college ruled lines, 30 wide ruled lines, 44 narrow ruled lines and 53 lines at 5 mm pitch. Letter sheets hold slightly fewer and Legal sheets substantially more.
What line spacing should I use for handwriting practice?
Use 8.7 mm or wider for early writers and letter formation. Reduce toward 7.1 mm as control improves, and to 6 mm only once handwriting is consistently sized.
Is narrow ruled the same as quarter-inch ruled?
They are very close but not identical. US narrow ruled is 1/4 inch, which is 6.35 mm. The metric equivalent used here is 6 mm, a difference of 0.35 mm per line.
How many lines per inch is college ruled paper?
College ruled paper is about 3.58 lines per inch (25.4 mm divided by the 7.1 mm pitch). Wide ruled is about 2.92 lines per inch and narrow ruled is about 4.23.
What is law ruled paper?
Law ruled paper is Legal-size paper with a wide or legal-ruled line pitch and a double margin: a narrow rule near the left edge plus a second rule further from the right edge for annotation. It is generated here by choosing Legal size, Wide ruled, and Double margin rule.
What paper is best for low vision or large print needs?
Ruled paper at 12 mm or wider gives the clearest line separation for low vision. The 12 mm and half-inch (12.7 mm) pages on this site, or the calligraphy generator's 10 mm default widened further, all suit this.
Is this lined paper compatible with a standard hole punch?
Yes, provided the margin is at least about 15 mm. A standard 3-hole punch places holes roughly 12 mm from the edge; any left-margin ruling on this site with the default 20 mm margin clears that safely.
Can I make yellow legal-pad style paper?
Yes. Set Paper size to Legal, choose Wide ruled or College ruled, and change the paper colour to a pale yellow using the colour picker before downloading.
What is the difference between 6mm ruled and 7mm ruled paper?
6 mm ruled is 1 mm tighter than 7 mm ruled — a small difference per line, but it adds up to about 6 extra lines on an A4 sheet (44 against 38). 7 mm is close to standard college ruled (7.1 mm); 6 mm is close to standard narrow ruled.
By measurement
Looking for a Specific Line Spacing?
If you know the pitch you need rather than the format name, these pages give the exact line count per sheet and a matching PDF:
- 2 mm lined paper 133 lines / A4
- 3 mm lined paper 89 lines / A4
- 4 mm lined paper 66 lines / A4
- 5 mm lined paper 53 lines / A4
- 6 mm lined paper 44 lines / A4
- 7 mm lined paper 38 lines / A4
- 8 mm lined paper 33 lines / A4
- 9 mm lined paper 29 lines / A4
- 10 mm lined paper 26 lines / A4
- 12 mm lined paper 22 lines / A4
- 1/4 in lined paper 42 lines / A4
- 3/8 in lined paper 28 lines / A4
- 1/2 in lined paper 21 lines / A4
Generate
Generate Paper at Any of These Specifications
Every format above has its own generator with the pitch pre-set and every parameter adjustable. See the glossary for the terminology used in this table, or browse all writing paper formats.
Last reviewed and updated by linedpaperpdf.com. All measurements on this page describe the paper this generator produces and are verified at each build.