Certificate Size Guide: A4 vs Letter, Pixels, DPI and Margins

Choosing the wrong size leads to cropped borders, blurry text and wasted paper. Therefore, it is worth getting right before you design anything. This certificate size guide gives the exact numbers for print and screen.

Standard certificate size by region

Paper	Millimetres	Inches	Pixels at 300 dpi
A4 landscape	297 × 210	11.7 × 8.3	3508 × 2480
US Letter landscape	279 × 216	11 × 8.5	3300 × 2550
A5 landscape	210 × 148	8.3 × 5.8	2480 × 1748

Landscape or portrait?

Landscape is the traditional orientation for awards and course certificates, because long names fit comfortably. Portrait, however, suits licences, transcripts and reports with more text. Therefore, choose by content rather than habit.

Resolution and DPI

Print needs about 300 dots per inch for crisp text and seals. In contrast, screens need far fewer pixels. Consequently, design the master file at 300 dpi; it will look sharp on paper and still fine on screen.

Margins and bleed

Office printers cannot print to the very edge. So keep text and logos at least 10 mm from every edge. If a professional printer will trim the certificate, add 3 mm bleed to background colours and borders, so no white edges appear.

QR code size on certificates

A QR code of 22–30 mm square scans easily from a phone at normal distance. In addition, place it on a plain, light area with clear space around it. As a result, verification works first time, even from a photograph.

Certificate size for digital delivery

Most certificates now travel as PDFs. Therefore, keep the same page size in the PDF so it prints correctly, and compress images enough to email comfortably. Similarly, check how the certificate looks on a phone, because many holders only ever view it there.

Using presets in a certificate system

Certificate systems often include size presets. For example, CertiQR lets you pick A4 or Letter, so the stored dimensions always match the paper. Consequently, your design prints at the right size every time.

Choosing the certificate size for international audiences

Organisations with learners in several countries face a choice. Therefore, many design for A4 and let US holders print with “fit to page”, or offer both sizes. In addition, keep a slightly larger safe margin, because scaling changes the edges. As a result, the certificate prints well on either paper. Similarly, test the PDF on both paper sizes before launch.

Paper weight and finish

However, size is not the only print decision. For instance, 160–250 gsm paper feels substantial without jamming office printers. Moreover, a matt or silk finish reduces glare on QR codes. Consequently, printed certificates look premium and still scan easily.

In addition, the official WordPress documentation is a useful, independent reference if you want to read further.

Frequently asked questions