Poster Sizes

Poster sizes are fairly standard nowadays with smaller posters being printed on standard paper sizes (A series in the UK/Europe and Ledger or Arch Series in the US). Larger posters are printed on billboard paper sizes. There are also special movie poster sizes that are fairly standard these days. Older movie posters, that are very collectible, have sizes that are specific to the country of origin.

UK Poster Sizes

Posters in the UK are now printed ISO 216 A series paper, apart from some movie posters and some large format posters. In the tables below sizes are given in portrait layout, swap the width and height for landscape layout.

ISO A Series Poster Sizes

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
2A01189 x 1682 mm46.8 x 66.2 in
A0841 x 1189 mm33.1 x 46.8 in
A1594 x 841 mm23.4 x 33.1 in
A2420 x 594 mm16.5 x 23.4 in
A3297 x 420 mm11.7 x 16.5 in
A4210 x 297 mm8.3 x 11.7 in

UK Billboard Poster Sizes

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
1 Sheet508 x 762 mm20 x 30 in
2 Sheet762 x 1016 mm30 x 40 in
4 Sheet1016 x 1524 mm40 x 60 in

Single sheet billboard size is a hangover from British Imperial paper sizes having the dimensions of Double Crown. Find out more about larger billboard sizes here

UK Movie Poster Sizes

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
Cards203.2 x 254.0 mm8 x 10 in
Double Crown508 x 762 mm20 x 30 in
One Sheet685.8 x 1016 mm27 x 40 in
Quad762 x 1016 mm30 x 40 in
Three Sheet1016 x 2057.4 mm40 x 81 in
Six Sheet2032 x 2057.4 mm80 x 81 in

Notes:

Cards are "Front of House Cards" often for picking up when leaving a cinema.

Double Crown paper is also known as 1 Sheet for billboard posters, probably being called Double Crown for movie posters to avoid confusion with the One Sheet movie poster specific size.

Quad is also known as two sheet and may take its name from Quadruple Crown (i.e. double the size of the Double Crown paper).

British Three Sheet posters are sometimes given non-standard dimensions from 40 x 80 inch to 41 x 83 inch - probably caused by variations in print overlap for posting and uncut paper sizes.

British Six Sheet is sometimes given as 81 x 81 inch, again this may be due to variations in print overlap and uncut paper sizes.

US Poster Sizes

In the US posters are often sized Small, Medium and Large, with Letter paper sized posters being smaller than the Small size. Small posters are printed on Ledger paper, Medium poster are on Arch C and Large on Arch D. Click the following link for US billboard poster sizes. US movie posters again have their own set of sizes.

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
Letter215.9 x 279.4 mm8.5 x 11 in
Small279.4 x 431.8 mm11 x 17 in
Medium457.2 x 609.6 mm18 x 24 in
Large609.6 x 914.4 mm24 x 36 in

US Movie Poster Sizes

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
Lobby Card279.4 x 355.6 mm11 x 14 in
Window Card355.6 x 558.8 mm14 x 22 in
Insert355.6 x 914.4 mm14 x 36 in
Half Sheet558.8 x 711.2 mm22 x 28 in
One Sheet685.8 x 1016 mm27 x 40 in
Three Sheet1041.4 x 2057.4 mm41 x 81 in
Six Sheet2057.4 x 2057.4 mm81 x 81 in
30 x 40 Drive In762 x 1016 mm30 x 40 in
40 x 60 Drive In1016 x 1524 mm40 x 60 in
Door Panels508 x 1524 mm20 x 60 in

Notes:

Lobby Cards, Window Cards and Insert posters were produced on card stock.

Modern One Sheet is 27 x 40 inch, older one sheet posters were 27 x 41 inch (685.8 x 1041.4 mm).

The 81 x 81 inch Six Sheet is an inch smaller than two Three Sheet posters placed together.

French Poster Sizes

Most modern French poster sizes are from the ISO A series, with some suppliers offering B series sizes especially B1 and B2. French film posters come in standard but not ISO sizes.

French Movie Posters

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
Petite400 x 600 mm15.7 x 23.6 in
Moyenne600 x 800 mm23.6 x 31.5 in
Pantalon600 x 1600 mm23.6 x 63.0 in
Demi-Grande800 x 1200 mm31.5 x 47.2 in
Grande1200 x 1600 mm47.2 x 63.0 in
Double Grande1600 x 2400 mm63.0 x 94.5 in

Notes:

The 3 x 4 m billboard poster size is also sometimes used for movie posters.

German Poster Sizes

German posters take their sizes from the ISO A series paper sizes, including movie posters

Italian Poster Sizes

Italian posters are generally in ISO A & B series sizes with movie posters having their own set sizes.

Italian Movie Posters

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
Un Foglio700 x 1000 mm27.6 x 39.4 in
Due Fogli1000 x 1400 mm39.4 x 55.1 in
Quattro Fogli1400 x 2000 mm55.1 x 78.7 in
Locandina330 x 700 mm13.0 x 27.6 in
Photobusta500 x 700 mm19.7 x 27.6 in

Australian Poster Sizes

Australian posters are usually ISO 216 A4 - 2A0, B1 and B0 in size. As in many countries movie posters come in their own special sizes, having derived from Imperial sizes used before the introduction of ISO 216.

Australian Movie Posters

SizeWidth x Height (mm)Width x Height (in)
Lobby Card279.4 x 355.6 mm11 x 14 in
Daybill660.4 x 762 mm26 x 30 in
One Sheet685.8 x 1016 mm27 x 40 in
Three Sheet1041.4 x 2057.4 mm41 x 81 in

Notes:

Prior to 1980 different Daybill sizes were in use with common formats being 14 x 40 inch (Long Daybill), 13 x 27 inch, 10 x 30 inch (wartime) and 13 x 30 inch (post-war).