Two competing standards. One right answer for your project. This is the complete reference for every ARCH and ANSI blueprint size — dimensions, square footage, print pricing, scaling relationships, and exactly which standard to use for construction, permits, and engineering drawings.
📅 Updated January 2026⏱ 7-minute read🎯 For contractors, architects & engineers
The Short Answer
Which standard should you use?
For construction, architecture, and permit submissions: use ARCH sizes — specifically ARCH D (24×36). ARCH sizes were designed for architectural drawings and maintain consistent scaling relationships that make them the default across the US construction industry.
For engineering schematics, manufacturing drawings, and office documents: ANSI sizes are more common. Civil and mechanical engineers sometimes work in ANSI, particularly in industries where documents are shared with manufacturing or government agencies that use ANSI standards.
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When in doubt: ARCH D (24×36) is accepted by virtually every building department in the US for permit submissions and is the default expectation for job-site plan sets. If you're unsure which size your drawings are designed for, check your title block — it will state the sheet size.
ARCH Size Series
All ARCH blueprint sizes — complete reference
The ARCH series is the standard for architectural and construction drawings. Every size maintains a 2:3 width-to-height ratio, which means drawings scale predictably between sizes — a critical property for construction documents.
ARCH Sizes — To-Scale Comparison (B&W Pricing)
A
ARCH A
9×12"
$0.38
B
ARCH B
12×18"
$0.75
C
ARCH C
18×24"
$1.50
D · 24×36
ARCH D Most Used
24×36"
$3.00
E
ARCH E
36×48"
$6.00
Size
Dimensions
Sq Ft
B&W Price
Typical Use
ARCH A
9 × 12 in
0.75
$0.38
Reference sheets, details, small sketches
ARCH B
12 × 18 in
1.5
$0.75
Small residential plans, supplemental sheets
ARCH C
18 × 24 in
3.0
$1.50
Small permit sets, reduced-scale CDs
ARCH DMost Common
24 × 36 in
6.0
$3.00
Permit sets, job-site plans, construction documents
ARCH E
36 × 48 in
12.0
$6.00
Large commercial projects, complex structural sets
Why ARCH sizes use a 2:3 ratio
Every ARCH size is exactly 2:3 in width-to-height proportion (e.g., 24:36 = 2:3, 18:24 = 3:4 — close to 2:3). This means a drawing plotted at 1/4"=1' on ARCH D will reduce predictably when copied down to ARCH C, and will scale up cleanly to ARCH E. This consistency is why architects adopted ARCH sizes over the more familiar ANSI series for construction documents.
It also means ARCH D (24×36) perfectly accommodates common architectural scales: at 1/8"=1', the drawing field represents a 192×288 foot building footprint. At 1/4"=1', it represents 96×144 feet — ideal for most residential and small commercial buildings.
ANSI Size Series
All ANSI blueprint sizes — complete reference
The ANSI size series begins with the standard US letter sheet (8.5×11) and approximately doubles in area with each step up. These sizes are deeply embedded in office printing infrastructure and are common in engineering, manufacturing, and government documentation.
ANSI D ≠ ARCH D. ANSI D is 22×34 inches. ARCH D is 24×36 inches. They are different sizes. If your CAD drawings are set up for ARCH D and you accidentally order ANSI D prints, your scale will be wrong. Always confirm the sheet size in your title block before ordering.
Direct Comparison
ARCH vs ANSI — side by side
Every ARCH size has a rough ANSI equivalent — but they are not interchangeable. Here's how each pair compares, and what the size difference means in practice.
ARCH Series — Architectural Standard
ARCH A
9 × 12 inches · 0.75 sq ft
Reference sheets
$0.38
ARCH B
12 × 18 inches · 1.5 sq ft
Small plans, sketches
$0.75
ARCH C
18 × 24 inches · 3.0 sq ft
Reduced CDs, small permits
$1.50
ARCH D ★
24 × 36 inches · 6.0 sq ft
Construction standard
$3.00
ARCH E
36 × 48 inches · 12.0 sq ft
Large commercial sets
$6.00
ANSI Series — Engineering Standard
ANSI A
8.5 × 11 inches · 0.65 sq ft
Letter-size documents
$0.33
ANSI B
11 × 17 inches · 1.3 sq ft
Tabloid, small drawings
$0.65
ANSI C
17 × 22 inches · 2.6 sq ft
Engineering diagrams
$1.30
ANSI D
22 × 34 inches · 5.2 sq ft
Large technical drawings
$2.60
ANSI E
34 × 44 inches · 10.4 sq ft
Oversized engineering plans
$5.20
Key differences at a glance
Category
ARCH
ANSI
Designed for
Architecture & construction
Engineering & office use
Standard size for permits
ARCH D (24×36) — universally accepted
ANSI D (22×34) — less common in construction
Aspect ratio consistency
Consistent 2:3 ratio across all sizes
Varies between sizes
Job-site prevalence
Dominant standard
Uncommon
CAD software default
AutoCAD Architecture, Revit default to ARCH
AutoCAD Mechanical, Civil 3D default to ANSI
Price per sheet (B&W)
ARCH D = $3.00
ANSI D = $2.60
Scale Reference
What scales fit on ARCH D 24×36?
One of the most practical reasons to know your sheet size is understanding which architectural scales work at full legibility. Here's what fits on an ARCH D 24×36 sheet at common scales, assuming a 22×34 drawing field (leaving a 1-inch border on all sides).
1/16" = 1'-0"
Very Small Scale
Drawing field represents 352 × 544 feet. Used for large site plans, campus plans, and master planning documents.
1/8" = 1'-0"
Small Scale — Common
Drawing field represents 176 × 272 feet. The most common scale for floor plans of large commercial buildings on ARCH D.
1/4" = 1'-0"
Standard Scale — Most Common
Drawing field represents 88 × 136 feet. The default scale for residential floor plans and most small commercial buildings on ARCH D. Permits legible notes, dimensions, and room labels.
3/16" = 1'-0"
Between 1/8" and 1/4"
Drawing field represents 117 × 181 feet. Sometimes used for medium commercial buildings when 1/4" is too tight and 1/8" is too small.
3/8" = 1'-0"
Large Scale
Drawing field represents 59 × 91 feet. Used for detailed plans of smaller buildings or portions of larger buildings.
1/2" = 1'-0"
Detail Scale
Drawing field represents 44 × 68 feet. Typically used for enlarged plans, bathroom layouts, kitchen details, or specific room studies.
✅
1/4"=1' and 1/8"=1' are the two most common scales for ARCH D construction documents. If your building is under 88 feet wide, 1/4"=1' will fit comfortably on 24×36. If it's larger, use 1/8"=1' or consider breaking floor plans into sections.
Practical Guide
Which size to use — by profession and use case
Contractors
Use ARCH D (24×36) for all job-site plan sets, permit submissions, and subcontractor distribution sets. This is the universal expectation on US job sites. If you receive drawings from an architect or engineer in a different size, request ARCH D — it's the standard and simplifies distribution across your subcontractors.
Architects
Use ARCH D (24×36) for construction documents, permit sets, SD and DD packages. AutoCAD Architecture and Revit both default to ARCH sheet sizes — your template is likely already set to ARCH D. For presentation drawings and concept sets, ARCH C (18×24) is sometimes used to reduce printing costs, but confirm with your client that permit minimums are satisfied.
Civil Engineers
Civil engineers often work in ARCH D (24×36) or ANSI D (22×34) depending on firm standards and project type. Site plans for building permits should match the architectural set and use ARCH D. Survey plats and infrastructure plans submitted to municipal agencies may use ANSI D depending on local requirements — verify with the receiving agency.
Structural and MEP Engineers
Structural drawings should coordinate with the architectural set — use ARCH D (24×36) for construction document packages. MEP drawings follow the same convention. Shop drawings submitted by subcontractors may sometimes be ANSI D, but permit and coordination sets should match ARCH D.
Surveyors
Survey plats may be submitted in either ARCH or ANSI depending on the recording agency's requirements. ALTA/NSPS surveys are commonly produced on ARCH D (24×36). Always verify with the county recorder or client before printing a final plat.
Print any ARCH or ANSI size — same day
Azul Prints prints every standard ARCH and ANSI size. ARCH D 24×36 = $3.00/print. Upload your file and get an instant price in seconds. Ships today on orders before 12 PM EST.
Common questions about ARCH and ANSI blueprint sizes, answered specifically.
ARCH sizes are designed for architectural and construction drawings. They use dimensions that maintain consistent 2:3 aspect ratios across the series, making scaling between sizes predictable. The most common ARCH size for construction is ARCH D (24×36). ANSI sizes are based on US office paper, starting from letter (8.5×11) and doubling in area with each size up. ANSI is more common in engineering and manufacturing environments. For construction permit sets and job-site plans, ARCH is the industry standard.
24×36 inches is ARCH D — part of the ARCH size series. The closest ANSI equivalent is ANSI D, which is 22×34 inches — slightly smaller. When contractors and architects refer to the standard construction plan size, they mean ARCH D (24×36), not ANSI D (22×34). These are different sizes and are not interchangeable.
ARCH D (24×36 inches) is the most common blueprint size for construction in the United States. It is used for permit sets, job-site plan sets, and construction document packages across residential, commercial, and institutional projects. ARCH D is accepted by the vast majority of building departments for permit submissions and is the default size in most architectural and structural engineering software.
You can print ANSI-sized drawings on ARCH paper, but you must not simply scale to fit — doing so will change the drawing scale and make scale bars and dimensions inaccurate. The correct approach is to either: (1) replot from your CAD software at the correct ARCH sheet size, or (2) print the ANSI drawing at its native size on the same-or-larger ARCH sheet, centered with blank borders. If you're unsure, our print technician will check your file before printing and contact you if there's a scale discrepancy.
Most US building departments require permit drawings to be a minimum of ARCH C (18×24) or ARCH D (24×36), with ARCH D being the most universally accepted format. Some jurisdictions specify a minimum size explicitly — for example, Los Angeles requires permit drawings to be at least 18×24 inches. ARCH D satisfies the requirements of virtually every jurisdiction in the US. Always check your specific building department's submission guidelines before preparing a permit set.
Each ARCH size is approximately double the area of the next smaller size: ARCH A (9×12 = 108 sq in) → ARCH B (12×18 = 216 sq in) → ARCH C (18×24 = 432 sq in) → ARCH D (24×36 = 864 sq in) → ARCH E (36×48 = 1,728 sq in). Because the 2:3 aspect ratio is maintained throughout the series, a drawing set at 1/4"=1' on ARCH D will reduce to half scale (1/8"=1') when printed on ARCH C — which is why ARCH sizes are preferred for construction documents that may need to be reproduced at different scales.
At Azul Prints, pricing is $0.50 per square foot for black and white prints. ARCH D (24×36 = 6 sq ft) costs $3.00 per print. ANSI D (22×34 = 5.2 sq ft) costs $2.60 per print. For a 20-page permit set, that's $60.00 for ARCH D vs. $52.00 for ANSI D — a difference of $8.00 per set. In almost every case, the additional cost of ARCH D is justified by its universal acceptance at building departments and standard job-site compatibility.
