Funeral program sizes and printing
The standard US funeral program is 5.5 × 8.5 inches: one sheet of letter paper, printed on both sides and folded in half. Larger programs are 7 × 8.5 inches (legal paper folded) or 8.5 × 11 inches (tabloid paper folded). To print our folded file at home, print double-sided and flip on the short edge, then fold.
Updated October 27, 2026
The four sizes
- 5.5 × 8.5 inches, from letter paper (8.5 × 11). The usual size, and the easiest to print at home. Four pages from one sheet.
- 7 × 8.5 inches, from legal paper (8.5 × 14). More room for the life story and larger print. Many home printers take legal paper; check yours.
- 8.5 × 11 inches, from tabloid paper (11 × 17). The standard size at print shops. Most home printers can’t take tabloid paper.
- A5, from A4 paper. The usual size in the UK, Ireland and Australia, where it is called an order of service.
Switch sizes whenever you like and download again for 30 days after you pay, so you can decide once you know what your printer or print shop can do.
How to print a folded program at home
- Open the folded PDF and print one test copy on plain paper.
- In the print dialog, choose double-sided (sometimes called duplex or “print on both sides”) and flip on the short edge. Set the scale to 100% or “actual size”, not “fit to page”.
- Fold the test sheet in half. The front cover should be on the outside, and the inside pages should be the right way up.
- If the inside is upside down, the printer flipped on the long edge. Change the setting and try again.
- Print the rest. Fold each sheet in half and run a thumbnail or a ruler along the fold to make it crisp.
If your printer can’t print on both sides, print page 1 of the file, put the printed sheets back in the tray (which way up depends on your printer, so test with one sheet first), and then print page 2.
Paper weight
Plain copy paper works, but slightly heavier paper looks and feels better and keeps photos from showing through.
- For home printing, try 28 lb or 32 lb paper (about 105–120 gsm). Most home printers handle it.
- For a sturdier program, print shops can use light card stock, such as 65 lb or 80 lb cover. Check that your printer takes it before you try at home.
- Matte or uncoated paper is easier to read under church lights than glossy paper.
Your printer’s manual lists the heaviest paper it can take.
At a print shop
- Bring the PDF on a USB stick, email it, or upload it on the shop’s website ahead of time. Your download includes a one-page sheet of print shop instructions you can hand over. Don’t bring a Word file, because fonts and photos can shift on another computer.
- Ask for: “duplex, short-edge flip, fold in half.” Say the paper size (letter, legal or tabloid) and the number of copies.
- Ask to see one proof copy before they print the rest, and fold it yourself to check.
- Ask whether they charge for folding, and whether there is a fee for heavy ink coverage. Some shops charge more for dark backgrounds that cover the whole page.
- Each shop sets its own prices and times, so ask when you order.
Our file keeps a white margin around each page, so there is nothing at the very edge for a shop to trim off.
How many copies to print
A common rule of thumb is one program for each guest you expect, plus about one in five extra. The extras cover people you didn’t expect and family who want to keep a few. If you aren’t sure how many people will come, ask the funeral home or the church what they would expect for a service like this one.
Prayer cards
A standard prayer card is 2.5 × 4.25 inches. Usually there is a photo or picture on the front, and the name, dates and a short prayer or poem on the back.
- Our prayer card file puts six cards on a sheet of letter paper, with the fronts on page 1 and the backs on page 2.
- Print double-sided on card stock and flip on the long edge. This is different from the program, because the card sheet is laid out the other way.
- Cut on the marks with a paper trimmer or a ruler and craft knife. Scissors work but are slower to keep straight.
For a reading short enough to fit, see the short readings for prayer cards. Prayer cards come with the $29 “everything for the service” bundle.
Questions
What is the standard size for a funeral program?
In the US, the most common size is 5.5 × 8.5 inches: a sheet of letter paper folded in half. Larger programs are 8.5 × 11 inches, made from tabloid (11 × 17) paper folded in half.
How many funeral programs should I print?
A common rule of thumb is one program for each guest you expect, plus about one in five extra for latecomers and keepsakes. Ask the funeral home or church how many people they expect.
Which way do I flip a funeral program when printing double-sided?
For our folded program file, flip on the short edge. Print one test copy and fold it to check before printing the rest.
Related guides
- Funeral program template: the styles and what each page holds
- What goes in a funeral program: sample orders of service
- Funeral poems and readings: texts for the program and prayer cards