Business Card Sizes
Authority: Regional convention (no single global standard)
Business card dimensions vary by region rather than following one global standard: the US uses 3.5 x 2 inches (88.9 x 50.8mm), most of Europe uses 85 x 55mm, and Japan uses 91 x 55mm -- each producing a slightly different aspect ratio.
| Region | Dimensions (mm) | Dimensions (in) | Aspect Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States / Canada | 88.9 x 50.8 | 3.5 x 2 | 1.75 : 1 |
| Europe (most countries) | 85 x 55 | 3.35 x 2.17 | 1.55 : 1 |
| Japan | 91 x 55 | 3.58 x 2.17 | 1.65 : 1 |
Why There's No Single Global Standard
Business cards are one of the few common print items with genuinely no formal international sizing standard -- each region's size grew out of local printing and wallet/card-holder conventions rather than a body like ISO defining it. The US size (3.5 x 2 in) is a clean fraction of Letter paper (ten cards fit a standard sheet with margins), while the European 85 x 55mm size closely matches the ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 format used for credit cards and ID cards, which is why European card holders and wallets are often sized around it. Japan's 91 x 55mm size shares the same 55mm height as the European standard but is slightly wider.