# Screenplay margins, font, and page size

**Quick answer:** Common screenplay settings are conventions, not universal requirements. Use Courier and the standard margins below as your starting point, then check the recipient’s instructions.

Source: https://scriptsolo.com/blog/screenplay-margins-font-page-size/ · Scriptsolo · Updated 2026-10-29

Screenplay margins commonly measure 1.5 inches on the left and 1 inch elsewhere, with 12-point Courier on US Letter paper.

**Common screenplay settings for a US Letter layout**

| Setting | Common convention |
| --- | --- |
| Font | Courier |
| Font size | 12 point |
| Paper | US Letter |
| Left margin | 1.5 inches |
| Right margin | 1 inch |
| Top and bottom margins | 1 inch each |
| Page numbers | Top right, starting on page 2; page 1 has no number |

These are conventions, not universal requirements. Contests and companies publish their own requirements, so check those before submitting. For the layout of the writing itself, use the [screenplay format guide](https://scriptsolo.com/guides/screenplay-format/).

## What font and paper size should a screenplay use?

Screenplays commonly use 12-point Courier on US Letter paper. Outside North America, A4 is commonly used instead. For example, changing a document from US Letter to A4 changes how many lines fit.

**Courier**: Courier is a fixed-width typeface: every character takes the same width. Screenplays commonly use it at 12 points, which keeps the page layout predictable.

Scriptsolo uses US Letter pages with 12-point Courier Prime, a 1.5 inch left margin, and 1 inch margins at the right, top, and bottom.

## Can you cheat the margins to fit a page count?

Keep the margins consistent and revise the writing instead. Shrinking margins or line spacing is commonly discouraged; the Academy Nicholl Fellowships FAQ warns against it.

**Page count**: Page count is the number of pages in a script. It commonly serves as a rough guide to running time, not a measurement.

For example, if a scene runs onto another page, look for repeated information before changing the layout. Cut a repeated description, not a detail that changes what the audience sees.

For revision advice, read about [writing action lines](https://scriptsolo.com/blog/how-to-write-action-lines/), the descriptions of what an audience sees or hears. For spoken lines, see [screenplay dialogue formatting](https://scriptsolo.com/blog/how-to-format-screenplay-dialogue/).

**Sources**

- [Academy Nicholl Fellowships FAQ (Courier, 12-point, 10-pitch, is the industry standard font)](https://www.oscars.org/sites/oscars/files/2024_nicholl_faq.pdf) (checked October 2026)
- [Final Draft help center (the general rule in timing a script)](https://kb.finaldraft.com/hc/en-us/articles/15574991492628-What-is-the-general-rule-in-timing-a-script) (checked October 2026)

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## Frequently asked questions

### What is the screenplay font?

Screenplays commonly use 12-point Courier, a typeface in which every character takes the same width.

### Where do screenplay page numbers go?

Page numbers commonly appear at the top right, beginning on page 2. Page 1 carries no number.

### What goes on the title page?

The title page commonly shows the screenplay’s title, the writer’s name, and contact details. It comes before page 1 and carries no page number.