Ute signage: panel sizes and how big the lettering needs to be

In Australia. We supply artwork only, so the same files go to a signwriter anywhere in Australia, who measures the ute before cutting.

Ute signage at a glance

Dual cab ute side	1900 × 700mm
Ute tailgate	1400 × 450mm
Lettering	5.6mm of capital height per metre of reading distance
Door name	at least 140mm, read from 25m
Door phone number	at least 118mm, read from 21m
Tailgate phone number	at least 101mm, read from 18m

The ute panels our vehicle template is drawn on, and the letter heights that make a name and a phone number readable from the next lane.

What size is the signage area on a ute?

The side of a dual cab ute gives a panel of about 1900 × 700mm from the front door to the back of the rear door, and a tailgate about 1400 × 450mm. Both are typical figures for planning. A HiLux, a Ranger and a Triton are different shapes, and the signwriter measures your ute before cutting anything.

Artwork also stops short of every edge, because vinyl laid right to the edge of a panel lifts: 42mm on the door panel and 32mm on the tailgate. On the side, artwork may run across the door shut, and the installer slits the film along it so both doors still open.

How big does the lettering need to be?

We work to 5.6mm of capital height for every metre the lettering is read from. The name and the phone number are held to different distances: a name is recognised by its shape, while a number has to be read digit by digit, usually by somebody who has pulled in behind you or is taking a photo.

The tailgate is read by the driver directly behind you in traffic, which is why the phone number usually belongs there at its largest. The door carries the name, what you do and the number, in that order of size.

What about single cab utes and canopies?

Our vehicle template draws a dual cab ute. A single cab door is a shorter panel, and a canopy adds its own side panels above the tray; neither is drawn yet. The rule for lettering is the same on both, so the table above still tells you how big the name and number need to be.

Cut vinyl or a printed wrap?

Ute lettering is often cut vinyl: letters and shapes cut by a blade from coloured film, in up to 4 colours, with nothing finer than 2mm on the finished panel. A printed wrap is needed for photographs, gradients or a full colour background. The vehicle signage guide covers the difference in full.

What do you give the signwriter?

Our vehicle graphics template is $199 for all 7 panels. The download has an SVG for each panel, which is the file a signwriter cuts from, and a plain-text spec sheet that states every panel size, where the artwork keeps clear and the capital height each line was set to.

Common questions

How big should a phone number be on a ute?

Big enough to read from the car behind or the next lane. The table on this page gives the capital height for the door and the tailgate, worked out from the reading distance.

Should the phone number go on the tailgate or the door?

Both, if there is room. The tailgate is read by the driver behind you in traffic, so the number is usually largest there, and the door carries the name first.

Does the signwriter need to measure my ute?

Yes. The sizes here are typical figures for planning. Door lines and handles differ between models, and the signwriter fits the artwork to the ute in front of them.

What file format does a signwriter want for ute signage?

A vector file, usually SVG, EPS or PDF with vector paths. Our vehicle template downloads an SVG of each panel and a spec sheet with the sizes.