Print My Plans
CAD Plotting Service: Print Your CAD Drawings Without a Plotter
By Eli Gewirtzman, Owner · Last checked Oct 23, 2026
To print CAD drawings without an office plotter, export the layouts at their intended sheet size and upload the files. We print the sheets and ship them to your office, client or job site.
Short answer: in your CAD program, plot or export each layout to PDF at 1:1 on the real sheet size (24×36, 30×42, 36×48 and so on), keep your lineweights, and combine the sheets into one PDF. Upload it, pick black and white or color, and check out. Every size from 17×22 to 36×48 is $1.95 per sheet in black and white and $3.75 in color, with no minimum.
How it works
- Export the finished layouts. PDF is a common CAD export, and it prints true to scale when the source dimensions and selected sheet size are correct.
- Upload and choose the sheet size, black and white or color, and the number of sets.
- We print to scale on 20 lb bond and ship to your office, client or job site.
Plot settings that decide whether the print measures true
These are the same settings you’d check before sending a job to your own plotter:
- Paper size = sheet size. Select the intended paper, such as ARCH D at 24×36, rather than letter or tabloid.
- Plot the layout at 1:1, with “Fit to paper” off. The drawing viewport retains its design scale; fitting the whole layout changes that scale.
- Plot area = Layout. Check the preview to confirm that the full border and title block are inside the page.
- Check plot styles and lineweights. For black-and-white output, preview the monochrome plot style and confirm that fine lines remain visible. Turning lineweights off can remove intended differences in thickness, while some colors convert to faint gray. See exporting PDFs from AutoCAD or Revit.
- Keep the set in order. AutoCAD Publish and other batch-export tools can create one multi-sheet PDF from the finished layouts.
Program-specific guides: Revit PDF export to scale · MicroStation print to PDF · Archicad layouts · Vectorworks · Rhino · SketchUp LayOut. Got a DWG and no AutoCAD? See how to print a DWG without AutoCAD.
Plotter vs sending it out
| Office plotter | Print My Plans | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront | Buy or lease the plotter | None |
| Running costs | Roll paper, ink or toner, service | $1.95 per sheet B&W, $3.75 color, any size |
| Small jobs | Same setup as a big job | No minimum; one sheet is fine |
| Big jobs | Ties up the plotter and someone’s time | Upload once and order the sets you need |
| Getting sets to the site | You deliver them | We ship to any address you enter |
If you plot every day, a plotter can make sense. If you plot a few sets a week, or the plotter is down mid-deadline, sending it out keeps the job moving. For the cost math, with public plotter, ink and paper prices, see buy a plotter or send it out?
Sending a whole set instead of single plots? See plan printing for how ordering works.
Sizes
We print 17×22 (ANSI C), 18×24 (ARCH C), 22×34 (ANSI D), 24×36 (ARCH D), 30×42 (ARCH E1) and 36×48 (ARCH E), all at the same price. Plotting the biggest sheets? See 36×48 blueprint printing. That covers the common architectural sizes. For ANSI engineering sheets we print 17×22 (ANSI C) and 22×34 (ANSI D); see ARCH vs ANSI sheet sizes for the difference. Full size list: large format plan printing. What people mean by “engineering prints”: engineering prints.
What it costs
Printing only, before shipping, at $1.95 per sheet in black and white and $3.75 in color, the same price at all sizes (17×22 to 36×48), on 20 lb bond paper:
| Example | Sheets | Printing | With code WELCOME20 (20% off your first order) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 sheet, any size, B&W | 1 | $1.95 | $1.56 |
| 30-sheet 24×36 set, 2 copies, B&W | 60 | $117.00 | $93.60 |
| 40 sheets at 36×48, B&W | 40 | $78.00 | $62.40 |
| 25 B&W + 5 color sheets | 30 | $67.50 | $54.00 |
WELCOME20 takes 20% off printing on a first order per email address. Use one promo code per order; a partner code and store credit can also apply. Price your own set with the blueprint printing cost calculator. Printing for a firm regularly? See plan printing for architects and plan printing for engineers.
Frequently asked questions
Can you print directly from a DWG or RVT file?
Export DWG or RVT layouts to a supported print format first; we do not print those native CAD files directly. Upload PDF. For another format, email support@printmyplans.com.
Will my CAD drawing print to scale?
Yes, if the PDF page size matches the sheet size you order and you plotted at 1:1 without “fit to paper.”
Why are my lines faint or all the same weight?
Usually it’s the plot style or the lineweight setting at export. Use a monochrome plot style with lineweights on for black and white sheets.
Does a 36×48 plot cost more than a 24×36?
No. Every size is $1.95 per sheet in black and white or $3.75 in color.
Can I mix color and black and white sheets?
Yes. Add them as separate line items in the same order.
Do you edit drawings or fix CAD files?
No. We print your PDF as uploaded. Any changes happen in your CAD program first.
Printing it
Upload your PDF on the order page, choose the size, black and white or color, and the number of sets, and check out. Order by 3 PM ET, ships same day, arrives as soon as the next day. If we make a mistake, we reprint and ship it free of charge.