Paper Shredder Security Levels, P-1 to P-7
Shredder P levels come from DIN 66399 and cap each shred's size, from 2,000 square millimeters at P-1 to 5 at P-7; micro-cut reaches the higher levels.
By Antonio SmithamContributing writer.
On this page
The short answer
The P number on a shredder is its security level for paper under the German standard DIN 66399. The higher the number, the smaller the pieces, and the harder it is to tape a page back together. P-1 is the coarsest and P-7 the finest.
The cut style sets how high a shredder can go. Strip-cut machines make long ribbons and stay at the low levels. Cross-cut and micro-cut machines chop the page both ways and reach the higher ones.
Shredder security levels chart
| Level | Largest piece allowed | Strip limit | Meant for |
|---|---|---|---|
| P-1 | 2,000 mm2 | 12 mm, any length | General internal papers |
| P-2 | 800 mm2 | 6 mm, any length | Internal papers |
| P-3 | 320 mm2 | 2 mm, any length | Sensitive and personal data |
| P-4 | 160 mm2 | Width up to 6 mm | Confidential papers, invoices, financial records |
| P-5 | 30 mm2 | Width up to 2 mm | Secret data, financial statements |
| P-6 | 10 mm2 | Width up to 1 mm | Classified data, patents, research |
| P-7 | 5 mm2 | Width up to 1 mm | Top secret military and intelligence papers |
The area is per piece. A piece of 160 mm2 at P-4 is, for example, a rectangle of 4 by 40 mm.
What does P-4 mean on a shredder?
P-4 means no shred is larger than 160 square millimeters. The standard aims P-4 at confidential papers such as invoices and financial records. If you handle legal, medical or business records under stricter rules, look at P-5 or above.
Cross-cut vs strip-cut shredder
- Strip-cut: rotating knives slice the page into strips as long as the sheet. The standard lists strip limits by width, with any length allowed up to P-3.
- Cross-cut (confetti cut): two drums turning against each other cut the page into short rectangles or diamonds.
- Micro-cut (particle cut): produces tiny squares or circles, the smallest pieces of the three.
Because smaller pieces mean a higher level, micro-cut gives the most protection of the three for the same paper.
How many sheets should a shredder handle?
The sheet figure on a listing is how many pages the machine takes in one pass. On Wiki Shopping, paper shredders fall into these groups:
| Sheets per pass | Shredders |
|---|---|
| Up to 8 | 22 |
| 9 to 14 | 27 |
| 15 to 24 | 18 |
| 25 or more | 12 |
Pick a capacity that matches the stack you shred at once. Mail and the odd bill fit the smallest group; a home office clearing files does better with a mid-size machine, and shared offices with the larger ones. If you shred a lot in one sitting, an auto-feed shredder takes a stack and feeds it on its own.
How we count
Security levels and cut descriptions come from the paper shredder reference article. On Wiki Shopping, 150 paper shredders were listed on October 26, 2026. Cut type and sheets per pass are read from each listing: 42 state cross-cut, 30 micro-cut and 10 strip-cut. Shredders that do not state a value are left out of a count.
Shop by spec
Paper Shredders
Micro cut, Up to 8 sheets
- High-Security Micro-Cut with 6 sheet capacities destroys credit cards staples and small paper clips
- Shreds paper and credit cards into tiny pieces (5/32 by 15/32 inches) security level P-4
- 4-mode switch includes manual reverse and forward to clear paper jams
- Auto start and overload jam auto-stop feature to prevent serious paper jams allows continuous shredding for 4 min
- 3 5-gallon wastebasket thermal protection with power and overheat LED indicator
- Integrated single-hand lifting handle for easy emptying wastebasket.
Micro cut, 9 to 14 sheets
- Micro-Cut with 10 sheet capacities; destroys credit cards and small paper clips
- Shreds paper and credit cards into small pieces (5/64 by 15/32 inches), security level P-5
- Ultimate protection with particles 10 times smaller than standard cross-cut. Approximately 2592 particles per letter size paper
- Nonstop 60-minute continuous run time; Anti-jam Auto-reverse to clear paper jams. Ultra-quiet operation
- 6-gallon pullout bin with LED indicator lights Standby/ Overheat/ Bin-full/ Overload/ Door open status
Cross cut, Up to 8 sheets
- Crosscut with 8 sheet capacities; shreds credit cards, staples and small paper clips
- Shreds paper and credit cards into small pieces (7/32 by 1-27/32 inches), security level P-3
- Overheat protection LED indicator, 3-mode power switch (auto-off-reverse)
- Auto start and manual reverse mode for clearing paper jams
- 3.4 gallons wastebasket (125 sheet capacity)
Micro cut, 9 to 14 sheets
- High security micro-cut with 12 sheet capacities; destroys CDs, DVDs, credit cards and small paper clips
- Shreds paper, CDs, DVDs, credit cards into small pieces (5/32 by 15/32 inches), security level P-4
- Nonstop 60-minute continuous run time. Basket Capacity - 300
- Anti-jam auto-reverse to clear paper jams; ultra-quiet operation
- 5.0-Gallon pullout bin with LED indicator lights standby/ overheat/ bin-full/ overload/ door open status
- Product Dimensions: 14.41" W x 11.02" L x 19.33" H