Inscription Character Counter Guide

The Inscription Character Counter helps you plan and verify inscription text before engraving.

How to use it:

Enter the inscription text line by line

Select the font style and size

Review character counts and line spacing

Check for common errors (date formatting, spelling)

Inscription best practices:

Names: Use the legal name as it appears on official documents

Dates: Standard formats are "January 1, 1940 - December 25, 2024" or "1940 - 2024"

Epitaphs: Keep under 50 characters per line for readability

Religious text: Verify exact wording from the source text

Military honors: Follow VA formatting guidelines for service information

Common mistakes to avoid:

Transposed dates (birth/death switched)

Misspelled names (always verify with official documents)

Incorrect military branch or rank abbreviations

Exceeding available space on the monument face