What Toner Does the HP LaserJet P3015 Use?

Quick answer: The HP LaserJet P3015 uses HP 55A (CE255A) standard-yield black toner or HP 55X (CE255X) high-yield black toner. There is no separate drum unit to buy — the imaging drum is built into the cartridge, so every new cartridge is effectively a print-quality reset.

This applies across the whole P3015 family: P3015, P3015d, P3015n, P3015dn and P3015x. We sell compatible 55A and 55X cartridges for all of them.

The toner, pictured

• HP 55X TonerCE255X · ~12,500 pages
• HP 55A TonerCE255A · ~6,000 pages

Our own compatible toner, photographed in-house.

HP 55A vs 55X at a glance

Both cartridges are physically interchangeable in the P3015 — the X is simply packed with more toner. Yields are ISO/IEC 19752 figures at 5% coverage.

Should you buy 55A or 55X?

The 55X carries more than twice the toner but rarely costs twice as much, so on pure cost per page it wins comfortably. The case for the 55A is cash flow and shelf life: if the printer only sees a few hundred pages a month, a 12,500-page cartridge will sit in the machine for years, and you tie up money in toner you are not using.

A useful rule of thumb for the P3015: if you print more than about 500 pages a month, buy 55X. Below that, either works and the 55A is easier to swallow.

How to replace the toner in a LaserJet P3015

1. Press the button on the front of the printer and open the top cover.
2. Grip the handle on the used cartridge and pull it straight out toward you. Set it aside on a sheet of paper — the drum shutter is exposed.
3. Take the new cartridge out of the bag and rock it gently front to back five or six times to distribute the toner evenly.
4. Pull the orange sealing tab straight out of the end of the cartridge. It comes out in one piece; do not stop halfway.
5. Line the cartridge up with the guide rails inside the printer and slide it in until it seats firmly.
6. Close the top cover, then print a configuration page to confirm the new cartridge is being read.

Troubleshooting a P3015

• Faded print or a vertical white stripe. Remove the cartridge and rock it side to side, then reinstall. If the stripe persists, the drum in that cartridge is worn and a new cartridge is the fix.
• Repeating marks down the page. Measure the spacing. Marks that repeat at a regular interval point to the cartridge drum or roller; replacing the cartridge resolves most of them.
• Gray background or toner smearing on the page. Usually humidity or damp paper on a printer this age. Try a fresh ream from a sealed pack before assuming a hardware fault.
• Frequent paper jams and multi-feeds. On a machine of this vintage the pickup and separation rollers are almost always the culprit. They are inexpensive, user-replaceable parts and should be treated as routine maintenance rather than a failure.
• "Supply memory error" or a cartridge that will not authenticate. The P3015 predates HP's dynamic-security firmware, so there is no cartridge-blocking mechanism at work. Clean the chip contacts and reseat.

Which printers use HP 55A and 55X toner?

• LaserJet Enterprise P3015, P3015d, P3015n, P3015dn, P3015x
• LaserJet Enterprise 500 MFP M525
• LaserJet Pro M521 MFP
• Not the LaserJet M501, M506 or MFP M527, which use 87A/87X. Check before ordering.

That last line is worth reading twice: the M501/M506/M527 family looks like a P3015 successor but moved to the HP 87A/87X cartridge. If you are ordering for a mixed fleet, confirm the model number on the front panel rather than the shape of the machine.

What LaserJet P3015 owners ask

These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, HP's support forum and owner reviews, answered in our words.

Tray 2 reports a jam but there's no paper stuck. Why?

Usually the tray 2 pickup roller is dirty or worn. Clean off the paper dust and check that the tray lifts the stack. If that doesn't help, replace the roller (HP part RM1-6323 or RM1-3763).

It jams only on the first print of the day. What causes that?

Technicians point to the tray 2 pickup solenoid and to the tray size and type settings, and suggest setting them to ANY. On machines with a high page count, fuser wear can also play a part.

A 13.20 jam error appeared right after I put in a new toner. Is the printer broken?

Possibly not. Technicians have cleared phantom 13.20 jams by swapping out a remanufactured cartridge. Before you service the printer, try a different cartridge.

How many pages a month is it built for?

HP rates it for up to 100,000 pages a month, with 1,500 to 5,000 recommended.

Can it print checks?

Yes, with MICR versions of the 55A or 55X cartridge. These are sold by third parties for this printer.

LaserJet P3015 quirks worth knowing

• There are five versions: P3015, P3015d, P3015n, P3015dn and P3015x. The d, dn and x print two-sided automatically. The n, dn and x have Gigabit Ethernet. None has built-in Wi-Fi.
• Paper capacity is a 100-sheet multipurpose tray plus a 500-sheet tray 2, and it grows to 1,600 sheets with optional 500-sheet feeders (CE530A).
• It prints Legal and custom sizes from 3 x 5 in up to 8.5 x 14 in.
• It is rated at 42 pages per minute on Letter, with the first page out in about 7.5 seconds.

FAQ

What toner does the HP LaserJet P3015 use?

HP 55A (CE255A, 6,000 pages) or HP 55X (CE255X, 12,500 pages) black toner.

Does the P3015 need a separate drum?

No. The drum is part of the toner cartridge, so it is replaced automatically every time you fit a new one.

Can I use 55X in a printer that shipped with 55A?

Yes. Both cartridges fit every P3015 variant; the X simply lasts longer.

Is HP 55A the same as HP 87A?

No. 87A (CF287A) is for the M501, M506 and M527 series. The two are not interchangeable.

Will compatible toner trigger a firmware block?

No. The P3015 predates HP dynamic security and has no cartridge-blocking firmware. Using third-party supplies does not void your printer warranty in the US under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

Why is my P3015 printing faintly even with a new cartridge?

Check that the orange sealing tape was fully removed, that the cartridge is seated, and that EconoMode is off in the driver. EconoMode is the single most common cause of "new toner, faint print."

More HP ink guides: HP LaserJet Pro M402n · HP LaserJet Pro MFP M426fdw · HP LaserJet Pro M201dw · find any printer

Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives

• Brother HL-L2460DW — CastleScore 90
• Brother MFC-L2820DW — CastleScore 90
• HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw — CastleScore 82

Sources

Ratings and prices were checked on October 8, 2026 and will change over time.

• Argecy LaserJet P3015 page (models, cartridges, MICR, optional trays)
• P3015dn specifications (speed, duty cycle, ports)
• HP Community: tray 2 not picking up paper
• CopyTechNet: P3015 jams on first print of the day
• CopyTechNet: P3015 phantom 13.20 error