diff --git a/public_header.go b/public_header.go
index 970dac009..ee214388a 100644
--- a/public_header.go
+++ b/public_header.go
@@ -10,10 +10,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	errPacketNumberLenNotSet         = errors.New("PublicHeader: PacketNumberLen not set")
-	errResetAndVersionFlagSet        = errors.New("PublicHeader: Reset Flag and Version Flag should not be set at the same time")
-	errReceivedTruncatedConnectionID = errors.New("PublicHeader: Receiving packets with truncated ConnectionID is not supported")
-	errInvalidConnectionID           = errors.New("PublicHeader: connection ID cannot be 0")
+	errPacketNumberLenNotSet          = errors.New("PublicHeader: PacketNumberLen not set")
+	errResetAndVersionFlagSet         = errors.New("PublicHeader: Reset Flag and Version Flag should not be set at the same time")
+	errReceivedTruncatedConnectionID  = errors.New("PublicHeader: Receiving packets with truncated ConnectionID is not supported")
+	errInvalidConnectionID            = errors.New("PublicHeader: connection ID cannot be 0")
+	errGetLengthOnlyForRegularPackets = errors.New("PublicHeader: GetLength can only be called for regular packets")
 )
 
 // The PublicHeader of a QUIC packet
@@ -143,3 +144,21 @@ func ParsePublicHeader(b io.ByteReader) (*PublicHeader, error) {
 
 	return header, nil
 }
+
+// GetLength gets the length of the PublicHeader in bytes
+// can only be called for regular packets
+func (h *PublicHeader) GetLength() (uint8, error) {
+	if h.VersionFlag || h.ResetFlag {
+		return 0, errGetLengthOnlyForRegularPackets
+	}
+
+	length := uint8(1) // 1 byte for public flags
+	if h.PacketNumberLen != protocol.PacketNumberLen1 && h.PacketNumberLen != protocol.PacketNumberLen2 && h.PacketNumberLen != protocol.PacketNumberLen4 && h.PacketNumberLen != protocol.PacketNumberLen6 {
+		return 0, errPacketNumberLenNotSet
+	}
+	if !h.TruncateConnectionID {
+		length += 8 // 8 bytes for the connection ID
+	}
+	length += uint8(h.PacketNumberLen)
+	return length, nil
+}
diff --git a/public_header_test.go b/public_header_test.go
index b0ecdcd73..808907043 100644
--- a/public_header_test.go
+++ b/public_header_test.go
@@ -148,6 +148,66 @@ var _ = Describe("Public Header", func() {
 			Expect(b.Bytes()).ToNot(ContainSubstring(string([]byte{0xf6, 0x19, 0x86, 0x66, 0x9b, 0x9f, 0xfa, 0x4c})))
 		})
 
+		Context("GetLength", func() {
+			It("errors when calling GetLength for Version Negotiation packets", func() {
+				publicHeader := PublicHeader{VersionFlag: true}
+				_, err := publicHeader.GetLength()
+				Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(err).To(Equal(errGetLengthOnlyForRegularPackets))
+			})
+
+			It("errors when calling GetLength for Public Reset packets", func() {
+				publicHeader := PublicHeader{ResetFlag: true}
+				_, err := publicHeader.GetLength()
+				Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(err).To(Equal(errGetLengthOnlyForRegularPackets))
+			})
+
+			It("errors when PacketNumberLen is not set", func() {
+				publicHeader := PublicHeader{
+					ConnectionID: 0x4cfa9f9b668619f6,
+					PacketNumber: 0xDECAFBAD,
+				}
+				_, err := publicHeader.GetLength()
+				Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(err).To(Equal(errPacketNumberLenNotSet))
+			})
+
+			It("gets the length of a packet with longest packet number length and connectionID", func() {
+				publicHeader := PublicHeader{
+					ConnectionID:    0x4cfa9f9b668619f6,
+					PacketNumber:    0xDECAFBAD,
+					PacketNumberLen: protocol.PacketNumberLen6,
+				}
+				length, err := publicHeader.GetLength()
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(length).To(Equal(uint8(1 + 8 + 6))) // 1 byte public flag, 8 bytes connectionID, and packet number
+			})
+
+			It("gets the length of a packet with longest packet number length and truncated connectionID", func() {
+				publicHeader := PublicHeader{
+					ConnectionID:         0x4cfa9f9b668619f6,
+					TruncateConnectionID: true,
+					PacketNumber:         0xDECAFBAD,
+					PacketNumberLen:      protocol.PacketNumberLen6,
+				}
+				length, err := publicHeader.GetLength()
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(length).To(Equal(uint8(1 + 6))) // 1 byte public flag, and packet number
+			})
+
+			It("gets the length of a packet 2 byte packet number length ", func() {
+				publicHeader := PublicHeader{
+					ConnectionID:    0x4cfa9f9b668619f6,
+					PacketNumber:    0xDECAFBAD,
+					PacketNumberLen: protocol.PacketNumberLen2,
+				}
+				length, err := publicHeader.GetLength()
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(length).To(Equal(uint8(1 + 8 + 2))) // 1 byte public flag, 8 byte connectionID, and packet number
+			})
+		})
+
 		Context("packet number length", func() {
 			It("doesn't write a header if the packet number length is not set", func() {
 				b := &bytes.Buffer{}