Sheet definition data stored in a sheet definition data managing apparatus is supplied when necessary to a sheet recognizing apparatus to reduce a configuration cost of a sheet definition database. A sheet recognizing system has: a sheet definition managing apparatus including a sheet definition data generating apparatus for generating sheet definition data representative of a relation between a data writing field of a sheet and the written data and a charge managing apparatus for claiming a charge in accordance with a use degree of the sheet definition data by a sheet recognizing and processing apparatus; a communication network for transmitting the sheet definition data managed by the sheet definition data managing apparatus to the sheet recognizing and processing apparatus; and a sheet recognizing apparatus for recognizing the type of the sheet by referring to the sheet definition data acquired via the network.