Background Margin distance contributes to survival and recurrence during wedge resections for early‐stage non‐small cell lung cancer. The Initiative for Early Lung Cancer Research on Treatment sought to standardize a surgeon‐measured margin intraoperatively. Methods Lung cancer patients who underwent wedge resection were reviewed. Margins were measured by the surgeon twice as per a standardized protocol. Intraobserver variability as well as surgeon–pathologist variability were compared. Results Forty‐five patients underwent wedge resection. Same‐surgeon measurement analysis indicated good reliability with a small mean difference and narrow limit of agreement for the two measures. The median surgeon‐measured margin was 18.0 mm, median pathologist‐measured margin was 16.0 mm and the median difference between the surgeon–pathologist margin was −1.0 mm, ranging from −18.0 to 12.0 mm. Bland–Altman analysis for margin measurements demonstrated a mean difference of 0.65 mm. The limit of agreement for the two approaches were wide, with the difference lying between −16.25 and 14.96 mm. Conclusions A novel protocol of surgeon‐measured margin was evaluated and compared with pathologist‐measured margin. High intraobserver agreement for repeat surgeon measurements yet low‐to‐moderate correlation or directionality between surgeon and pathologic measurements were found. Discussion A standardized protocol may reduce variability in pathologic assessment. These findings have critical implications considering the impact of margin distance on outcomes.