PDF417
A stacked-linear 2D code carrying up to 1,850 text characters — the workhorse of IDs, boarding passes, and transport documents.
PDF417 Specification
| Character set | Text mode (alphanumeric compaction), numeric mode, and byte mode; extended via ECI |
| Data length | Up to 1,850 text / 2,710 numeric / 1,108 bytes per symbol |
| Check digit | No check digit; Reed-Solomon error correction, levels 0-8 (selectable) |
| Density | Roughly 100-150 characters per cm² depending on row count and aspect ratio |
| Module width (X-dimension) | 0.20-0.40 mm typical; rows are adjustable for aspect ratio |
| Print ratio | Wide:narrow element ratio 1:3 to 1:5 within each row |
| Magnification | Aspect ratio configurable — row height minimum is 3X |
| Quiet zone | 2X on all sides (2 rows above/below, 2 columns left/right) |
| Standard | ISO/IEC 15438; AIM USS PDF417 |
| Origin | Ynjiun P. Wang, Symbol Technologies, 1990 |
| Sample data | This is PDF417 |
Try It: Generate a PDF417 Barcode
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What Is PDF417?
PDF417 (Portable Data File 417) is a stacked symbology standardized as ISO/IEC 15438: 3 to 90 rows, each a miniature linear barcode of 1 to 30 data words, plus start/stop columns and two row indicators on each side. Every row encodes the row number and row count, so a scanner can read any single row and know where it sits — linear raster scanners (the laser guns of the 1990s) could decode it line by line, which is exactly why it was invented.
Capacity reaches 1,850 text characters, 2,710 digits, or 1,108 bytes, protected by Reed-Solomon error correction selectable from level 0 to 8. Its niche is machine-readable text blocks on documents: boarding passes (IATA BCBP), driver licenses and ID cards (AAMVA), US transport HazMat shipping papers, and warehouse manifests. When you need a paragraph of structured data printed on paper and read back by anything from a laser gun to a phone, PDF417 remains the pragmatic choice.
Common Applications
- Airline boarding passes (IATA BCBP standard)
- Driver licenses and identity cards (AAMVA DL/ID)
- HazMat shipping papers and customs manifests
- Logistics and warehouse document tracking
Related Barcode Types
The dominant 2D matrix barcode: up to 7,089 digits in a square symbol with selectable error correction.
A compact 2D matrix code with fixed Reed-Solomon error correction — the standard for pharma serialization and tiny parts.
A compact matrix code with a bullseye finder and no quiet zone — popular on rail tickets.
PDF417 FAQ
Why is it called PDF417?
PDF stands for Portable Data File — the idea that a document could carry its own data — and 417 describes the structure: each codeword uses 4 bars and 4 spaces in a pattern 17 modules wide. Every row is thus a linear barcode that a raster laser scanner can sweep through.
What error correction level should PDF417 use?
Level 3-5 covers most document printing. Level 0 (error detection only) saves space for clean thermal printing, while transport documents exposed to wear typically use 5+. The level counts correctable codewords per cluster, so more rows means more total protection at the same level.
Why do ID cards and boarding passes still use PDF417 instead of QR?
Ecosystem inertia plus scanning geometry. PDF417 was designed for the linear laser scanners that airports and DMVs installed by the million, its long-low shape fits the horizontal band on cards and passes, and its data schemas (AAMVA, IATA BCBP) are standardized around it. QR Codes are appearing alongside, but replacement is measured in decades.