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PDF417 Barcode

The camera app can scan this. The Zebra app can scan this.

PDF417 is a stacked 2D barcode built from many rows of codewords, each 17 modules wide. Its high capacity and adjustable error correction made it the standard for driver licences, ID cards and many boarding passes.

Also called PDF-417, Portable Data File 417.

In this family

MicroPDF417

Specifications

Standard	ISO/IEC 15438
Character set	Text, numeric and byte compaction (full 8-bit; ECI)
Capacity	Up to 1850 text characters, 2710 digits or 1108 bytes
Error correction	Reed-Solomon error correction, levels 0-8
Dimension	2D stacked
Origin	Invented by Ynjiun P. Wang at Symbol Technologies in 1991

Where it is used

ID cards and driver licences (AAMVA), boarding passes, shipping, government documents

Driver licences, other identity cards, and many boarding passes store a long record in one symbol.

The camera app returns that record as one string. It does not pick out a name, an address, or a date of birth. PDF here means Portable Data File, not a PDF file.

Example

Tom Bennett / Main Street / New York

Scan and create

Create this code Camera app Zebra app

Create this code opens the barcode generator with this symbology and the sample text filled in.

The camera app can scan this. It returns the raw text. It does not open links, look up products, or start a payment. The desktop companion types that text into the focused field.

The Zebra app can scan this. It returns the raw text.

Related codes

Questions

What does PDF in PDF417 stand for?

PDF stands for Portable Data File. The 417 refers to a codeword of four bars and spaces across 17 modules. PDF417 is a stacked barcode. It is not a PDF document. The camera app returns the text in the symbol. It does not open a file.

How much data can a PDF417 barcode store?

The symbol can hold up to about 1850 text characters, 2710 digits, or 1108 bytes, depending on how it is packed and how much error correction it uses. The camera app returns the message it read. It does not measure that limit.

How do I scan the PDF417 on my driver's licence?

The camera app can scan this. The Zebra app can scan this. Either one returns the raw text on the licence. The app does not turn that text into a name, an address, or a date of birth.