PDF417

PDF417 (Portable Data File 417) is a stacked linear 2D barcode capable of encoding up to about 1.1 kilobytes of data – significantly more than any 1D barcode and comparable to other 2D symbologies. Each PDF417 symbol is made up of stacked rows of mini-barcodes, which is why a printed PDF417 looks like a horizontal band of compressed bars. It was invented by Symbol Technologies in 1991 and is now standardized as ISO/IEC 15438. Despite the rise of QR Code and Data Matrix, PDF417 remains the format of choice for any application that needs to encode multiple discrete fields (name, date, address, ID number) inside a single readable symbol.

NEW IN 26 — PDF417 is new in Barcode Producer 26.

Applications

• US driver's licenses and state-issued ID cards (AAMVA standard)
• Airline boarding passes (IATA Bar Coded Boarding Pass)
• UPS shipping labels (MaxiCode and PDF417 are both common on parcels)
• Inventory and asset management
• Government identification documents
• Vehicle registration documents

Also Known As

• Portable Data File 417
• ISO/IEC 15438

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my driver's license have a PDF417 on the back?

US driver's licenses follow the AAMVA standard, which encodes the cardholder's name, address, date of birth, license number, expiration date, and several other fields into a single PDF417 symbol on the reverse of the card. This lets law enforcement and age-verification systems scan the card and pull every relevant field in one read, instead of OCR'ing the printed text on the front. The same standard is used for state ID cards.

How is PDF417 different from QR Code or Data Matrix?

All three are 2D barcodes, but their structures are different. PDF417 is a stacked symbology – it looks like a stripe made of stacked rows. QR Code and Data Matrix are matrix symbologies – they look like square grids of dots. Stacked symbologies can be read with traditional laser scanners that sweep across the bars, which is why PDF417 is preferred for shipping labels and ID cards (where the scanners are often older laser units, not 2D imagers). Matrix codes require a camera or 2D imager to read.

PDF417 also encodes more data per symbol than QR Code at the same module size, which is why it's used for high-density ID applications.

How much data can a PDF417 encode?

Up to about 1,850 alphanumeric characters or 2,710 numeric digits, depending on the chosen error-correction level. In practice, most uses (boarding passes, IDs, shipping labels) encode a few hundred bytes of structured data – well within the symbology's capacity.

What's a "Truncated PDF417"?

A space-saving variant of PDF417 that drops the right-hand row indicator and stop pattern. It encodes the same data in a smaller footprint, with the tradeoff that it's slightly less tolerant of damage. Barcode Producer supports both regular and truncated PDF417; pick truncated when label space is tight and you control the scanner.

Can I print a PDF417 on a thermal label printer?

Yes. PDF417 prints reliably on thermal-transfer and direct-thermal label stock and is widely used in shipping and logistics for exactly that reason. Make sure your module size is large enough for the printer's resolution – Barcode Producer's Factor system handles the math.