PDF417 Barcode Generator

The PDF417 Barcode Generator turns a block of text or data — a name and ID number, a record string, a tracking reference — into a PDF417 barcode, the wide, stacked "2D barcode" used on the back of US driver's licenses, on airline boarding passes, and on shipping and government documents. You paste or type your data and the tool draws the barcode as a downloadable image right in your browser, with no account and nothing uploaded to a server.

Unlike a retail 1D barcode that holds a single short number, a PDF417 symbol packs hundreds of characters of text or binary data into one label — so it's the format you reach for whenever a single scan needs to return a whole field of information rather than just a lookup key.

PDF417 is a 2D stacked linear barcode defined by the ISO/IEC 15438 standard. The "417" is literal: every codeword is built from 4 bars and 4 spaces spanning 17 modules. Instead of one row of bars like a 1D barcode, a PDF417 symbol stacks multiple rows, with start/stop patterns and left/right row indicators so a scanner knows which row it's reading.

Encoding happens in three layers:

• Data compaction — your input is converted into codewords using Text, Byte, or Numeric mode, and the encoder switches modes automatically to keep the symbol as small as possible.
• Error correction — PDF417 uses Reed–Solomon error correction at a level from 0 to 8. Higher levels add recovery data so a torn or smudged label still scans, at the cost of a larger symbol. Mid-range levels (around 3–5) are the common practical choice.
• Layout — codewords are arranged into a grid of rows and columns. More columns make a wider, shorter symbol; more rows make a taller, narrower one.

This tool feeds your text and these parameters into the bwip-js rendering engine, which applies the ISO/IEC 15438 encoding and draws the finished symbol as a crisp image entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.

PDF417 vs QR vs 1D: a 1D barcode (Code 128, EAN-13) holds one short identifier; a QR code is a square 2D matrix ideal for URLs and phone-camera scanning; PDF417 is the rectangular, ID-card and boarding-pass format optimized for laser-scannable documents and larger text payloads. If you need a QR code or a 1D barcode instead, use the dedicated tool for that.

1. Enter or paste your data into the input field. PDF417 handles a full block of text — names, ID numbers, multi-field strings, even line breaks — not just a single code.
2. Set the options the tool offers — typically an error-correction level (start around 3–5 for everyday use), and sometimes columns/rows to control the symbol's shape or a Compact / Truncated / Micro PDF417 variant for tighter labels. If in doubt, leave the defaults and the encoder auto-sizes.
3. Generate and preview the barcode, checking it renders cleanly with clear white space around all four sides.
4. Download the image and place it on your document or label, or print it.

Worked example — encoding an ID record. Enter the value DOE,JANE;DL=D1234567;DOB=1990-04-12;EXP=2028-04-12 and set the error-correction level to 5 (an ID is handled a lot and must stay readable when scuffed). The tool produces a single PDF417 symbol — a wide block of stacked rows — that encodes the whole string. Scanning it with a 2D-capable reader returns the full text in one read, so a check-in or verification system gets every field at once instead of looking up a single number.

If you only needed a short tracking number that a basic laser scanner reads, a 1D Code 128 barcode would be smaller and simpler. PDF417 earns its space when you're packing a whole record into one label.

• ID cards & licenses — PDF417 is the symbol on the back of US and Canadian driver's licenses and many government IDs, encoding the holder's details in the AAMVA layout.
• Travel & boarding passes — airline boarding passes use PDF417 to hold passenger, flight, and seat data in one scannable block.
• Shipping & logistics labels — carrier and customs labels use PDF417 to carry full consignment data on the package itself.
• Government & enterprise forms — tax forms, permits, and official documents embed a PDF417 so the printed page can be re-scanned back into a system without re-keying.
• Records on paper — visitor passes, event credentials, and asset paperwork that need to carry their own machine-readable copy of a data record.
• Development & testing — sample PDF417 symbols to test 2D scanners, kiosk software, or document-capture pipelines without real IDs or live data.

• It needs a 2D scanner. A PDF417 symbol can't be read by a cheap single-line laser scanner that only does 1D barcodes — you need a 2D imager or a phone app that supports PDF417. Confirm the reading hardware before committing to PDF417.
• Match error correction to abuse. A higher error-correction level adds damage tolerance but a bigger symbol. Lean higher (5+) for labels handled constantly, like an ID; a mid level is plenty for a clean document scanned once. Maxing it to 8 "just in case" wastes space.
• Keep the quiet zone. PDF417 needs blank margins (at least ~2 modules on every side). Crop it flush against other content and scanners struggle — don't trim the white space.
• Don't stretch it after export. Rescaling the image distorts the module geometry and breaks reads. Generate it close to final size and print at 300 DPI or higher; if SVG is offered, prefer it for print because it scales without blur.
• Capacity is large but finite. PDF417 tops out around ~1,800 text characters, ~1,100 bytes, or ~2,700 digits at minimal error correction, and effective capacity drops as you raise the error-correction level. For very large or URL-style data, reconsider whether a QR code or a lookup key fits better.
• Watch the data format your reader expects. Official uses (driver's licenses via AAMVA, boarding passes via IATA BCBP) require the data inside the barcode to follow a strict field layout. This tool encodes whatever text you give it correctly, but it doesn't build those compliant payloads for you — format the string to the spec first if you're targeting an official system.
• Test one before a batch. Generate a single symbol, print it at final size, and scan it with your actual hardware before producing a run.

What is a PDF417 barcode used for? It's a high-capacity 2D barcode that stores a block of data — typically a few hundred characters — in one label. You'll find it on driver's licenses and ID cards, airline boarding passes, and shipping and government documents, anywhere a single scan needs to return a full record rather than one lookup number.

How is PDF417 different from a QR code? Both are 2D and hold far more than a 1D barcode, but PDF417 is a wide, rectangular stacked format built for laser and imager scanning of documents and ID cards, while a QR code is a square matrix ideal for URLs and phone-camera scanning. Pick PDF417 when you're matching an ID, license, or boarding-pass style of label.

How much data can a PDF417 barcode hold? At minimal error correction, roughly 1,800 text characters, about 1,100 bytes of binary data, or up to ~2,700 digits in pure numeric mode. Real capacity is lower in practice because you'll normally add error correction, and higher correction levels trade capacity for damage resistance.

Can a normal barcode scanner read it? Only a 2D-capable scanner (an imager or area scanner) or a phone app that supports PDF417 can read it; a basic single-line laser scanner that only handles 1D barcodes cannot. Check your reader before choosing PDF417.

Is my data uploaded anywhere? No. The barcode is generated in your browser by the bwip-js engine from the text you enter, so your data stays on your device and isn't sent to a server.