PDF417 Barcode Generator

PDF417 stores text in stacked rows. It is used on many driving licences, boarding passes and shipping documents.

Any text. Long data makes a taller code; keep it under about 1,000 characters.

Rendering…

Barcodes are created in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded.

How to create a PDF417 barcode

  1. Type the text to encode.
  2. The number of rows grows with the amount of data.
  3. Download and print wide enough for your scanner (usually at least 4 cm wide).

Uses

Tickets and passes

Event and travel tickets that are scanned at a gate.

Shipping and forms

Data-rich labels that can be read without a database lookup.

Limits

  • Official ID documents follow strict data formats set by issuing authorities; this tool is for general text.
  • Most phone camera apps do not read PDF417; use a scanner app or our scanner page.

Questions people ask

How much data can PDF417 hold?

Up to about 1,800 characters in theory. For reliable printing, keep it under 1,000.

Last updated 11 October 2026 by the QRizeo team.