Generate PDF417 stacked barcodes online: type the data, get a scannable PNG instantly. Free, no signup, nothing uploaded. Type → instant barcode · nothing is uploaded
PDF417 is a stacked linear barcode: instead of one row of bars it carries several short rows stacked on top of each other, which lets it hold far more data than a classic 1D code — up to roughly 1,850 text characters or 2,710 digits in a single symbol. The name describes the structure: each codeword is 17 modules long and arranged in 4 bars and spaces. The format was placed in the public domain by its inventor, which is why it became a default choice for government and transport documents.
You have almost certainly scanned one: PDF417 is the code on the back of US and Canadian driver's licenses and ID cards (the AAMVA standard), on airline boarding passes in many regions, on FedEx and other carriers' shipping labels, and on postal forms. It survives real-world abuse well because every symbol carries Reed–Solomon error correction — a partially damaged or dirty label often still scans.
Keep the symbol's aspect ratio readable: very long text in a short, wide layout produces thin rows that cheap printers blur. If a scan fails, reduce the data per symbol or enlarge the print rather than shrinking the row height. And always leave the quiet zone — the blank border around the symbol is required by the spec.
Up to about 1,850 text characters, 2,710 digits or 1,108 bytes per symbol. In practice, keep symbols under a few hundred characters: bigger data means smaller modules, and small modules demand better printers and scanners.
For phone-camera scanning of a URL or contact, use QR — every phone reads it natively. PDF417 is chosen when the receiving system mandates it: ID cards, shipping software, government forms and legacy laser scanners.
The format is in the public domain, and this generator is free with no watermark. The only thing to check is the data layout the receiving system expects (for example the AAMVA field order on ID cards).
No. Everything on this page runs inside your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly. Your file never leaves your device — you can even disconnect from the internet after the page loads and the tool still works.