PDF417 Bar Code Symbology

PDF417 is a linear (1D) multi-row type bar code that can be scanned with a line laser bar code scanner or an area scan bar code scanner. The 417 represents the 17 modules of 4 bars and spaces that make up each code and it has a maximum capacity of 1,850 text characters, 2,710 digits, or a total of 1,108 bytes. PDF417 has several levels of “error checking” which allow a portion of the bar code to be damaged and the scanner may still be able to decode the symbol. The bar code increases in size as more error checking is built into the bar code.