Security March 2026 · 4 min read

Why Redacting the Front of Your Driver's License Isn't Enough

You redacted your license number on the front. Good. But the barcode on the back encodes everything you just covered up.

PDF417 barcode scanner apps
16+
Personal data fields encoded in the AAMVA standard barcode
American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators

Risks / Avoid

  • Sharing a photo of the back with the barcode visible
  • Partially covering the barcode — partial barcodes can still decode
  • Using visual overlays that don't permanently remove data

Best Practices

  • Never share the back unless specifically required
  • If sharing back, redact the ENTIRE barcode — completely
  • Use pixel-burn redaction that destroys barcode data permanently

How to Redact With SafeRedact

1

Upload

Drop your document into SafeRedact. PDFs, PNGs, JPEGs — multi-page supported. Your file stays in your browser.

2

AI Detection

SafeRedact's AI automatically flags SSNs, account numbers, phone numbers, addresses, and other PII patterns.

3

Review & Add

Confirm AI detections. Draw boxes for anything additional — financial terms, names, or other context-specific data.

4

Apply & Download

Pixel-burn redaction permanently destroys the data. Cannot be recovered with copy-paste, Photoshop, or forensic tools.

Redact Both Sides

AI detects PII on the front. Draw a box over the barcode on the back. Done in 30 seconds.

Start Redacting Free