How to Compress a PDF for Court E-Filing (India & US, 2026)
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Quick Answer
Court e-filing PDF requirements vary by jurisdiction. Supreme Court of India eFiling: 5MB per document, PDF/A preferred. Delhi High Court: 5MB per document. US Federal Courts (PACER): 75MB per document (generous) but local rules often set 5MB–10MB. For all court filings, "Low" compression at 200dpi maintains legal document readability while reducing file size 30–60%. Signed, certified, and stamped documents should use the minimum compression necessary to hit the portal limit.
Step-by-step
- 1
Upload your court document PDF to FileCurve PDF Compressor.
- 2
Select "Low" compression — preserves document clarity required for legal review.
- 3
For large annexures and exhibits (often the bulkiest part): use "Medium" compression.
- 4
For scanned affidavits and sworn statements: use "High" compression minimum — grayscale if needed.
- 5
Check if the court requires PDF/A format. If so, export as PDF/A from source before compressing.
- 6
Verify compressed file is under the portal limit and text/signatures are clearly readable.
- 7
Download and submit via the court's e-filing portal.
Expected output
Format
PDF, 200dpi minimum for legal readability
Quality setting
Low compression — legally readable, stamps and seals visible
Estimated size
30–60% of original for digital PDFs / 40–70% for scanned documents
Why you might need this
- →Supreme Court of India e-filing (eSCR portal) — 5MB per document, PDF/A
- →Delhi High Court e-filing portal — 5MB limit, standard PDF accepted
- →US Federal Courts via PACER/CM-ECF — 75MB per document, local rules often 5–10MB
- →District courts using NIC's eCourt portal — 5MB per document
- →Consumer forums and RERA portals — 2–5MB typical per document
Troubleshooting
Supreme Court of India e-filing portal rejects my PDF
eSCR portal requires PDF/A-1b format, under 5MB per document. Export as PDF/A from Acrobat or Word first, then compress. FileCurve preserves PDF/A compliance during compression.
Court stamp and notary seal are blurry after compression
Seals and stamps are typically embedded images. Use "Low" compression (minimum 200dpi) to keep seals clear. If the court requires legible stamps, do not go below 150dpi.
PACER (US courts) rejects my PDF upload
PACER requires PDF/A and has specific tagging requirements for accessibility (28 C.F.R. § 35.104). Use an accessible PDF generator (Adobe Acrobat, not "print to PDF") then compress.
A 200-page case bundle is 150MB — how to get under 10MB?
Split into separate PDFs per document type (petition, annexures, supporting documents). Each section compressed separately under 5MB. Courts typically allow multiple filings, not one monolithic PDF.
My PDF has a digital signature that becomes invalid after compression
Digital signatures sign the exact byte sequence of the file. Compression changes the bytes — invalidating the signature. Solution: either (1) compress first, then digitally sign, or (2) check if the court accepts scanned physical signatures instead.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Supreme Court of India e-filing PDF limit?
5MB per document on the eSCR portal. Documents larger than 5MB must be split. PDFs should be text-searchable (OCR'd) and in PDF/A format where possible.
What format do US courts (PACER) accept for e-filing?
PDF/A is required for permanently archived documents. PACER has a 75MB default limit but many local court rules set 5MB per document. Check the specific court's ECF procedures.
Can I compress a court-stamped document?
Yes — compression is routine for e-filing. The court only reviews content, not compression level. Keep "Low" compression (200dpi+) for court-stamped documents to maintain stamp legibility.
Should e-filing PDFs be scanned or digital?
Digital PDFs (from Word/Acrobat) are strongly preferred — they are text-searchable, smaller, and ADA-accessible. Scanned PDFs should be OCR'd before filing when possible.
What is PDF/A and why do courts require it?
PDF/A is an ISO standard for long-term archival. It embeds all fonts, prohibits external links and encryption, and ensures the document displays identically decades later. Courts require it for permanent record-keeping.