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Creating smaller PDFs for Filing a Petition for Admission to the Bar Examination

In order to e-File a PDF, it must be below the size limit, which is 35 MB. Follow these tips to ensure that your PDFs are as small as possible.
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Usually a PDF should not be more than 67 KB per page. If your file is larger, follow these tips to make it smaller:

  • If you are word processing your document, export it directly from your word processor rather than printing and scanning it. In Microsoft Word, use "Save As," and in the "Save as Type" dropdown menu, choose "PDF."
  • If you must scan your document, select 200 DPI resolution and black & white (not grayscale) on your scanner for text pages.
  • If you have items to scan which require more detail, you can scan them separately with higher resolution and then merge them with the text pages. Use 400 DPI resolution and grayscale for black & white images, or color for color images. Then use Adobe Pro if you have it, or the free PDF Split and Merge to combine the files. This will use the higher resolution only for the pages that need it.
  • If you have an existing PDF file that is much larger than it should be, you can reduce the size. If you have Adobe Pro, you can use it to optimize and reduce your file. Use "File," "Save As," "Optimized PDF." Then, open the optimized file, and use "File," "Save As," "Reduced Size PDF." If you do not have Adobe Pro, you can use Smallpdf.
  • If the PDF is still too large, you can re-scan the original papers using the recommended settings above.
Date published: November 8, 2021
Last updated: October 16, 2025

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