What is the most common password format for South African bank statement PDFs?

The most common format is the account holder's 13-digit South African ID number — used by Nedbank, ABSA, Discovery, African Bank, and Bidvest. FNB uses a combination (last 4 of SA ID + last 4 of account number = 8 digits), Standard Bank uses the last 6 digits of the SA ID, and Capitec statements from the app are usually not password-protected.

Why does FNB use a different password format?

FNB deliberately combines two data points — the last 4 of your SA ID and the last 4 of your account number — so that neither piece alone is enough to decrypt the PDF. It's a compromise between simplicity (shorter than the full ID) and security (not guessable from one leaked data source). The result is an 8-digit numeric password.

Is my Standard Bank statement protected by my full SA ID?

No — Standard Bank uses only the last 6 digits of your SA ID, not the full 13. Entering the full ID will fail. The last 6 digits consist of the last 2 digits of the year of birth, plus the 4-digit sequence number. Example: if your SA ID is 9001015800087, the password is 800087.

What if I downloaded the Capitec statement from the app — do I still need a password?

No. Statements downloaded directly from the Capitec app are usually not password-protected. The password format (last 4 of mobile number) only applies to e-statements emailed to you by Capitec. See our full Capitec guide for the complete flow.

How do I unlock a South African bank statement PDF?

Open the PDF in Adobe Reader, Preview on Mac, or a Chrome tab. Enter the password for your specific bank (see the table above). To save an unlocked copy for easier sharing, use File → Print → Save as PDF. This removes the password permanently from your copy without altering the statement contents.

What if none of the listed passwords work?

Double-check that you're using the correct format for your specific bank — banks do not share password formats. Verify the SA ID or account number is current (call the bank if you've recently updated details). For older accounts, try both the SA ID and DOB in DDMMYYYY format as a fallback. All bank support numbers are in the table above.

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ReferenceApril 22, 2026·5 min read

South African Bank Statement PDF Passwords — Complete Guide

Quick answer

Most SA banks use your 13-digit SA ID number as the e-statement PDF password (Nedbank, ABSA, Discovery, African Bank, Bidvest). Exceptions: FNB uses last 4 of SA ID + last 4 of account number, Standard Bank uses only the last 6 digits of your SA ID, and Capitec app downloads are usually not password-protected.

This is the complete password reference for every major South African bank. Click any bank for a dedicated guide with step-by-step screenshots.

Complete password table — 11 SA banks

Bank	App	PDF password	Support
FNB (First National Bank)	FNB App	Last 4 digits of SA ID + last 4 digits of account (8 digits total)	087 575 9404
Standard Bank	Standard Bank App	Last 6 digits of SA ID	0860 123 000
Capitec Bank	Capitec App	Usually unprotected (app download); emailed PDF: last 4 of mobile number	0860 10 20 43
Nedbank	Nedbank Money App	SA ID number (13 digits) or DOB DDMMYYYY	0860 555 111
ABSA	Absa Mobile Banking	SA ID number (13 digits)	0860 111 456
Discovery Bank	Discovery Bank	SA ID number (13 digits)	0800 07 96 97
Investec (Private Bank)	Investec Banking	Usually unprotected (app download); emailed PDF: DOB DDMMYYYY	0860 110 161
African Bank	African Bank App	SA ID number (13 digits)	0861 111 011
TymeBank	TymeBank App	Usually unprotected (app download)	0860 999 119
Bidvest Bank	Bidvest Bank Mobile	SA ID number (13 digits)	0860 11 11 77
Bank Zero	Bank Zero App	Usually unprotected (app download)	bankzero.co.za/support

Password formats explained

Format A — Full SA ID (13 digits)

Used by Nedbank, ABSA, Discovery, African Bank, Bidvest. Enter your full 13-digit SA ID number with no spaces or separators.

Format B — Last 4 SA ID + last 4 account (FNB)

FNB only. Take the last 4 digits of your SA ID and append the last 4 digits of your account number. Total 8 digits. See the FNB password guide for examples.

Format C — Last 6 SA ID digits (Standard Bank)

Standard Bank only. Take the last 6 digits of your SA ID (year of birth last 2 digits + 4-digit sequence). See the Standard Bank password guide.

Format D — Last 4 mobile (Capitec emailed)

Capitec e-statements sent by email use the last 4 digits of the mobile number registered with the bank. Statements downloaded through the Capitec app are not password-protected. See the Capitec statement guide.

How to unlock any SA bank PDF

1Identify the bank from email sender, PDF filename, or header
2Look up the password format in the table above
3Open the PDF in Adobe Reader, Preview (Mac), or Chrome
4Type the password for that bank's specific format
5To remove the password permanently: File → Print → Save as PDF

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