PDF passwords
South African Bank Statement PDF Passwords — Complete Guide
April 22, 20265 min read
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 |
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Password formats explained
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
Don't want to type the password every time you open the file? Remove it permanently with our free tool — runs in your browser, the file never leaves your device.
Preparing statements for tax season? See bank statements for SARS — what SARS accepts, and how to turn your statements into a categorized summary for eFiling.
Frequently asked questions
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.
