Beginning August 25, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO) will begin enforcing updated PACER and CM/ECF password standards. Strong passwords are essential in safeguarding systems from unauthorized access. PACER’s website provides guidance regarding password protocol. The new password must:

• Be 14-45 characters in length.
• Contain at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, and one special character.
• Not contain any part of your first name, last name, username, or email address.

PACER passwords must also be updated every 180 days. This will help reduce the risk of extended use of compromised passwords.

The updated password standards will be enforced on all existing PACER-only (search/view only) accounts, including PACER Administrative Accounts (PAAs), on August 25, 2025. Users should consider updating their password as soon as possible. On August 25, PACER-only users will be prompted to update their password if they have not updated it as of May 11. Users will be prompted to update their password upon login and can skip the process three times before their account is disabled.

For more details, visit PACER’s website.