PDF size limits for government upload portals

Tax and immigration portals reject files over their limit, often after you've filled in the whole form. Here are the limits for the most-used portals, and how to get under them.

In short: Common per-file limits are 15 MB for the IRS Documentation Upload Tool, 12 MB for USCIS, 6 MB for the ATO's online services, 5 MB for India's Income Tax and GST portals and 5 MB for myGov Child Support. To get a PDF under a limit on a Mac, drag it onto Sheaf and choose Compress › Fit, which compresses until the file is under the size and keeps text sharp.

Updated 9 November 2026

Limits by portal

CountryPortalLimitSource
United StatesIRS Documentation Upload Tool15 MB per fileIRS
United StatesUSCIS online filing12 MB per fileUSCIS filing tips
United StatesFederal court e-filing (CM/ECF)Set by each court; often 35–50 MBCourt websites
AustraliaATO online services (business and agents)6 MB per file, 6 files per messageATO
AustraliamyGov: Centrelink10 MB per upload, up to 10 filesServices Australia
AustraliamyGov: Child Support5 MB per fileServices Australia
IndiaIncome Tax e-proceedings5 MB per fileIncome Tax portal
IndiaGST portal (refunds, notices)5 MB per file; some registration proofs 500 KBGST portal
CanadaCRA: Submit documents500 MB per submissionCRA
United KingdomHMRC and visa servicesVaries by serviceShown on each service's upload page

Checked 9 November 2026. Portals change their limits; the upload page always has the final word.

Get a PDF under the limit

  1. Start dragging the PDFs, pause and choose Compress.
  2. Choose Fit with your portal's size, for example Fit 5 MB.
  3. Sheaf compresses each file until it's under the limit and keeps text sharp. Upload the copies, marked “upload”.

Sheaf sets the default size from your country: 10 MB in the US, 5 MB in India and Australia. Change it in Settings › Upload limit.

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Questions

What is the IRS upload file size limit?

The IRS Documentation Upload Tool accepts JPEG, PNG and PDF files up to 15 MB each.

What is the USCIS file size limit?

USCIS online filing accepts files up to 12 MB each for most forms. Check the form's upload page.

What is the ATO attachment size limit?

ATO online services for business and agents accept up to 6 attachments per message, each up to 6 MB.

How do I reduce a PDF to 5 MB on a Mac?

Drag it onto Sheaf and choose Compress › Fit 5 MB. If it can't get that small without hurting quality, Split makes parts under the limit.