MFA Tips and Resources

Tips

Here are a few tips to help you through the MFA enforcement and enrollment process:

Users receive a pop-up notification of the requirement to enroll in MFA when they log in to PACER (see screenshot below). Users are not sent an email regarding this requirement.

If you use a shared PACER account, it is recommended that you confirm with your colleagues whether the account is used for filing or accessing Notices of Electronic Filing /Notices of Docket Activity. If it is used for one or both of those purposes, it might be helpful to decide how enrolling in MFA will be completed for that account. Users are given three opportunities to skip the MFA enrollment process; after the three skips have been used, the user will see the PACER Account Disabled prompt and must set up MFA before proceeding (see screenshot below).

Screenshot of PACER Account Disabled prompt users see after skips have been exhausted.

NOTE: The last sentence on above prompt does not apply to accounts that are required to enroll in MFA. We apologize for the confusion this may cause and will be removing this prompt in the next release. Users who have used their three skips will instead see the User Update Required pop-up notification without the Skip button.

When logging in, users need to open the authentication app and use the one-time passcode displayed there (see screenshot below and page 2, step 4 of the Multifactor Authentication – Logging In learning aid). Users are not sent the one-time passcode by text or push notification. Please note that in many authentication apps the one-time passcode is refreshed every 30 seconds.

On the left side of the image, an illustration of a generic authentication app displaying accounts and passcodes with a yellow rectangle enclosing the PACER account and passcode with a yellow arrow pointing to the passcode/backup code field on the screenshot of the One-Time Passcode dialog box on the left side of the image.

A shared PACER account can have up to five authentication apps enrolled. When a user logs in to the shared account, they will need to open their authentication app and enter the code displayed in that app. Users are not sent the one-time passcode by text or push notification.

Resources

Learning aids:
- Multifactor Authentication (MFA) – Authentication Applications: describes the MFA enrollment process by adding an authentication application (app), as well as how to delete an authentication app
- Multifactor Authentication (MFA) – Backup Codes: describes the MFA enrollment process by getting backup codes, as well as how to delete backup codes
- Multifactor Authentication (MFA) – Logging In: describes the login process after enrolling in MFA, and what to do if you do not have access to your MFA method(s)
Updated documentation:
- PACER Authentication API User Guide
- PACER User Manual
PACER QA environment: To ensure scripts work, users can test them in the QA environment at https://qa-pacer.uscourts.gov/. You must have a PACER account to use QA. To register for a PACER test account, visit https://qa-pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/pscof/registration.jsf. There is no charge for QA searches, so you may skip the credit card portion of the registration. Your QA account will be activated overnight.

Please continue to check the PACER website for more updates and additional information on MFA.

If you have any questions, please contact the PACER Service Center at pacer@psc.uscourts.gov or (800) 676-6856. The PACER Service Center hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.

MFA Information

Tips

Resources