diff --git a/api/main_endpoints/routes/Printer.js b/api/main_endpoints/routes/Printer.js
index 73a5c97f7..ea10004f5 100644
--- a/api/main_endpoints/routes/Printer.js
+++ b/api/main_endpoints/routes/Printer.js
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 const { MetricsHandler, register } = require('../../util/metrics.js');
 const { cleanUpChunks, cleanUpExpiredChunks, recordPrintingFolderSize } = require('../util/Printer.js');
+const { PDFDocument, StandardFonts } = require('pdf-lib');
+const {subtractUserPages} = require('../util/userHelpers');
 
 const {
   decodeToken,
@@ -17,6 +19,7 @@ const {
   UNAUTHORIZED,
   NOT_FOUND,
   SERVER_ERROR,
+  BAD_REQUEST
 } = require('../../util/constants').STATUS_CODES;
 const {
   PRINTING = {}
@@ -113,16 +116,25 @@ router.post('/sendPrintRequest', upload.single('chunk'), async (req, res) => {
       return res.sendStatus(SERVER_ERROR);
     }
   }
-
-  const stream = await fs.createReadStream(assembledPdfFromChunks);
+  const stream = await fs.promises.readFile(assembledPdfFromChunks); // Buffer
   const data = new FormData();
   data.append('file', stream, {filename: id, type: 'application/pdf'});
   data.append('copies', copies);
   data.append('sides', sides);
 
   try {
+    const pdfDoc = await PDFDocument.load(stream); // load PDF
+    const numpages = pdfDoc.getPages().length; // get number of pages
+    const copiesInt = parseInt(copies || 1, 10);
+    const totalPages = numpages * copiesInt; // updates users printcount
+    const success = await subtractUserPages(user.id, totalPages);
+    if (!success) {
+      await cleanUpChunks(dir, id);
+      return res.status(BAD_REQUEST).json({ error: 'Page limit exceeded or user not found' });
+    }
     // full pdf can be sent to quasar no problem
     const printRes = await axios.post(PRINTER_URL + '/print', data, {
+
       headers: {
         ...data.getHeaders(),
       },
diff --git a/api/main_endpoints/util/userHelpers.js b/api/main_endpoints/util/userHelpers.js
index 8ac327872..951596020 100644
--- a/api/main_endpoints/util/userHelpers.js
+++ b/api/main_endpoints/util/userHelpers.js
@@ -202,6 +202,26 @@ function checkIfPageCountResets(lastLogin) {
 
   return lastLoginWasOverOneWeekAgo || aSundayHasPassedSinceLastLogin;
 }
+// updates users available pages
+async function subtractUserPages(userId, pagesToPrint){
+  const user = await User.findById(userId);
+  if(!user){
+    logger.error(`User not found ID: ${userId}`);
+    return false; // checks user
+  }
+  if(!Number.isInteger(pagesToPrint) || pagesToPrint <= 0){
+    logger.error(`Invalid pagesToPrint value: ${pagesToPrint}.`);
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (user.pagesPrinted < pagesToPrint) {
+    logger.error(`User has insufficient pages remaining. Requested: ${pagesToPrint}. Available:${user.pagesPrinted}`);
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  user.pagesPrinted -= pagesToPrint;
+  await user.save();
+  return true;
+}
 
 module.exports = {
   registerUser,
@@ -211,4 +231,5 @@ module.exports = {
   userWithEmailExists,
   checkIfPageCountResets,
   findPasswordReset,
+  subtractUserPages,
 };
diff --git a/api/package-lock.json b/api/package-lock.json
index 048d7d385..794e6c666 100644
--- a/api/package-lock.json
+++ b/api/package-lock.json
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
         "nodemon": "^2.0.4",
         "passport": "^0.4.1",
         "passport-jwt": "^4.0.0",
+        "pdf-lib": "^1.17.1",
         "prom-client": "^15.1.3"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
@@ -631,6 +632,24 @@
         "node": ">=8.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@pdf-lib/standard-fonts": {
+      "version": "1.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@pdf-lib/standard-fonts/-/standard-fonts-1.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-hU30BK9IUN/su0Mn9VdlVKsWBS6GyhVfqjwl1FjZN4TxP6cCw0jP2w7V3Hf5uX7M0AZJ16vey9yE0ny7Sa59ZA==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "pako": "^1.0.6"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@pdf-lib/upng": {
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@pdf-lib/upng/-/upng-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-dQK2FUMQtowVP00mtIksrlZhdFXQZPC+taih1q4CvPZ5vqdxR/LKBaFg0oAfzd1GlHZXXSPdQfzQnt+ViGvEIQ==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "pako": "^1.0.10"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@types/bson": {
       "version": "4.0.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/bson/-/bson-4.0.5.tgz",
@@ -3253,6 +3272,12 @@
         "node": ">= 0.8.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/pako": {
+      "version": "1.0.11",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/pako/-/pako-1.0.11.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-4hLB8Py4zZce5s4yd9XzopqwVv/yGNhV1Bl8NTmCq1763HeK2+EwVTv+leGeL13Dnh2wfbqowVPXCIO0z4taYw==",
+      "license": "(MIT AND Zlib)"
+    },
     "node_modules/parent-module": {
       "version": "1.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/parent-module/-/parent-module-1.0.1.tgz",
@@ -3336,6 +3361,18 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/pause/-/pause-0.0.1.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-HUCLP9t2kjuVQ9lvtMnf1TXZy10="
     },
+    "node_modules/pdf-lib": {
+      "version": "1.17.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/pdf-lib/-/pdf-lib-1.17.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-V/mpyJAoTsN4cnP31vc0wfNA1+p20evqqnap0KLoRUN0Yk/p3wN52DOEsL4oBFcLdb76hlpKPtzJIgo67j/XLw==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@pdf-lib/standard-fonts": "^1.0.0",
+        "@pdf-lib/upng": "^1.0.1",
+        "pako": "^1.0.11",
+        "tslib": "^1.11.1"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/picocolors": {
       "version": "1.1.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/picocolors/-/picocolors-1.1.1.tgz",
@@ -3977,6 +4014,12 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-N3WMsuqV66lT30CrXNbEjx4GEwlow3v6rr4mCcv6prnfwhS01rkgyFdjPNBYd9br7LpXV1+Emh01fHnq2Gdgrw==",
       "license": "MIT"
     },
+    "node_modules/tslib": {
+      "version": "1.14.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tslib/-/tslib-1.14.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Xni35NKzjgMrwevysHTCArtLDpPvye8zV/0E4EyYn43P7/7qvQwPh9BGkHewbMulVntbigmcT7rdX3BNo9wRJg==",
+      "license": "0BSD"
+    },
     "node_modules/type-check": {
       "version": "0.4.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/type-check/-/type-check-0.4.0.tgz",
@@ -4626,6 +4669,22 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@opentelemetry/api/-/api-1.9.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-3giAOQvZiH5F9bMlMiv8+GSPMeqg0dbaeo58/0SlA9sxSqZhnUtxzX9/2FzyhS9sWQf5S0GJE0AKBrFqjpeYcg=="
     },
+    "@pdf-lib/standard-fonts": {
+      "version": "1.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@pdf-lib/standard-fonts/-/standard-fonts-1.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-hU30BK9IUN/su0Mn9VdlVKsWBS6GyhVfqjwl1FjZN4TxP6cCw0jP2w7V3Hf5uX7M0AZJ16vey9yE0ny7Sa59ZA==",
+      "requires": {
+        "pako": "^1.0.6"
+      }
+    },
+    "@pdf-lib/upng": {
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@pdf-lib/upng/-/upng-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-dQK2FUMQtowVP00mtIksrlZhdFXQZPC+taih1q4CvPZ5vqdxR/LKBaFg0oAfzd1GlHZXXSPdQfzQnt+ViGvEIQ==",
+      "requires": {
+        "pako": "^1.0.10"
+      }
+    },
     "@types/bson": {
       "version": "4.0.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/bson/-/bson-4.0.5.tgz",
@@ -6420,6 +6479,11 @@
         "word-wrap": "^1.2.5"
       }
     },
+    "pako": {
+      "version": "1.0.11",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/pako/-/pako-1.0.11.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-4hLB8Py4zZce5s4yd9XzopqwVv/yGNhV1Bl8NTmCq1763HeK2+EwVTv+leGeL13Dnh2wfbqowVPXCIO0z4taYw=="
+    },
     "parent-module": {
       "version": "1.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/parent-module/-/parent-module-1.0.1.tgz",
@@ -6479,6 +6543,17 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/pause/-/pause-0.0.1.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-HUCLP9t2kjuVQ9lvtMnf1TXZy10="
     },
+    "pdf-lib": {
+      "version": "1.17.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/pdf-lib/-/pdf-lib-1.17.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-V/mpyJAoTsN4cnP31vc0wfNA1+p20evqqnap0KLoRUN0Yk/p3wN52DOEsL4oBFcLdb76hlpKPtzJIgo67j/XLw==",
+      "requires": {
+        "@pdf-lib/standard-fonts": "^1.0.0",
+        "@pdf-lib/upng": "^1.0.1",
+        "pako": "^1.0.11",
+        "tslib": "^1.11.1"
+      }
+    },
     "picocolors": {
       "version": "1.1.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/picocolors/-/picocolors-1.1.1.tgz",
@@ -6926,6 +7001,11 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tr46/-/tr46-0.0.3.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-N3WMsuqV66lT30CrXNbEjx4GEwlow3v6rr4mCcv6prnfwhS01rkgyFdjPNBYd9br7LpXV1+Emh01fHnq2Gdgrw=="
     },
+    "tslib": {
+      "version": "1.14.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tslib/-/tslib-1.14.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Xni35NKzjgMrwevysHTCArtLDpPvye8zV/0E4EyYn43P7/7qvQwPh9BGkHewbMulVntbigmcT7rdX3BNo9wRJg=="
+    },
     "type-check": {
       "version": "0.4.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/type-check/-/type-check-0.4.0.tgz",
diff --git a/api/package.json b/api/package.json
index f680fd1ad..99caa727f 100644
--- a/api/package.json
+++ b/api/package.json
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
     "nodemon": "^2.0.4",
     "passport": "^0.4.1",
     "passport-jwt": "^4.0.0",
+    "pdf-lib": "^1.17.1",
     "prom-client": "^15.1.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {