What size is an ID card?
The standard ID card size is CR80: 3.375 × 2.125 inches (85.6 × 54 mm) with rounded corners. It's the same size as a credit card or driver's license, so it fits every standard badge holder, wallet and card reader slot.
CR80 cards can be laid out horizontally (landscape) or vertically (portrait). Vertical badges are common when the card hangs from a lanyard or clip; horizontal cards suit wallets.
How thick is a PVC ID card?
The standard thickness is 30 mil (0.76 mm), the same as a credit card. It's rigid, holds up to daily wear and works with badge reels and card readers. Thinner 10–20 mil cards bend easily and are usually only used for temporary passes.
Every CredentialCore card is printed on 30 mil PVC. More detail, including pixel sizes for designing: ID card size guide.
What to put on an employee ID badge
Most employee badges include:
- Organization name and logo
- A recent photo
- Full name (or the name the person goes by), large enough to read from a few feet away
- Job title or department
- Employee ID number, often also as a barcode
- On the back: an emergency contact line, "if found, return to" address, or usage policy
Leave out anything that would be a problem if the card were lost, such as a home address or date of birth. Color-coding by department or access level makes badges easy to check at a glance.
ID photo tips
- Plain, light background; face centered, head and shoulders in frame
- Even light from the front, no strong shadows or backlight
- At least 600 pixels tall. Phone photos are fine
- Name each file to match the person (for example
jane-smith.jpg) so a roster upload matches photos automatically
Step by step: how to take an ID badge photo with a phone.
Barcodes and QR codes
- Code 128 is the most common choice for ID numbers. It's compact and encodes letters, numbers and symbols.
- Code 39 is older and wider, still required by some library and time-clock systems. It only encodes uppercase letters, numbers and a few symbols.
- QR codes hold a web link or more text and scan with any phone camera.
If your badges need to work with a specific scanner, check which format your system expects with its vendor, then order a single test card and scan it before ordering in bulk.
Single-sided or double-sided?
A single-sided card is enough for many events and visitor badges. Double-sided cards are worth it when you need room for a barcode, return address, emergency contacts or policy text without crowding the front. Badges on a reel or lanyard often flip, so many organizations repeat the name on the back.
Hole punches, lanyards and badge reels
To hang a badge from a lanyard clip or badge reel without a holder, the card needs a slot punched in it. Leave clear space in your design near the punch: at the top center for vertical badges, or along a short edge for horizontal ones. CredentialCore can punch the slot for you at no extra charge.
NFC vs RFID access cards
They're easy to confuse, but they do different jobs:
- NFC works with phones. Tap the card on a phone and it opens a link: a profile, contact card, website or event page. CredentialCore's NFC Smart Link cards let you change that link anytime without reprinting.
- RFID / proximity access cards (such as HID Prox) open doors and use formats programmed for a specific building's access control system. They're ordered through your access-control provider.
We don't print RFID or door-access cards.
Buy an ID card printer or order printed cards?
An in-house ID card printer makes sense if you issue badges every day and need them on the spot. Expect to pay for the printer, ribbons, blank cards, cleaning supplies and software, plus the time to keep it running.
If you print in batches (a new school year, a hiring class, an event), ordering printed cards is usually cheaper and simpler: no equipment, and each card is a known price. See the full cost comparison and our per-card pricing, and when you need cards fast, Rush orders ship the same day when placed by 11 AM ET on a weekday.