There are quite a number of ID card sizes and formats available to choose from for creating company ID badges.
At first glance it would seem that the selection is slightly overwhelming, however we will take a closer look at the most common card sizes. Hopefully you will have a better understanding of the formats and applications, and therefore will be able to decide the right card for your needs.
In addition to selecting the right size card for your company ID badge, consideration must also be taken to ensure your printer and software can accommodate the size selected.
Card Sizes
Lets have a look at the most common card sizes:
CR-50:
(3.5 inches length x 1.75 inches width) This format is usually used in hotel rooms for access control
CR-60:
(3.25 x 2.312) Also known as “IBM” sized cards
CR-70:
(2.875 x 2.125)
CR-79:
(2.051 x 3.303) mainly used for Proximity cards or adhesive card skins that would attach to a clamshell prox card
CR-80:
(3.370 x 2.125) Also known as ID-1, This card is the most popular of the standard card format and most commonly used.
CR-90:
(3.63 x 2.37)
CR-100:
(3.88 x 2.63) Known as “oversized” cards, commonly used for conventions, trade shows or any situation that requires higher visibility.
ID-2:
(4.134 x 2.913) used for French and other ID cards, visas
ID-3:
(4.921 x 3.465) used for Government ID cards
ID-000:
(0.984 x 5.906) SIM cards
The above list shows the sizes of the cards expressed in length and width.
Card Thickness
Let’s now discuss thickness. Thickness in ID cards is measured in “mils” ( not be confused with the metric measurement “millimeter”, a “mil” is a unit of thickness equivalent to one thousandth of an inch). A credit card is around 30 mils thick or 3/100 of an inch. This is equivalent to 0.76mm in metric.
ID cards can go from 10 mil all the way up to 65 mil in some cases.
10-15 mil:
Generally used for temporary or light use (hotel key cards, business cards, etc).
20-24 mil:
Usually found in transit pass and bus ticket type cards.
30 mil:
The most common thickness for ID cards, access control, credit cards, and license applications.
55 mil:
Not a common thickness these days, there aren’t a lot of printers that can actually print on a 55 mil card. This card was mainly used for luggage tags.
60 and 65 mil:
Also known as “Clamshell” proximity cards, mainly used for access control and door entry.
In conclusion, the recommended size for a company ID would be a CR-80 card with a 30mil thickness. This is considered the standard size for identification cards as codified by the International Organization for Standards (ISO) in the specification document ISO 7810 (Identification cards-physical characteristics).
Most card printers are designed to print on CR-80 (a number of printers can also print on CR-79 and CR-100 as well).
From a practical point of view, the CR-80 card due to it’s “credit card” like size fits easily into an employee’s pocket making it a convenient choice as well.
Company ID Badging Solutions from the ISG
The ISG offers the best photo ID card issuance solutions in the industry. From the blank cards to card printers, cameras and software, to readers, ID accessories and much more.
Contact us today to learn more about these and other solutions from your local ISG dealer.
Original article written by Tariq Khan for ID Experts.
