30 Mil Blank PVC Cards — Blank Plastic Cards for ID Printers

Frequently asked questions

What is a CR80 card?

CR80 is the ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 card format: 3.375" x 2.125" (85.6 x 54 mm), the same size as a credit card. When a printer, badge holder or card slot says "standard size," it means CR80. Nearly every blank card on this page is CR80 at 30 mil thickness, so it drops straight into any Evolis, Zebra, Fargo, Magicard or Datacard printer without adjusting the card feeder.

What are blank plastic cards used for?

Blank plastic cards are run through an ID card printer to make employee and student ID badges, visitor passes, gift cards, loyalty and membership cards, hotel key cards and event credentials. Because the stock is a standard CR80 PVC blank, one box of cards can serve any of these uses — the design you print decides what the card becomes.

What is the difference between 100% PVC and composite PVC cards?

100% PVC cards are a single layer of polyvinyl chloride — the best surface for dye-sublimation photo quality and the standard for everyday badges, gift and membership cards. Composite cards are roughly a 60/40 PVC-polyester blend made to survive the heat of laminating and retransfer printers without warping. If you run a Fargo HDP, Evolis Avansia or a laminating printer, choose composite; for direct-to-card printing on an Evolis Primacy 2, Zenius, Badgy or Zebra ZC series, 100% PVC prints sharper and costs less.

Should I choose HiCo or LoCo magnetic stripe cards?

HiCo (high-coercivity, 2750 Oe) stripes are the default for cards that get swiped daily — access control, time-and-attendance, membership and stored-value cards — because the stripe resists being erased by phones, keys and purse magnets. LoCo (low-coercivity, 300 Oe) stripes cost a little less and suit short-life cards like hotel keys and event passes. Both encode on tracks 1–3 with any printer's magnetic encoder option, such as the Evolis Primacy 2 with the magnetic encoding module.

What is the difference between standard and premium PVC cards?

Standard PVC is a clean white card that prints well for badges, passes and loyalty cards at the lowest cost per card. Premium graphics-quality PVC holds a tighter thickness tolerance and has a smoother, lint-free surface, so full-bleed photo IDs print richer and long runs jam or reject far less often.

What finishes are available on blank PVC cards?

The standard finish is a smooth gloss white, which gives the sharpest color and photo reproduction in dye-sublimation printing. Matte-finish stock is available where glare or fingerprints are a concern, and clear or frosted PVC blanks suit see-through card designs. All finishes are 30 mil CR80 unless noted on the product.

What size is a blank PVC card?

The CR80 standard is 3.375" x 2.125" (85.6 x 54 mm) — the same footprint as a credit card. That is the size virtually every ID card printer, badge holder and wallet slot is built around.

How thick is a 30 mil PVC card?

30 mil is 0.76 mm, which matches credit-card thickness. It is the standard for ID badges and any card that gets carried daily. 20 mil (0.51 mm) and 10 mil (0.25 mm) cards are thinner and are usually used for inserts, temporary passes or high-volume handouts.

Which printer brands are these blank plastic cards compatible with?

Every card here is a graphics-quality CR80 PVC blank compatible with all major ID card printer brands. Evolis: Primacy 2, Zenius, Badgy100/200 and the Avansia retransfer. Zebra: ZC100, ZC300 and ZC700. Fargo (HID): DTC1250e, DTC4500 and the HDP retransfer series. Magicard: Pronto, Rio Pro and Helix. The same blanks also run in Datacard, IDP and Swiftcolor printers — any printer that accepts standard 30 mil CR80 cards.

Will these cards work in my ID card printer?

Yes. These are graphics-quality PVC cards made for direct-to-card printers including Evolis Primacy 2, Zenius and Badgy. For best results keep cards clean, handle them by the edges and run a cleaning kit at each ribbon change.

Do you offer magnetic stripe or adhesive-back cards?

Yes — magnetic stripe (HiCo and LoCo), adhesive-back cards for proximity overlays, and slot-punched cards for badge reels are all available. Check the options on each product.

Can you print the cards for us instead?

We do. If you would rather send us artwork and receive finished cards, order from our custom PVC ID card range and we handle printing, encoding and finishing.

What are plain white ID cards?

Plain white ID cards are the standard blank CR80 PVC card with a clean gloss-white surface, sold unprinted so you can run them through your own ID card printer. They are the most common blank ID card — a smooth white stock that takes dye-sublimation color sharply for employee badges, student IDs, membership and loyalty cards. One box of plain white ID cards covers any of these uses; the artwork you print decides what the card becomes.

What is the difference between blank plastic cards and blank ID cards?

They are the same product — a blank CR80 PVC card. "Blank plastic cards" is the term people use for gift, loyalty and membership cards, while "blank ID cards" usually means the same stock destined for employee or student badges. Any card on this page covers both uses.

How many blank cards come in a pack?

Standard packs are 100 cards, with full cases of 500 available on most stock. Buying by the case is the cheapest way to keep a badging program supplied, and US orders over $75 ship free.

Are these genuine Evolis-compatible cards?

Yes. Odd Jobs Media is an authorized Evolis reseller, so the blanks we stock are the same graphics-quality cards we run through our own Evolis printers daily. Using low-grade cards is the most common cause of head wear and print defects.

What are the full specifications of your blank PVC cards?

Standard CR80 size: 3.375" x 2.125" (85.6 x 54 mm), the same footprint as a credit card. Thickness: 30 mil (0.76 mm) for standard and premium stock; 10 mil (0.25 mm) and 20 mil (0.51 mm) for thin inserts. Material: PVC (polyvinyl chloride), white gloss surface for dye-sublimation and retransfer printing. Surface tolerance: ±0.002" on premium graphics-quality stock for consistent feed and print. Operating temperature: cards print best at 60–80 °F (15–27 °C). Pack sizes: 100 cards per sleeve, 500 cards per case. Compatible with direct-to-card and retransfer printers from Evolis, Zebra, Fargo and Magicard.

What colors of blank plastic cards are available?

The standard stock is bright white, which gives the truest color reproduction and is what most ID programs use. Colored PVC blanks (red, blue, green, yellow, black) are available for color-coded badge tiers or membership levels — contact us for current colors and minimums. Clear and frosted transparent cards are stocked for overlay and security designs, and magnetic-stripe stock comes in both HiCo (high-coercivity, 2750 Oe) for secure access control and LoCo (300 Oe) for low-cost gift and loyalty cards.

How long do blank PVC cards last in storage?

Stored properly, blank PVC cards have a shelf life of about two years before print quality starts to taper off. The dye-receptive surface slowly ages, so for the sharpest photo printing use stock within 24 months of manufacture and rotate older packs to the front of the shelf.

How should I store blank plastic cards?

Keep cards in their sealed packs until you are ready to print, at normal room temperature and away from direct sunlight, humidity and dust. Handle cards by the edges so skin oils do not mark the print surface, and never fan or riffle a stack — that scuffs the coating and causes print defects.

Helpful guides

• PVC card thickness explained
• Step-by-step: printing your own ID cards

Related collections

• Custom PVC ID Cards
• ID Card Printers
• ID Card Printer Ribbons & Supplies