If the information on the backside of your cards remains the same for each and every card, you can very easily make due with a single-sided printer. You'll just have to run your cards through the machine twice. In the first run, pre-print the backside information for the entire batch of cards using a low-cost black ribbon. Then, do a second run to print the personalized info for the front of the cards. This technique will save you some money if it fits your requirements in terms of card design.

If your ID program requires more design flexibility and speed, you're a likely candidate for a dual-sided ID card printer. Dual-sided photo ID printers allow you to design for the inclusion of unique information on both the front and back of your cards. In other words, both sides can be completely personalized for every printed card. And the machine will print both the front and back in a single pass, which speeds up operations as there's no manual flipping required.

For ID programs that might grow to require dual-sided printing in the future, there are a number of printer models that can actually be upgraded from single-sided to dual-sided printing in-field. Examples include The Magicard Enduro, The Fargo DTC400e, and the Fargo HDP5000.

Visit our ID Card Printers section to learn more, and to view all available printer options.