A standard ID card is a CR80 30mil card – but what do those measurements mean, and why does it matter? Cards come in a variety of sizes, and not every printer can handle non-standard cards.

The CR80 card is the size of a credit card – it measures 3.375″ x 2.125″. A standard card is also 30mil thick. Every ID card printer can print these cards, and card hoppers are designed to hold them. These cards are used for every ID card application, from employee ID badges to membership cards and retail loyalty programs.

If you aren’t sure what size your ID card is, measure it against a credit card from your wallet; if they match, you have a standard-sized card, which will easily work with most ID card accessories.

Some card programs require non-standard sized cards, which may require a specialized printer – if you are printing on non-standard cards, always check the technical specs of printers to ensure they can print on your cards!

Non-standard cards may be thinner, such as the flexible 10mil cards. These cards are often used for business cards or temporary IDs for visitors because they are not as durable as thicker cards. Some smart cards, because they have embedded technology, are thicker than normal at 50mil.

Cards can also be larger or smaller than the credit-card sized CR80s. For technology cards than cannot be printed on directly, many programs use CR79 cards instead. These cards have an adhesive back and are slightly smaller than a CR80, so you can apply the card to the surface of the thick technology card.

CR100 cards are no longer compatible with current ID card printers but these cards were larger, measuring 3.88″ x 2.63″ and most commonly used for military and other government ID programs.

Learn more about the size of different types of ID cards in our Learning Center.