Plastic card FAQs Straight answers.
Sizes, minimums, prices, finishes, NFC and materials — short answers, with links to the detail.
Sizes & specs
What size is a plastic card?
The standard is CR80 (ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1): 85.60 × 53.98mm, usually rounded to 86 × 54mm — the same as a bank card. See plastic card sizes for key tags, event passes and other formats.
How thick are plastic cards?
760 micron (0.76mm, sometimes called 30 mil) is the standard bank-card thickness. Thinner and thicker options are explained in plastic card thickness.
What artwork do you need?
A print-ready PDF at 92 × 60mm (86 × 54mm plus 3mm bleed each side), with text kept inside the safe area and images at 300dpi. Templates are in the artwork guide.
Ordering
What is the minimum order?
There isn’t one — we print from a single card. Runs under 25 are priced per card plus a small set-up charge, and price breaks start at 25 cards.
How much do plastic cards cost?
Full-colour plastic cards start at £69 for 25 and £79 for 100, ex VAT with UK delivery included. Stock, NFC, stripes and personalisation add to that — see plastic card prices for every price break and add-on.
Can I get a sample before ordering?
Yes — request a sample pack to see and feel the stocks and finishes. You also approve a digital proof before anything is printed.
How long does printing take?
Turnaround depends on the card type, quantity and any encoding. Tell us your deadline on the quote; delivery and turnaround explains the stages and lets you count working days.
Finishes & technology
Can you print white on clear cards?
Yes. White ink is printed as its own layer so colours stay opaque and small text stays readable on clear and frosted cards.
Do NFC cards need an app or subscription?
No. A phone reads the chip without an app, and the chip can hold a link to any page you control. See NFC business cards.
Can every card include NFC, a chip or a magnetic stripe?
Each technology needs compatible card stock, printing, encoding and a receiving system. Tell us what the card must work with and we confirm what’s suitable before quoting.
Can you PPF or ceramic coat a plastic business card?
It’s the showcase idea behind the brand: a memorable demonstration piece. Film or coating can affect thickness, edges and contactless performance, so it’s treated as a sampled specialist finish and kept off functional areas unless proven compatible.
Materials
Are plastic cards recyclable?
It depends on the material and the facilities available to the customer. We don’t use broad “eco-friendly” wording; any recycled-content or recyclability claim is matched to documented stock. See recycled plastic cards.
Are these genuinely plastic cards?
Yes — printed plastic card stock throughout, not paper with a plastic laminate. The exact substrate is stated on your quote.
Still deciding? Price it.
Build your card in the quote builder and see the price as you go.