Custom-Printed 13.56 MHz NFC Cards
Custom-Printed NFC Cards
Full-Color CMYK
Quick answer
Order 13.56 MHz NFC cards with full-color custom printing directly from Proud Tek's Shenzhen factory. Our printed NFC cards combine high-frequency 13.56 MHz chip technology with offset or digital CMYK printing, delivering branded smart cards for access control, membership programs, loyalty systems, and contactless payment. Available with NTAG 213, NTAG 215, NTAG 216, MIFARE Classic, and MIFARE DESFire chips on PVC, PET, or eco-friendly substrates.
- Full-color CMYK offset and digital printing on ISO/IEC 14443A-compliant 13.56 MHz NFC cards with chip encoding included in every order.
- Choose from NTAG 213, NTAG 215, NTAG 216, MIFARE Classic 1K/4K, or MIFARE DESFire EV2/EV3 chips — all operating at the 13.56 MHz high-frequency band.
- Low MOQ of 500 pieces with free design proofing, sample kits, and global DDP/FOB shipping from our ISO 9001-certified Shenzhen facility.
Used in these industries
Deployments where this product is referenced on our industry landing pages.
At a glance
Use these short answers to decide whether this page matches the project before moving into the detail.
Card body and form factor
ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 dimensions 85.60 × 53.98 × 0.76 mm with radiused corners; ISO/IEC 10373-1 defines the mechanical, thermal and flex test methods that a printed card bod...
13.56 MHz operating standard
ISO/IEC 14443 Type A or Type B proximity card operating at 13.56 MHz, 1-10 cm read range, compatible with every NFC phone and HF access-control reader. Chip and antenna...
Next step
Ready to move forward? Start your inquiry to get specific answers for this project.
Request a quote for custom-printed NFC cards- Printing process — offset lithography
-
- Four-colour CMYK offset at 175-200 lpi screen ruling, 2540 dpi plate resolution, running on sheet-fed presses calibrated to ISO 12647-2 process control.
- Economical from 500 cards up; Pantone PMS spot-colour plates are added where brand equity depends on an exact colour match that CMYK cannot reach.
- ICC profile (ISO 15076) is supplied with every artwork proof so colour behaviour is predictable from screen to plate to finished card.
- Printing process — UV digital and dye-sub
-
- UV-cured digital inkjet at 600-1200 dpi for short runs (100-500 cards) and variable data: sequential numbers, unique QR codes, personalised names, individualised loyalty IDs.
- Dye-sublimation retransfer (Fargo HDP, Zebra ZXP, Matica XID) for single-card on-demand issuance where a print head is embedded in the reception workflow.
- Artwork and proofing
-
- Accepted formats: AI, PDF/X-4, high-resolution TIFF at 300 dpi+; bleed 3 mm per side; safety margin 3 mm; total card area 89.6 × 57.98 mm including bleed.
- Soft proof (PDF), hard proof (inkjet match print) and pre-production sample are the three approval gates before plate burn or RIP.
- Finishing — surface finishes
-
- Gloss laminate is the default high-shine finish; matte laminate diffuses reflection for a premium soft-touch feel; anti-scratch laminate extends outdoor and wallet life.
- Spot UV coating adds a raised gloss accent to a logo or icon; textured overlays (linen, sandstone) give tactile differentiation against commodity plastic.
- Finishing — security and embellishment
-
- Hot foil stamping in gold, silver, copper, holographic or custom foil for ultra-premium membership tiers and luxury brand activations.
- Embossing and indent printing (tipping) deliver raised characters for names or card numbers; scratch-off panels hide activation codes; hologram overlays add anti-counterfeit depth.
- Optional functional features
-
- ISO/IEC 7811 HiCo (2750 Oe) or LoCo (300 Oe) magnetic stripe for legacy mag-swipe stacks that still need to run in parallel with the NFC tap.
- Signature panel for handwritten signature cards; barcodes (Code 39, Code 128, QR) printed to ISO/IEC 15416 print-quality grade A/B for reliable scanning.
- Chip selection aligned to use case
-
- NTAG213 (144 B) — URL / vCard tap cards for lightweight marketing; NTAG216 (888 B) — multi-record NDEF, Wi-Fi provisioning, longer vCard payloads.
- MIFARE Classic 1K — the installed-base default for access control, time attendance and campus one-cards (legacy, sector-key security).
- MIFARE DESFire EV3 — AES-128 encryption, key diversification per NXP AN10922, the modern high-security tier for transit, corporate and government ID.
- Dual-interface (contact chip + 13.56 MHz) is available where EMV or PKI contact interfaces are required in the same card body.
- Chip encoding and personalisation
-
- In-factory encoding: UID registration, NDEF URL programming, MIFARE sector-key configuration, DESFire AES key diversification, barcode-to-UID mapping.
- Personalisation data delivered as a CSV / Excel manifest; hash-verified on each card and packaged with a match-report for audit.
- Regulatory and material compliance
-
- RoHS 3 (EU 2015/863) and REACH SVHC declarations on every shipment; CPSIA (16 CFR Part 1501) on cards destined for children's programmes.
- Packaging compliance: EU 94/62/EC packaging directive, Prop 65 California labels where relevant, FSC-certified outer packaging on request.
- Production flow and lead time
-
- Standard flow: artwork approval → pre-press proof → plate burn or RIP → sheet print → collation → lamination → punch → chip encoding → visual QC → packing.
- Lead time 10-15 working days after artwork sign-off for 500-10,000 card runs; 7-10 days for UV digital short runs with variable data.
Why 13.56 MHz is the standard frequency for NFC cards
- 13.56 MHz is the universal operating frequency defined by ISO/IEC 14443 and ISO/IEC 15693 standards, ensuring compatibility with virtually every NFC-enabled smartphone, reader, and access control system worldwide.
- At 13.56 MHz, NFC cards deliver reliable read distances of 1-10 cm, which provides the close-proximity security required for access control, cashless payment, and identity verification applications.
- All major chip families for smart cards operate at 13.56 MHz, including the NXP NTAG series, MIFARE family, Infineon SLE series, and Sony FeliCa, giving buyers a full range of memory and security options.
- Custom printing on 13.56 MHz NFC cards transforms a functional smart card into a branded touchpoint, reinforcing brand identity every time a cardholder taps for access, payment, or engagement.
Print specification snapshot
Print process comparison — offset vs UV digital vs dye-sub retransfer
Offset lithography (volume brand-launch)
- Ideal run size 500 to 1,000,000+ cards; lowest per-unit cost at volume.
- Resolution 175–200 lpi with 2540 dpi plate — the photographic-print benchmark.
- Pantone PMS spot plates available — exact brand-colour match where CMYK cannot reach.
- Variable data is not supported — every card in the run prints from the same plate.
- Best fit: brand-launch, membership bulk issuance, retail-packaging activation cards.
UV digital and dye-sub retransfer (short run / variable)
- UV digital inkjet run size 100–5,000; dye-sub retransfer run size 1–500 on-demand.
- Resolution 600–1200 dpi (UV) or 300 dpi edge-to-edge (dye-sub retransfer).
- Variable data per card — sequential numbers, unique QR codes, personalised names.
- Pantone PMS is simulated via CMYK; exact spot-colour match is not achievable.
- Best fit: conference badges, event access, variable-QR loyalty, in-house issuance bureau.
Custom printing options for your NFC cards
- CMYK offset printing for orders above 500 pieces delivers photographic quality at the lowest per-card cost, with exact Pantone color matching available on request.
- UV digital printing enables short runs from 100 cards with variable data. Unique QR codes, sequential numbering, or individualized names directly on the card surface.
- Finishing upgrades include spot UV coating, holographic foil stamping, matte or gloss lamination, embossed numbering, and signature panel overlays to match your brand guidelines.
- Both single-sided and dual-sided printing are supported, with the antenna and chip embedded invisibly within the card body so the print area is uninterrupted.
Chip options and encoding services
- NTAG 213 (144 bytes). Ideal for NFC business cards, marketing tags, and lightweight data exchange where a URL or vCard is stored on chip.
- NTAG 216 (888 bytes). Expanded memory for multi-record NDEF messages, longer URLs, or Wi-Fi provisioning payloads.
- MIFARE Classic 1K — the most widely deployed chip for access control, time attendance, and campus card systems with sector-based security.
- MIFARE DESFire EV3 — AES-128 encrypted chip for high-security applications including transit, corporate access, and government ID programs.
- Proud Tek provides pre-encoding services including UID registration, NDEF URL programming, MIFARE sector key configuration, and custom data structure writing.
Milestones in NFC card custom printing
- 1985 — ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1
ID-1 card standard (85.60 × 53.98 × 0.76 mm) locks the physical form factor that every printed NFC card ships in today.
- 1997 — ISO/IEC 14443
13.56 MHz proximity card operating standard is published, establishing the frequency and protocol that NFC phones would later adopt.
- 2004 — NFC Forum founded
NDEF and tap-interoperability specifications are drafted; printed NFC cards become a credible consumer-facing touchpoint.
- 2013–2015 — NTAG 213/215/216
NXP's NTAG 21x family scales 13.56 MHz tap-card manufacturing to billions of units a year; price of a printed NFC card falls below USD 0.30 at volume.
- 2018 — iPhone XS Background Tag Reading
Apple ships always-on NFC reading on iPhone XS. Printed NFC cards become a viable replacement for QR-only membership and business cards.
- 2020 — Apple Business Connect / Google Wallet maturity
Digital wallet pass provisioning over NFC tap matures; printed NFC cards now double as wallet-provisioning vehicles.
- 2024 — NTAG424 DNA SUN authentication
Mass-deployable authenticated tap (dynamic URL with AES signature) reaches printed card form factor at commodity prices.
- 2026 — Today
Proud Tek ships custom-printed NFC cards with CMYK offset + UV digital + hot-foil + DESFire EV3 / NTAG424 DNA encoding as a single purchase order. Buyer-side operating notes for brand-launch-welcome, hospitality-key-artwork, membership-programme, conference-badge-bulk and healthcare-visitor-ID printed-card programmes.
Useful next pages
Use these linked product, guide and comparison pages to keep the next click specific and practical.
Explore related NFC card products
Browse specific chip types to match your project requirements and application.
FAQ
What is the minimum order quantity for custom-printed 13.56 MHz NFC cards?
Proud Tek's MOQ for offset-printed NFC cards is 500 pieces. For UV digital printing with variable data, we can accommodate orders as low as 100 cards. Free samples with your custom artwork are available before production.
Can you print full-color artwork on both sides of the NFC card without affecting chip performance?
Yes. The NFC antenna and chip are laminated between inner PVC layers, so both the front and back surfaces are available for full-bleed CMYK printing. The print process does not interfere with the 13.56 MHz signal or the card's read range.
Which 13.56 MHz NFC chip should I choose for my project?
For simple NFC tap-to-URL or digital business cards, NTAG 213 is the most cost-effective option. For access control and campus systems, MIFARE Classic 1K is the industry standard. For applications requiring encrypted security such as transit or government ID, MIFARE DESFire EV3 provides AES-128 authentication. Our team can recommend the right chip based on your specific use case.
Sources & references
Primary standards, OEM datasheets and regulatory documents cited by this article. All URLs were verified on the access date shown below.
- ISO/IEC 7810:2019 — Identification cards — Physical characteristics
ID-1 card dimensions 85.60 × 53.98 × 0.76 mm — the form factor every printed NFC card ships in.
- ISO/IEC 10373-1:2020 — Test methods for ID cards
Mechanical, thermal, flex and print-adhesion test methods that a printed card must pass.
- ISO/IEC 14443-1:2018 — Proximity cards at 13.56 MHz
13.56 MHz operating frequency, Type A / Type B protocol, 1-10 cm close-coupling interface.
- ISO 12647-2:2013 — Process control for graphic technology / offset
Defines tone-value, colorimetric and process-control requirements for four-colour CMYK offset printing.
- ISO/IEC 15416:2016 — Bar code print quality test specification
Print-quality grade A-F framework used to specify scannable barcodes on printed NFC cards.
- ISO 15076-1:2010 — ICC profile specification
ICC colour-management profile format used for screen-to-press colour predictability.
Proud Tek is a Shenzhen-based RFID & NFC manufacturer supplying hotel chains, transit operators, event venues and retail brands worldwide. Every order includes free samples, RF testing and dedicated project support.
Get a Quick Quote
Tell us about your project and we'll respond within one business day. Fields marked (asterisk) are required.