In-House ID Card Printing System: Costs, Types and Setup

By Michael AustinOwner and Editor

Updated Oct 2, 2026Published Mar 27, 20219 min read

An in-house ID card printing system is a card printer, ribbons, blank PVC cards, design software and a camera that let an organization print staff or visitor badges on site. It removes minimum orders and supplier waits, but printers alone cost from about $1,100 to about $6,850 at one large US retailer as of October 2026.

One of the key ingredients for every successful business is cost-efficiency. You need to keep your overall costs as low as possible if you are to reap the gains of a larger profit margin. One area you can do this through is by purchasing the equipment to run an in-house ID card printing system.

The Advantages of ID Card Printer System

In order to do this you would need to purchase the following printing tools; a card printer, a webcam, ID card software, cards, ID card holders, and possibly lanyards as well. This may present you with fairly high start-up costs. Whether, and how quickly, those costs are recovered depends on how many cards the organization issues and what an outside supplier charges for each card.

Furthermore, the start-up cost is not so significant whereby it would pose trouble for a lot of companies. Total costs vary widely with the printer type: as of October 2026, one large US retailer lists card printers alone from about $1,100 to about $6,850, before cards, ribbons, software and accessories, so a fixed budget figure is not reliable without quotes. Plus, all you need to do is find a supplier of ID accessories, and then you will be able to purchase everything you require from the same place.

You won’t have to spend a lot of time purchasing items from different companies, which can also mean different delivery fees to contend with. Plus, you may even find that you are able to secure a discount for bulk orders. Also, once you build a strong relationship with your supplier, you are bound to get added benefits too.

So, now you know what is entailed in order to have your own ID printing system in-house, it is time to look at why you would even want to do this in the first place.

There are several reasons why having an in-house identification card printing system can be beneficial. Let’s elaborate on cost effectiveness; a point touched upon in the previous paragraph.

Every time you need a new ID card made, whether you have employed a new member of staff or one of your current employees has lost theirs, you will need to pay per unit for the service you have experienced.

This cost can easily begin to tot up and you will be surprised by how much you have been spending on such a service. With an in-house system, each extra card costs only its consumables (a blank card and a share of the ribbon), so organizations that issue cards often can gradually recover the start-up costs.

You will also reap the rewards of efficiency in the form of saving time as well. If you don’t have an in-house printing system then you will have to wait a substantial amount of time whenever you need an ID card produced. Turnaround varies by supplier and order size, and delivery time is added on top of production.

Not only this but your new employee will have to visit a printing office in order to get their shot taken and give the necessary details. This can be time consuming, especially if the printing office is located quite a distance away. This is time being wasted that could be spent on doing productive business tasks.

One massive hurdle standing in the way of businesses looking to purchase identification cards is the fact that they usually have to make a minimum order.

This proves to be very troublesome if you have only employed one or two new members of staff. This means that you will have to spend more money on placing an order for a volume of ID cards you may not even require.

An in-house printing system also offers a level of flexibility that ordering from an outside supplier rarely matches. You will be able to print a card whenever suits you. This is beneficial on many levels, for example, you may have an upcoming event and therefore decide you want everyone to have new ID cards created for the evening ahead.

Furthermore, flexibility is offered in the sense that design changes and re-thinks are of little issue. You will also be able to quickly change any faults occurred, such as the incorrect spelling of someone’s name.

An in-house ID card print system is very much recommended, especially for big businesses that employ new workers frequently. You will reap the rewards of cost efficiency, flexibility, time efficiency, and no minimum order requirements. An organization without one can compare the full cost of an in-house system (printer, software, consumables and staff time) with its current supplier’s price per card before deciding.

What Does an In-House ID Card Printing System Include?

An in-house ID card printing system is a set of equipment and supplies that lets an organization design, print and, if needed, encode plastic identification cards on its own premises. The table below lists the usual components and what to check for each.

For more on card materials and uses, see this guide to plastic ID cards and how they are used.

What Size Is a Standard ID Card?

A standard ID card is 85.60 x 53.98 mm (3.370 x 2.125 inches), the ID-1 format defined in the international standard ISO/IEC 7810. According to the standard as summarized by Wikipedia, ID-1 cards are 0.76 mm thick (760 micrometers, with a tolerance of 80 micrometers) and have rounded corners with a radius of 2.88 to 3.48 mm.

The ID-1 format is also known as CR80. It is the same size as bank cards, driving licenses and many transport and loyalty cards, which is why card holders, badge reels and printers are built around it.

Direct-to-Card vs Retransfer Printers: Which Is Better?

Direct-to-card printers are the better choice for most offices because they cost less, while retransfer printers suit organizations that need edge-to-edge, more durable or higher-security cards. The two technologies work differently:

• Direct-to-card: the print head touches the card surface. Wikipedia describes this as the most popular type, mostly because of cost.
• Retransfer (reverse transfer): the printer prints onto a transfer film, which is then fused onto the card with heat, covering the card surface right to the edges.
• Near-to-edge: a lower-cost variant that leaves a small unprinted border around the card.

Prices are one retailer’s list prices as of October 2026 and change often; other sellers and bundled systems can be cheaper or more expensive. Card printers typically print at 300 dpi (11.8 dots per mm), and dye-sublimation ribbons can produce up to 16 million shades, according to Wikipedia’s card printer article.

Can an In-House System Encode Smart Cards?

Yes, card printers can be equipped to encode cards as well as print them. The common encoding options are:

• Magnetic stripe for simple access or time-and-attendance systems.
• Contact smart card chips that are read by inserting the card into a reader.
• Contactless (RFID/NFC) cards that are tapped on a reader.

Encoding features and chip cards add to the cost, so it is worth confirming which technology the building’s access-control system uses before buying. Printed barcodes are a cheaper alternative for simple check-in tasks; see this overview of a barcode solution for small businesses.

How to Set Up an In-House ID Card Printing System

1. Count how many cards the organization issues per year, including replacements, and get a per-card quote from current suppliers for comparison.
2. Decide on card features: single- or dual-sided, photo, barcode, magnetic stripe or chip.
3. Choose the printer type (direct-to-card or retransfer) that supports those features.
4. Buy the ribbons and CR80 cards specified for that printer model.
5. Install the ID card software and design a template with the logo, name, photo, role and ID number.
6. Set up a photo area with even lighting and a plain background.
7. Decide who may print cards, where card data is stored and how lost cards are deactivated.

Issuing the card can be built into the first-day routine; this guide to employee onboarding covers the wider process.

Data Protection and Security for ID Card Systems

ID cards and the software behind them hold personal data, so the system must be run with data protection in mind. The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) defines personal data as any information relating to an identified or identifiable person, and lists names and identification numbers among the identifiers. The ICO also lists biometric data used for identification as a special category of personal data that needs extra protection.

Practical steps include limiting access to the card software, storing photos and staff records securely, printing only the details a card needs, and keeping a record of lost and deactivated cards. Wider measures are covered in this article on how to protect business information.

When Does Outsourcing Still Make Sense?

Outsourcing can still be the better option when an organization issues very few cards a year, needs specialist security features its own printer cannot produce, or has no staff time to manage the system. A simple test is to compare the yearly cost of buying cards from a supplier with the printer price spread over its expected life plus ongoing ribbons, cards and software fees.

Written byMichael AustinOwner and Editor

Michael Austin is the current owner of Justwebworld and manages the platform’s editorial direction, content strategy, and digital publishing operations. With a strong interest in online media and modern publishing, he focuses on creating informative, engaging, and easy-to-understand content across multiple categories. Under his leadership, Justwebworld continues to grow as a trusted multi-niche digital publication covering technology, business, lifestyle, automotive, sports, travel, and trending internet topics for readers worldwide.

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