GUIDE

Employee ID cards: what to include, design tips and how to manage them

By ICardPrint · Published 2026-10-26

The quick answer

An employee ID card should show the person's photo, full name, designation, department, employee code and the company name and logo, with emergency and return details on the back. Use colour to separate departments or visitors, and keep a simple process for new joiners and lost cards.

An employee ID card is part security pass and part brand. A good one lets a guard recognise staff in a second, tells visitors who they are talking to, and looks like it belongs to your company. Here is what to print and how to keep cards under control as people join and leave.

What to print

Front	Back
Photo	Company address and phone number
Full name	Emergency contact (company, not personal)
Designation and department	Blood group, if staff agree
Employee code	"If found, please return to…"
Company name and logo	Authorised signature
Validity date, if cards expire	QR code, if your systems use one

Keep personal data to a minimum. Home addresses, personal phone numbers and government ID numbers do not belong on a card that is worn in public.

Design tips

Make the name large. People read the name before anything else.
Use colour to separate groups. For example blue for staff, red for contractors, green for visitors. It makes a quick check easier at gates.
Choose portrait or landscape deliberately. Portrait suits a large photo; landscape suits long designations and department names.
Leave white space. A crowded card is harder to read and looks less professional.
Match your brand. Use your logo file and brand colours, not a screenshot of your website.

Lanyards and holders

A printed lanyard with the company name makes staff easy to spot. A 20 mm lanyard is the usual width for offices; 16 mm suits lighter cards and events. See 16 mm vs 20 mm lanyards. Hard holders protect cards that are tapped or scanned many times a day; a detachable buckle lets staff present the card without removing the lanyard.

Visitor and contractor cards

Visitor cards do not need a photo. Print a large "VISITOR" label, a serial number and a different colour, and collect the card at the exit. Number them so a missing card is noticed the same day. Contractors working on site for weeks can get a photo card with an end date.

A simple process for new joiners and lost cards

Collect photo and details on the first day, in the same format as your existing staff list.
Batch small orders. Collect new joiners for a week or two and order their cards together.
Record every card. Keep the employee code, issue date and card status in your HR list.
Lost cards. Mark the old card as cancelled before printing a replacement.
Leavers. Collect the card on the last working day.

If you use HR software, staff ID cards can be printed straight from the employee record. TACHY's HR and payroll software does this, and its staff records can be sent to ICardPrint for printing.

Frequently asked questions

PVC or laminated paper? PVC lasts much longer and looks professional; laminated paper suits short-term or temporary cards. See PVC vs paper ID cards.

Single or double sided? Double-sided cards keep the front clean and put return and emergency details on the back.

How many cards should we order? Order for current staff plus a small number of spares for new joiners and replacements.

What does an employee ID card cost? Prices depend on quantity, sides and accessories. Current starting prices are on the price list, and employee ID cards can be ordered online.

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