Design Your Own Double-Sided Plastic ID Card and Let Us Print It for You

If you’ve already designed the front and back of your own ID card and want to get it professionally printed onto a proper plastic card, we can help. At The Card Project UK, we print high-quality double-sided cards using your uploaded artwork. You design it, we print it.

This service is for people who already have both sides of their ID card designed and ready to go. Maybe it’s a staff badge, a cosplay prop, a club membership card, or something personal. Whatever the reason, if you’ve created your own layout and just need it turned into a plastic card, we’ll print both sides and post it out — fast.

If you only need printing on one side, we also offer a single-sided card service.

Get the Right Size for Custom ID Card Printing – Front and Back

To print your design correctly, we need two separate image files: one for the front, one for the back. Each one needs to be exactly 1036 pixels wide and 660 pixels high. This is the fixed size our printing system uses.

If your file is too small, it might print blurry or pixelated. If it’s too large, parts may get cut off. We don’t crop, resize or adjust anything — what you upload is what we print. That’s why the size matters.

You can use any design software, app or online tool that lets you create a canvas at the exact pixel size. Photoshop, Canva, GIMP, Illustrator and many phone apps will work, as long as they allow full control over the image dimensions.

Save Your ID Card Files in the Right Format

Once you’ve finished designing both sides of your ID card, save each image as a PNG or JPEG file. These formats keep the lines sharp and the colours strong. Avoid screenshots or copied images from elsewhere — they may not be high enough quality to print clearly.

Make sure the image is clean and not blurry. If the original design is poor quality, it will still look poor once printed. There’s no automatic fix at our end — we print exactly what you upload.

Use Bleed to Avoid White Edges on Your Printed Card

If your ID card design includes a background colour, full-image layout or pattern that runs right to the edges, you’ll need to include bleed. This helps avoid thin white borders after trimming.

The file size stays the same — 1036 x 660 pixels — but you should stretch your background into the full canvas area. Don’t put any important content (like text or faces) too close to the edge. Keep all critical parts inside a central safe area — 1028 x 652 pixels — so they’re not trimmed accidentally.

The bleed only applies to backgrounds, images and colours that are meant to fill the card. It doesn’t mean increasing the file size or changing the layout. Just give the background room to extend to the edge.

Why Colour Might Look Different in Print Than On Screen

What you see on your computer or phone is in RGB colour. What our printers use is CMYK. These two colour systems don’t always match exactly, so colours may look slightly different once printed. This is completely normal for any printing service.

Some colours print darker, some print lighter, and certain tones shift more than others. And again, that’s normal for any print service. If your design has very light colours or low contrast between text and background, it might be hard to read on the finished card.

We recommend using strong contrast — dark text on a light background, or vice versa. Avoid very pale colours unless they’re purely decorative. Anything that’s meant to be read should be bold, dark and easy to see, even at a small size.

Double-Sided Plastic ID Cards Are the Same Size as a Credit Card

The finished card will be 86mm wide and 54mm high — exactly the same as a bank card. That’s smaller than it might appear on your screen, so be careful with small fonts or fine lines. Text that looks readable on a big monitor may be too tiny once printed at actual size. Visualise a credit card when you create your design as that's what you're working with.

We always recommend keeping your fonts large and clear. Choose simple styles, avoid thin lines, and make sure there’s enough spacing between lines of text. This helps avoid blurring and keeps your card easy to read.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Uploading Your Own Card Design

Before you upload your designs, check both files carefully. Here’s what to watch out for:

• File size must be 1036 x 660 pixels for both front and back

• All text, logos and faces should stay inside the 1028 x 652 safe area

• File type should be PNG or JPEG

• Don’t use blurry images, screenshots or low-resolution files

• Avoid placing text too close to the edge

• Backgrounds and images should go right to the edge if needed

• Don’t rely on pale colours or fine lines — they may not print clearly

If you’re not sure whether your file is suitable, it’s worth zooming in and double-checking everything at full size. Once you upload your file and place your order, we print it exactly as it is.

This service is print-only. We don’t edit, fix or tidy up your design. If something is missing, badly aligned or hard to read, it will look the same on the printed card.

We recommend treating your design like a finished piece of artwork. Check spelling. Look at alignment. Make sure images are clear. Test the layout at credit card size if you can.

You’re in full control of the design — we simply print it.

Place Your Order and Get Your Double-Sided ID Card Printed by The Card Project UK

Once you’ve checked your files and saved both sides as PNG or JPEG, you’re ready to upload and order. Use the upload button on the product page to order your front and back designs.

We print onto biodegradable plastic cards that are the same size and shape as standard credit cards. They’re durable, smooth and printed using professional equipment. Most orders are dispatched within 24 hours, and you can choose your preferred delivery option at checkout.

You design the card. We print it. That’s it.