You Design It, We Print It – How to Print Your Own Custom Single-Sided Plastic ID Card with The Card Project UK

If you want to print your own one sided design onto a plastic card, our single-sided upload service makes it simple. You create the design using any software or app that allows you to export an image at the right size. We print it onto a high-quality, credit card-sized plastic card using professional printing equipment.

Your finished card will be exactly the same size as a standard credit card — 86mm by 54mm. Keep this in mind during the design stage. Text that looks large on screen may appear much smaller once printed at actual size. To get the best result, use bold fonts and make sure all details are clear and easy to read.

This guide explains how to prepare your file so your design prints cleanly, fits the layout, and doesn’t get cut off at the edges.

Please note: this listing is for a single-sided card. If you need a double-sided version, we also offer that, you can find out more about that right here.

Exact Image Size Required for Custom Plastic ID Card Printing

Your design must be exactly 1036 pixels wide by 660 pixels high. This is the fixed image size used by our printing system. We do not resize or move anything, so your file needs to be correctly sized before upload.

You can use any design software that lets you set a custom canvas size. Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator, and similar tools all work well. You can also use a mobile app, as long as it allows you to control the pixel size and save your file in a suitable format.

Your finished image should be saved as a PNG or JPEG. These formats help keep edges sharp and colours clear when printed.

How to Add Bleed to a Single-Sided ID Card Design

If your design has a background colour, photo, or pattern that goes all the way to the edge of the card, you’ll need to include bleed. Bleed helps avoid thin white borders and gives the printed card a clean edge-to-edge finish.

You don’t need to make your file bigger — it should still be 1036 x 660 pixels. Instead, set up your design like this:

• Keep all important content (text, faces, logos) inside a 1028 x 652 pixel safe area

• Extend any background colour or pattern into the outer 8 pixels along the right and bottom edges

This keeps your key content away from the edges while allowing background elements to run fully to the card’s borders.

Printed Colours Might Not Match Screen Colours Exactly

When you view your design on a screen, it uses RGB colour. Our printers use CMYK. These two colour systems work differently, so you might notice some changes in colour once your design is printed. This happens with all types of printing and is not specific to our service.

We print your image exactly as you upload it. If your design includes very light colours, or there isn’t much contrast between text and background, check that everything is still readable. For example, white or pale yellow text on a light background might look fine on screen but may be hard to see once printed.

Choose strong contrast and avoid very faint colours to help your design stand out.

Avoid These Common Mistakes When Creating Your ID Card Design

Before you upload your design, check the following:

• Your image is exactly 1036 x 660 pixels

• All text and logos are inside the 1028 x 652 pixel safe area

• The file is saved as a PNG or JPEG

• The image is high quality — not pixelated or blurry

• Text is bold and readable

• No fine lines or small fonts that might blur at credit card size

• No key elements are placed too close to the edges

Your printed card will be 86mm x 54mm — the same size as a standard bank card. This is smaller than it appears on most screens, so always avoid small fonts or fine detail that might not come through clearly in print. Keep text simple, clear and bold.

We Print What You Upload – No Adjustments Are Made

We do not make any changes to your file. That means no resizing, no layout tweaks, and no colour adjustments. The image you upload is exactly what we print.

If your file is set up properly, the result will be a sharp, clean, professionally printed plastic card. If your file has issues like low resolution, missing bleed, or small, unreadable text, those problems will appear on the finished card. We don’t fix files after upload, so it’s important to double-check everything before placing your order.

Do a Final Check Before Uploading Your Custom Card Design

Before uploading your image to the product page, go through this checklist:

• File format is PNG or JPEG

• Image size is exactly 1036 x 660 pixels

• Design includes background bleed if needed

• All important text and content is within the safe area

• Fonts are clear and not too small

• The image is high resolution

Once your image is uploaded and your order is placed, we’ll print your design onto a high-quality plastic card using professional card printers. The card is made from biodegradable plastic and matches the size of a regular credit card.

From Your Screen to Our Printer – Upload and Order Your Custom Single-Sided Plastic ID Card from The Card Project UK

If your design is complete and set up correctly, you're ready to order. Upload your file, place your order, and we’ll handle the printing. We aim to dispatch all orders within 24 hours and we offer a range of delivery options at the checkout. Whether it’s for work, a costume, a gift or a personal project, we’ll turn your design into a proper plastic card that’s made to last.

Ready to go? Upload your design and order now to get your custom ID card professionally printed and delivered to your door — no edits, no delays, just your design made real.