Identification Card Formats and ID Card Specifications

There are three formats used for ID cards that are defined by ISO (Organization of Standards) 7810. They are ID-1, ID-2, and ID-3. These standards define the physical characteristics of an ID card, like its thickness, weight, and dimension. They also set standards for technical ID card specifications like smart cards, chips, magnetic stripes, and more. Here is a breakdown of specifications for ID card formats:

ID-1 Identification Card

An ID-1 format defines the size of an ID card in this category to be 3.370 × 2.125 in., equal to 85.60 × 53.98 mm. PVC ID cards, bank cards, driver's licenses, loyalty cards, and business cards are all examples of ID-1 formatting.

There are other specific modifications that also apply to the ID-1 format, such as:

ISO 7811- this card defines several ways for adding data to ID-1 identification cards, such as different magnetic recording formats and embossed characters.

ISO 7813 - defines more properties of ID-1 plastic banking cards. A thickness of 0.76 mm is required, as are rounded corners with a radius of 3.18 mm.

ISO 7816 - defines ID-1 identification cards as smart cards (with an embedded chip) that communicate with readers to identify serial data and other important information.

ISO 14443 - defines ID-1 identification cards as those containing a magnetic loop antenna that operates at 13.56 MHz (RFID) and an embedded chip (proximity card). More recently, a cryptographically signed file format and secure method for storing biometric features is required for machine-readable travel documents. This definition also specifies RFID chips.

ID-2 Identification Card

The ID-2 Identification Card Format is much simpler than the first one as it simply refers to a larger sized identity document. The ID-2 format defines a size of 4.134 × 2.913 in., equal to 105 × 74 mm. This larger format ensures that the card is small enough to fit in your wallet, but large enough that you can see a sharp, clear and recognizable photo.

ID-3 Identification Card

Bigger than the ID-1 and ID-2 identification card formats, the ID-3 format defines a size of 4.921 × 3.465 in., equal to 125 × 88 mm. This is a size most commonly known and used for visas and passports. The ID-3 identification card format includes the ICAO Document 9303, which defines the format of machine-readable travel documents through the optical character recognition lines found on the bottom of most visas and passports.