Blank credit-card-size PVC contact smart card for identification, membership, access, loyalty and compatible smart-card applications, available with different contact IC chip configurations according to system requirements.

Product Overview

A Blank White PVC Contact IC Smart Card combines a plastic card body with an embedded integrated circuit and an exposed metallic contact module.

Unlike a plain PVC identification card, the card contains electronic memory or processing capability determined by the specific IC chip installed in the card.

The gold-coloured contact area visible on the card is the electrical interface used by a compatible contact smart-card reader.

These cards are available with different chip technologies and capabilities. Therefore, the appearance of a card alone is not sufficient to determine its chip type, memory capacity, protocol or compatibility.

Before ordering, the exact chip requirement should always be confirmed.

Learn First. Decide Second. Buy Only If It Is Right for Your Needs.

What Is a Contact IC Smart Card?

A contact smart card contains an integrated circuit embedded within the card body.

To communicate with the chip, the card is inserted into or placed in a compatible contact smart-card reader so that the reader's contacts physically connect with the metallic contact module.

Depending on the chip selected, a contact smart card may provide functions such as:

• Data storage
• Identification
• Authentication
• Controlled data access
• Application-specific information
• Read/write memory
• Security functions

The actual capabilities depend on the chip, not simply on the PVC card itself.

Blank White Card Format

Blank white cards provide an unprinted surface that may be suitable for subsequent card personalisation, depending on the card construction and printing method.

Possible personalisation can include:

• Company name
• Employee or member name
• Identification number
• Photograph
• Logo
• Barcode
• QR code
• Serial number
• Variable information

Printing compatibility must be checked before ordering.

Not every blank smart card is suitable for every direct-to-card, retransfer, inkjet, laser or other card-personalisation process.

Typical CR80 Card Size

This type of smart card is commonly manufactured in the CR80 / ID-1 format, approximately:

85.60 × 53.98 mm

with thickness commonly around:

0.76 mm / 30 mil

depending on the selected card construction.

CR80 is approximately the familiar credit-card-size format.

Exact dimensions and tolerances should be confirmed for the specific card being supplied.

Contact Chip Options

This is the most important specification to establish before purchasing.

Contact smart cards may be manufactured with different IC technologies, including various memory-card and processor-card families.

Examples found in the contact smart-card market include configurations based on chips such as SLE4442/SLE4428 and other memory or processor ICs.

However, NEOTECH® does not identify a card's chip merely from its appearance.

If your existing system requires a particular chip, please provide:

• Exact chip model
• Required memory
• Required protocol
• Existing card specification
• Reader model
• Software/system requirement

Where possible, providing the specification of an existing working card is preferable.

Contact Smart Card vs Contactless Smart Card

These technologies should not be confused.

Contact Smart Card

Has visible metallic electrical contacts.

The chip communicates through physical contact with a compatible reader.

Contactless Smart Card

Normally communicates using radio-frequency technology with a compatible contactless reader.

It does not require the same exposed electrical contact interface.

Dual-Interface or Combination Cards

Some specialised cards can incorporate more than one interface or technology.

Therefore, a customer asking for a “smart card” should always clarify whether the requirement is:

• Contact
• Contactless
• Dual-interface
• Or another specific technology

Technical Specifications

Product Type: Blank Contact IC Smart Card

Card Format: CR80 / ID-1 style

Typical Dimensions: Approximately 85.60 × 53.98 mm

Typical Thickness: Approximately 0.76 mm / 30 mil

Card Surface: Blank white

Card Material: PVC where specified

Interface: Contact

Chip: To be selected according to application

Printing: Depends on card construction and selected personalisation technology

Data Capability: Depends on installed IC

Read/Write Capability: Depends on installed IC

Security Functions: Depends on installed IC

Reader Compatibility: Must be verified against chip, protocol, reader and software

Specifications can vary according to the exact card and chip configuration ordered.

Applications

Depending on the selected chip and system, blank contact IC smart cards may be considered for applications such as:

• Employee identification
• Membership cards
• Loyalty programs
• Access-related systems
• Education and campus applications
• Stored information applications
• Equipment or system authentication
• Customer identification
• Application-specific smart-card projects

These examples do not mean that every contact chip supports every application.

System compatibility must be established first.

Card Printing and Personalisation

If the cards will be printed locally, please confirm the card printer being used.

Important considerations include:

• Printer manufacturer
• Printer model
• Direct-to-card or retransfer technology
• Single-sided or dual-sided printing
• Card thickness
• Chip-module position
• Required printable area
• Ribbon compatibility
• Encoding requirements

The embedded chip module reduces the uninterrupted printable area on the chip side of the card.

Artwork should therefore be designed around the chip location.

Encoding Is Different From Printing

Printing and electronic encoding are separate processes.

A card printer may be capable of printing an image onto the PVC surface without necessarily being capable of communicating with or programming the embedded contact chip.

Likewise, a contact smart-card reader/encoder may communicate with a supported chip without printing anything on the card.

If both printing and chip programming are required, the complete workflow should be verified.

Things to Verify Before Ordering

Please confirm:

• Contact or contactless requirement
• Exact chip model
• Memory requirement
• Required protocol
• CR80 size requirement
• Required card thickness
• Quantity
• Blank or pre-printed card
• Single-sided or dual-sided personalisation
• Card printer model
• Smart-card reader/encoder model
• Required read/write functionality
• Existing software/system compatibility
• Magnetic stripe requirement, if any
• Required surface finish
• Required artwork or personalisation
• Whether cards will be supplied blank or programmed

Do not select the card solely from a photograph.

Two cards that look almost identical externally can contain completely different electronic technologies.

Who Should Consider This Product?

This product category may be appropriate for organisations that already know which contact smart-card technology their application requires or are developing a system where the chip specification can be defined before procurement.

It can also be useful where blank cards will subsequently be printed or personalised for a compatible identification application.

Who May Need Another Solution?

A different product should be considered when the application requires:

• RFID proximity technology
• NFC
• Contactless operation
• UHF RFID
• Magnetic-stripe-only cards
• Plain PVC cards without electronics
• A specific secure processor technology
• A specific certified payment or government credential

The physical appearance of the card should never be used as the sole basis for selecting these technologies.

FAQ - IC Smart Card with Chip

Q: Is this a normal blank PVC card?

A: No. A contact IC smart card contains an electronic chip and a visible contact module. A normal blank PVC card does not contain this electronic smart-card functionality.

Q: Can you identify the chip from the gold contact area?

A: Not reliably. Similar contact modules can be used with different IC technologies. The exact chip specification should be obtained from the card manufacturer, existing card specification or system requirement.

Q: Is this an SLE4442 card?

A: It can only be described as SLE4442 when that exact chip has been specified and verified. SLE4442-type contact cards exist in this physical format, but the appearance alone does not prove that the pictured card contains that chip.

Q: Can these cards be printed with an ID card printer?

A: Potentially, depending on the card construction, surface and printer. Please provide the exact card-printer model before ordering so compatibility can be evaluated.

Q: Can NEOTECH® supply the cards already printed?

A: Customisation requirements should be evaluated separately based on quantity, artwork, chip specification, printing requirements and required personalisation. Artwork should be formally approved before customised production.

Q: Can the chip be programmed?

A: That depends on the specific IC, reader/encoder and software. A generic promise of programmability should not be made until the exact chip and system are known.

Related Products

Blank White PVC Cards

Contact IC Smart Cards

Contactless RFID Smart Cards

NFC Cards

Smart Card Readers

ID Card Printers

Card Printer Ribbons

Helpful Internal Links

NEOTECH® UAE

https://www.neotech.ae/

Why NEOTECH® UAE?

Smart cards should be selected by technology and compatibility, not merely by appearance.

For a contact IC card, identifying the required chip, protocol, reader and software before ordering can prevent purchasing cards that physically look correct but cannot communicate with the customer's system.

Learn First. Decide Second. Buy Only If It Is Right for Your Needs.

The NEOTECH® Learning Center is free and open to everyone. You do not need to be a NEOTECH® customer to access or benefit from our educational content. Learn at your own pace, explore the information freely, and make informed decisions based on your own needs. There is no obligation or pressure to purchase from NEOTECH®.

There is no obligation or pressure to purchase. Customers are encouraged to verify the exact chip, protocol, reader, software and card-printer compatibility before ordering.

Delivery – UAE

Delivery available within UAE.

Delivery timing depends on destination and order confirmation.

For customised or encoded cards, production requirements should be confirmed separately before an order is accepted.

Contact NEOTECH® UAE

Website: https://www.neotech.ae/

Email: support@neotech.ae

Address: Store 13, Computer Bldg, Al Fahidi, Bur Dubai, Dubai 44245, United Arab Emirates

Disclaimer - NEOTECH® UAE

The photograph is representative of a contact-chip smart-card format and should not be treated as confirmation of a particular chip model, memory capacity, protocol, manufacturer or electronic specification.

Smart-card compatibility depends on the exact IC, protocol, reader/encoder, software and application. Customers should provide their required chip specification or existing system details before ordering.

Any reference to example chip families is educational and does not mean that a particular chip is included unless it is specifically identified and confirmed in the quotation or order documentation.

There is absolutely no obligation or pressure to proceed with the purchase with us.

Last Updated: 07 September 2026  (GST, UTC+4)