Card Personalization Services

Plastic card personalization is the technological process of applying individual cardholder data – such as the card number, cardholder name, and other details – to a specific card. This is a critical stage in smart card production and an important safeguard against unauthorized use.

We provide personalization services for all types of smart cards, including banking cards (Mir, UnionPay, VISA, and MasterCard), fuel cards, transit cards, loyalty cards, and ID cards. Our proprietary, fully automated, and secure personalization technology for multifunctional cards allows us to collect data from multiple sources through different channels, match and analyze it, process it securely, and generate detailed reports.

In addition, you can order customer package assembly services and integration with your courier service’s IT systems. All processes comply with the strictest security requirements of the Mir payment system and international payment networks.

Our hands-on experience with a wide range of methods for transmitting and processing sensitive data allows us to meet virtually any client requirement for secure information exchange and to use that data effectively for card personalization. The country’s largest banks trust us with the personalization of their cards.

Types of Personalization::

Graphic Personalization

• Embossing

One of the most common personalization methods, embossing involves mechanically raising numbers or letters on the card surface. It is widely used for both bank cards and loyalty cards. The raised characters can also be color-filled (tipping), with standard colors being gold and silver.

• Indent Printing

This personalization method presses numbers or letters into the card surface and fills them with black or white ink. It is used for both bank cards and loyalty cards.

• Inkjet Printing

Visually similar to indent printing, but the data is printed on top of the card surface and feels slightly raised to the touch. Inkjet printing can be used for letters, numbers, and barcodes. The standard color is black, but upon request, the equipment can be upgraded to print in other colors. This method is suitable for a wide range of plastic cards, especially in projects that require high personalization speed and large volumes. It provides excellent resistance to wear while preserving both the tactile effect and visual clarity.

• Laser Engraving

One of the most durable personalization methods, performed under the laminate layer. It can be used on a wide variety of cards with virtually no limitations on character size. High personalization speed is achieved by using different types of equipment for different card formats.

Laser personalization requires a special laser-sensitive laminate, so this method must be planned from the very beginning of a project.

• Printing of Individual Data

For visual identification, a plastic card can be printed with an individual card number, cardholder name, and other personal data, such as a health insurance policy number, student ID number, or transit card number. This type of personalization is most commonly used on social cards, resident cards, and transit cards for discounted or benefit-eligible users. Individual data can be applied using various methods or a combination of methods. For each project, we select the optimal solution in terms of personalization speed and data processing workflow, based on your requirements.

• Signature Panel Application

An additional personalization option is the cardholder’s signature panel. A special layer is applied to the card surface, allowing the signature to be added with a ballpoint pen. The panel is usually placed on the back of the card. This feature is present on almost all bank cards, as well as on certain types of club and discount cards.

• Barcode

A widely used personalization method for plastic cards. A barcode consists of a series of lines and spaces of varying widths, grouped to represent readable characters. The most popular formats include EAN (EAN-8 with 8 digits and EAN-13 with 13 digits), UPC (UPC-A, UPC-E), Code 39, and Code 128 (UPC/EAN-128). We can implement all of these formats using our equipment.

• QR Code

A QR code is made up of black squares arranged in a square grid on a white background and can be read by image-processing devices. QR codes can store significantly more information than traditional barcodes and are used in relevant projects such as payment placards and resident cards.

• PIN Code with Scratch-Off Panel

Printing of individual secret codes covered by an opaque scratch-off layer. The scratch panel can be standard or customized with a company or brand name. This type of personalization is most often used for internet access cards, prepaid top-up cards (such as prepaid phone cards), prize cards, and similar products.

Electronic Personalization

Electronic personalization is the process of encoding personal data onto the card’s data carrier – either the chip module or the magnetic stripe. For each project, NovaCard creates a unique personalization profile, which is securely stored by the company and can be reused if the same batch or project needs to be reproduced.

• Magnetic Stripe Encoding

The magnetic stripe is a widely used data carrier. Magnetic stripe encoding is the process of recording information onto the stripe using specialized equipment. The main types of magnetic stripes are LoCo, MeCo, and HiCo. The key difference between them is their resistance to external magnetic fields: LoCo offers low resistance, MeCo medium, and HiCo high. A standard magnetic stripe has three data tracks, which are primarily used on bank cards. Loyalty cards typically use only one track.

• Contact and Contactless Chip Personalization

Plastic cards with contact and contactless chips are easy to use and widely adopted worldwide. These cards offer the highest level of security. NovaCard provides personalization for this type of card, including EMV-standard cards, in full compliance with the security requirements of the Mir payment system and international payment networks.