Print · NFC Cards · v2026
How to Print on NFC Cards
Thermal transfer, UV flatbed, or inkjet on PVC — which one to use, what file to send, and which blank NFC cards to buy.
- Printer models
- 51
- Card finishes
- 5
- Chip
- NTAG213
fig. 01 · CR80 PVC · NTAG213 · thermal-ready
Step 01 · Choose a workflow
Three printing workflows, three card finishes.
A blank PVC NFC card is only compatible with the printer it was coated for. Pick a workflow below — then use the picker to confirm the exact SKU for your model.
Authoritative for LINQS inventory
as of today
Thermal ID-card printers
Zebra ZC / ZXP · Fargo DTC / HDP · Evolis Primacy · Magicard Rio Pro · IDP Smart · Matica XID · Entrust Sigma · Pointman Nuvia
Recommended card
White Printable PVC NFC Card (NTAG213)
UV flatbed printers
Mimaki UJF-3042MkII / 6042MkII · Roland VersaUV LEF-series · Mutoh XpertJet 461UF
Recommended card
PVC Matte NFC Card (NTAG213)
PVC-tray inkjet printers
Epson L805 / L850 / L1800 / L8050 · Canon Pixma MG3670 / TS707 / iP7270
Recommended card
PVC Inkjet NFC Card (NTAG213, coated)
No printing · encode only
Cheapest starting point when the card just holds a URL, vCard, Wi-Fi credential, or NDEF record.
Plain PVC NFC Card (NTAG213)
Visible tap indicator
Built-in LED flashes on every successful read — use at counters and checkouts where customers need confirmation.
PVC LED NFC Card (White)
Step 02 · Pick your exact model
Printer-to-card picker
Select a brand, then a model. The picker returns the matching LINQS card SKU.
Interactive picker
Which NFC card fits your printer?
Select a printer brand and model. The picker returns the correct LINQS card SKU, the printing technology involved, and a direct link to the product.
Printer not listed? Send the brand and model on the Bulk / Custom Quote form and LINQS will confirm the correct blank and ship sample cards for a test run before a full order.
The Problem
Blank PVC NFC cards look nearly identical across the market, but each printer family requires a different surface. Thermal ID-card printers (Zebra, Fargo, Evolis, Magicard, IDP) need a thermal-ready white blank. PVC-tray inkjet printers (Epson, Canon) need a card with an inkjet-receptive topcoat — uncoated blanks bead the ink. UV flatbed printers (Mimaki, Roland, Mutoh) print cleanest on a matte finish that anchors the white-ink underlay. Ordering the wrong finish is the single most common reason a print run fails. LINQS stocks five card variants — Plain (encode-only), White Printable (thermal), Inkjet (coated), Matte (UV), and LED — each matched to a specific workflow. This guide maps common printer brands and models to the right card, and flags the three issues that actually break print runs: wrong finish for the printer, excessive lamination heat, and poorly prepared artwork.
Who This Is For
- In-house ID / badge teams with a thermal card printer (Zebra, Fargo, Evolis, Magicard, IDP)
- Print shops and signage studios running UV flatbed printers (Mimaki, Roland, Mutoh)
- Small businesses using PVC-tray inkjet setups (Epson L-series, Canon Pixma with PVC tray)
- Resellers who buy blanks in bulk and print-on-demand for end clients
- Bulk buyers who want custom-printed NFC cards but are unsure which finish to spec
Quick Decision Rules
- 1You own a thermal ID-card printer (dye-sub / retransfer)Order the White Printable PVC NFC Card — thermal-ready blank, works out of the box on Zebra, Fargo, Evolis, Magicard, IDP
- 2You use a PVC-tray inkjet (Epson L-series, Canon Pixma)Order the PVC Inkjet NFC Card. It has an inkjet-receptive topcoat. Do not use plain or printable PVC blanks for inkjet — they bead ink
- 3You use a UV flatbedThe PVC Matte NFC Card is the preferred blank. Matte finish holds white-ink underlay and full-colour UV curing cleanly
- 4You need full edge-to-edge artworkUse the PVC Matte card on UV flatbed, or a retransfer thermal printer (HDP / Evolis Avansia) on the White Printable blank
- 5You need < 100 pieces with full-colour artworkUV flatbed on Matte cards, or our managed print via /bulk-quote is cheaper than buying a printer
- 6You need 500+ pieces with a consistent ID layoutThermal retransfer on White Printable cards or our managed offset print is the best cost-per-card
- 7You plan to pouch-laminate after printingUse low-temp pouches (under ~140°C) and keep dwell short; NTAG chips tolerate retransfer heat but not prolonged industrial lamination
- 8You want an indicator-lit tap targetUse the PVC LED Card White (lights up on read) instead of a printed-only card
- 9You just need a blank to encode with no printingThe PVC Plain NFC Card is the cheapest starting point
- 10Artwork includes small text or barcodesRetransfer or UV on Matte; direct-to-card dye-sub can blur fine detail at 300 dpi
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Running inkjet through a Plain or White Printable PVC blank — they are not inkjet-coated. Use the PVC Inkjet NFC Card instead
- Running NFC cards through a laser printer (toner fuser temperatures can damage the chip and warp the card)
- Pouch-laminating at generic office-grade settings (140–160°C for 60+ seconds) without testing a sample first
- Sending full-bleed artwork to a direct-to-card printer — direct-to-card has a ~1–2 mm non-print border
- Assuming every "printable" blank is also inkjet-compatible — our White Printable blank is thermal-only
- Printing over the chip / antenna area with thick ink layers — chip area can show through on textured finishes
- Not leaving a 3 mm safe zone around the chip when designing artwork with QR codes or dense blocks
- Buying NTAG216 (888 bytes) cards just because the URL is "long" — in most cases NTAG213 (144 bytes) is enough and cheaper
Recommended Products
White Printable PVC NFC Card (NTAG213) — Thermal
Thermal-transfer ready for Zebra, Fargo, Evolis, Magicard, IDP ID-card printers. Blank white PVC with NXP NTAG213. From ₹18/pc ex-GST at 1000-pack.
PVC Inkjet NFC Card (NTAG213)
Inkjet-receptive topcoat for PVC-tray inkjet printers (Epson L-series, Canon Pixma). Use this — not the plain or printable blank — for inkjet workflows.
PVC Matte NFC Card (NTAG213)
Preferred blank for UV flatbed printing (Mimaki, Roland, Mutoh). Matte surface holds white-ink underlay and full-colour UV ink cleanly.
PVC Plain NFC Card (NTAG213)
Cheapest entry blank — order when you need to encode only, no printing. Standard white PVC with NXP NTAG213.
PVC LED NFC Card (White)
Card lights up briefly on every read. Use when the tap target needs a visible confirmation indicator.
NFC Cards Collection
All PVC NFC card SKUs together — pick the chip (NTAG213/215/216) first, then match the finish to your printer.
Bulk / Custom Print Quote
For managed print runs: we print your artwork on thermal retransfer, UV, or offset and ship ready-encoded cards. Quote in 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Order the White Printable PVC NFC Card. It is thermal-transfer ready and runs through direct-to-card printers including Zebra ZC100, ZC300, ZC350 and ZXP Series 1, 3, 7, 9; Fargo DTC1250e, DTC4250e, DTC4500e; Evolis Primacy, Primacy 2, Zenius, Badgy100, Badgy200; Magicard Rio Pro 360, Pronto100, Enduro3e, 300, 600; IDP Smart-31, Smart-51, Smart-70; Matica XID8300; Entrust Sigma DS1, DS2, DS3 and CD800; and Pointman Nuvia N10, N20, N25. The same blank also works on retransfer printers such as Fargo HDP5000, HDP5600, HDP8500; Evolis Avansia; and Matica XID8300/8600, which print edge-to-edge through a retransfer film. No modification is needed — load the card in the printer like any other PVC card and print a test card to confirm offset and chip-area clearance.