Rewritable ID cards can be printed, erased and used again, without using a printer ribbon for the rewritable print.
They aren't new technology, but they make particular sense for organisations that repeatedly issue temporary cards, visitor badges or event passes and want to reduce both consumable costs and plastic waste.
A rewritable card contains a thermo-sensitive surface that can be personalised by a compatible rewritable ID card printer.
Instead of transferring dye from a printer ribbon, the printer uses heat to make the required text and information visible. The same card can then be erased and printed again.
Our current rewritable plastic cards can be reused up to 500 times and are available for black or blue rewritable printing.
How does rewritable card printing work?
Load the card
Insert a compatible thermo-sensitive rewritable card into an ID card printer that supports rewrite technology.
Print using heat
The printer uses its thermal printhead to make the required text or information visible on the card without using a ribbon.
Erase and reuse
When the information is no longer needed, a compatible printer can erase the existing image and personalise the card again.
When do rewritable cards make sense?
Rewritable plastic cards work best where cardholder information changes regularly and the physical card can be returned and reused.
Visitor badges
Issue a temporary badge to a visitor, erase it after use and personalise the same card for the next visitor.
Temporary passes
Useful for contractors, temporary staff and short-term access passes where details regularly change.
Reusable event cards
Suitable where cards are collected after use and can be reused for future events or sessions.
Rewritable cards aren't the right answer for every ID card programme. They are best for simple temporary information and print in black or blue. For permanent full-colour photo ID cards, standard plastic cards and a colour ribbon are usually more appropriate.
How much can rewritable ID cards save?
Rewritable cards cost considerably more to buy than standard blank plastic cards, so looking only at the price of the pack can make them appear expensive.
The difference is that the same card can be used again.
Current consumable example
Using current The Card Network prices:
- 100 rewritable cards: £79.30, or 79.3p per physical card
- 100 recycled PVC cards: £9.00, or 9p per card
- 2,000-print black ribbon: £17.55, or about 0.88p per print
That puts a standard recycled card plus one monochrome print at approximately 9.88p per issued card.
The useful number isn't 500 reprints. It's about nine.
Once a 79.3p rewritable card has been successfully reused around nine times, its average card cost per use drops below the approximate cost of issuing a new recycled PVC card with a monochrome ribbon print each time.
| Scenario | Rewritable card cost per use | Approx. standard card + black print |
|---|---|---|
| Used once | 79.3p | 9.88p |
| Reused 10 times | 7.93p | 9.88p each time |
| Reused 50 times | 1.59p | 9.88p each time |
| Maximum 500 uses | 0.16p | 9.88p each time |
Example based on prices checked in August 2026 and compares card and monochrome ribbon consumables only. It excludes printer purchase price, cleaning supplies and other operating costs.
Could rewritable cards really save thousands?
Potentially, yes, but only if your organisation actually returns and reuses the cards.
At the maximum stated reuse figure, 100 rewritable cards could theoretically provide up to 50,000 card uses.
The initial card cost would be £79.30. Producing 50,000 equivalent single-use recycled PVC cards with a current 2,000-print black ribbon would cost approximately £4,938.75 in card and ribbon consumables.
That gives a theoretical maximum consumable saving of around £4,859.45.
Real life will be different. Some cards will be lost, damaged or not returned, and you may never get anywhere close to 500 uses from every card. That's why the roughly nine-use break-even point is a more useful way to decide whether rewritable printing suits your organisation.
Which ID card printers can print rewritable cards?
Rewrite technology isn't included on every plastic card printer, so check the printer specification before buying.
Current examples in our range include:
Magicard Pronto100
A compact automatic-feed ID card printer with rewrite technology for organisations producing smaller volumes of cards.
Magicard 300
A mid-volume direct-to-card printer with rewrite capability, suited to organisations printing cards regularly.
Evolis Primacy 2
A fast, higher-volume printer with rewrite technology included as standard, making it a strong option for busy visitor and card issuance environments.
Magicard 600
A higher-specification direct-to-card printer with rewrite technology and 600 x 300dpi print capability.
What about the sustainability benefit?
Reusing the same physical card means fewer cards need to be issued and discarded, which can reduce plastic consumption where temporary cards are currently treated as single-use.
If reducing the environmental impact of your wider ID card programme is a priority, read our guide to printing more sustainable ID cards for other options including recycled PVC, biodegradable cards and alternative materials.
Rewritable printing also removes the used ribbon from the process
Standard direct-to-card printing can leave cardholder information visible on a used printer ribbon. Rewritable printing does not use a ribbon for the rewritable image, so there isn't a finished ribbon carrying those temporary card details.
If you also produce conventional ID cards using printer ribbons, make sure used ribbons containing personal information are disposed of securely.
Read our guide: Why You Should Shred Your Printer Ribbon After Use .
You'll need compatible rewritable cards and an ID card printer with rewrite technology. If you're not sure whether your current printer supports rewritable cards, or which printer is best for a new project, ask us before ordering.
