Plastic Membership Cards Printing for Clubs and Gyms

A Membership Card does two jobs. It proves someone belongs, and it makes them feel like they belong. A full-colour plastic card with the member's name and number tells them they are part of something, whether that is a football club, a gym, an RSL, a library, a car club or a professional association.

Plastic lasts. A 0.76mm PVC card at 86 x 54mm, the same size as a credit card, survives wallets, pockets and kit bags for years, so you are not reprinting cards every season. And because every card can carry a barcode, QR code, magnetic stripe or RFID chip, the card can check members in, track attendance, apply discounts and open doors.

Most Membership Cards are personalised. Send us a spreadsheet or CSV with one row per member, and we print each card with the details you choose:

• Member name
• Member number, either from your list or as a sequential run ($50 per run for numbering)
• A unique barcode or QR code that matches the number ($50 per run)
• Membership level, such as Gold, Senior, Junior or Life Member
• Expiry date or season year

Variable data printing such as names or numbers from a list is $100 per run. We check the data on your free proof, so you can confirm the first few cards are right before the full run prints. Barcodes print black on a white panel with clear space around them so they scan first time at the front desk.

How your members use the card depends on your software and hardware:

• Barcode or QR code: the simplest option for check-in apps, club software and POS discounts. See Barcode Gift Cards for how we set up codes.
• Magnetic stripe: for swipe readers and older POS systems, from $60 with encoding included. See Magnetic Stripe Plastic Cards.
• RFID chip: for door entry, turnstiles and 24/7 gym access. Chip Cards are quoted to your system, see RFID & NFC Cards.

Tell us your software or reader brand when you order and we confirm the right format before anything prints.

Many members would rather carry their membership on their keyring than in their wallet. Plastic Keytags are 54 x 29mm and can carry the same barcode and number as the card. If you want both, Plastic Combo Cards give each member a wallet card with snap-off Keytags carrying the same code.

Membership Cards use our standard plastic card prices: 2,000 for $790, 5,000 for $1,744 and 10,000 for $2,855. Every price includes full-colour printing on both sides, GST, a free digital proof and free delivery Australia-wide. Options such as numbering, barcodes and variable data are added per run, not per card, so the more members you print, the less each card costs.

Running a big renewal each season? Your artwork stays on file, so next year you only send the new member list.

Sports clubs print season cards with player names and numbers, see sports club cards. Gyms and fitness centres use barcode or RFID cards for check-in and door access, see gym Membership Cards. Swim centres use them for lesson programs and multi-visit passes, see swim centre cards. RSLs, bowling clubs and golf clubs use Membership Cards for entry, member pricing and points. Associations and libraries use them as photo-free ID and borrowing cards. If you reward customers rather than members, see Plastic Loyalty Cards.

For most clubs, cards are printed once a year when memberships renew. The easiest way to run it:

• Export your member list from your club software or spreadsheet with one row per member
• Decide which details print on the card, such as name, number, level and season
• Send the list with your artwork, or keep last year's artwork on file and just change the year
• Check the first cards on your free proof
• Approve and we print the whole run, in the same order as your list so cards are easy to sort and hand out

Late joiners mid-season? Keep a small stock of blank-name cards with numbers already printed, and add the member's name with a label or pen in the signature panel (from $50).

Most clubs and businesses do not need photos on their cards, and leaving them off makes printing faster and cheaper. A name, number and barcode is enough for check-in and discounts. If you need photo ID for staff or security, tell us when you request a quote and we will advise the best option.

Your card should look like it belongs to your organisation. Use your logo and colours on the front, with a clear title such as Member, Season 2027 or Gold Member. Put the variable details, the barcode and any terms on the back, or on the front if staff need to see the name at a glance.

Many clubs use a different colour for each membership level, such as gold for Life Members, blue for seniors and green for juniors. We can print several designs in one order, so each level has its own look while sharing the same price break. Templates for the 86 x 54mm card are on our Artwork Templates page, and design help is $79 with no changes or $149 with up to two revisions.

A Membership Card is also a marketing tool. Print a short list of member benefits on the back, such as discounts at partner businesses, member pricing at the bar or free guest passes, and members will use the card more often. Sponsors often like their logo on the card too, which can help cover the cost of the run. If you sell memberships as gifts, a matching Plastic Gift Card or printed holder makes it easy.

Not every club needs every option. Here is how most organisations choose:

• Small community clubs usually print the club logo, member name and season year. A sequential number ($50 per run) is handy if you check members against a list.
• Clubs with a bar or canteen discount add a barcode ($50 per run) so the POS applies member pricing automatically.
• Licensed clubs and RSLs often use a magnetic stripe (from $60, encoding included) to match their existing member system.
• Gyms and 24/7 facilities use RFID chips for door entry, quoted to the reader, often with a barcode for the front desk.
• Associations and professional bodies print member names, numbers and expiry dates from their database ($100 per run for variable data).

If you are moving from an old card to a new design, send us a photo of a current card and we will make sure the new cards scan the same way. Every option is shown on your free proof, so you can check the layout before anything is printed or charged.

Still deciding? Request a quote with your member numbers, the software you use and a photo of any current card, and we will recommend the simplest setup that works for your club, with every option and price listed clearly before you order.