How Long Does Plastic Card Printing Take in the UK?

What affects the timing?

Proof approval and payment: the clock starts when you have approved your proof and paid. If you send files that need revision, that adds days before production begins.

Extras: our 7 working days include optional extras such as signature strips, embossing and magnetic strips.

Large orders: if you need more than the quantities in our price tables, tell us your deadline when you ask for a quote.

Postal proof: if you add a postal proof to your order, allow around 5 working days for it before the full order goes ahead. It’s optional, costs £65 +vat and is for full colour cards only.

Our production times

• Standard production: 7 working days from proof approval and payment
• Express production: 3 to 4 working days. Ask us for cost and availability
• Postal proof, if you add one: around 5 working days before the full order
• Bureau personalisation of cards we hold for you: please allow 3 working days

How to avoid delays

• Submit print-ready artwork first time. Incorrect files are the most common cause of delays
• Approve proofs promptly. Sitting on a digital proof for three days adds three days to your delivery
• Confirm your data file (for variable data jobs) is complete and correctly formatted before submission
• Order with a buffer. If you need cards for a launch event on a specific date, add 5 working days to your expected lead time as a safety margin
• Tell us your deadline upfront, and we’ll confirm whether we can meet it before you commit

Delivery

We send orders by courier, and a signature is required on delivery. Delivery to England is the next working day, and our delivery prices show the timing for other areas. Delivery time comes on top of production time, and timescales can change at the courier’s discretion, for example in bad weather.