What to Put on a Membership Card – Details & Wording Guide
You know your club needs membership cards, but what should actually go on them? Too little information and the card doesn’t do its job; too much and it looks cluttered and costs more to produce. This guide walks you through the essentials every card needs, the optional extras worth considering, and suggested wording you can copy straight into your design – whatever type of club or organisation you run.
Already know what you need? Get your membership card quote here – we aim to email it within 10 minutes during working hours.
The Four Essentials Every Membership Card Needs
Whatever your club, these four details are the backbone of the card. If you include nothing else, include these:
1. Club or organisation name and logo – The most prominent element on the card. If your club has a badge, crest or logo, this is where it earns its keep – a card with a proper crest instantly feels more official than text alone. If you don’t have a logo, our design service can create your card layout from as little as a rough sketch.
2. Member’s name – A card without a name can be passed to anyone. Printing each member’s name makes the card personal to them and lets committee members, bar staff or bailiffs check it against ID if ever needed. We print individual names from a simple Excel file – see how personalisation works further down this page.
3. Membership number – A unique number ties the card to your records. It matters more than it looks: when a member phones up, emails, or turns up at the door, the number is the quickest way to find them in your system. Numbers can be sequential (0001, 0002…) or match an existing database if you already have one.
4. Validity – expiry date or season year – This is the detail clubs most often get wrong, so it’s worth a moment’s thought. You have four realistic options:
| Option | Example wording | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Season year | 2026/27 Season | Sports clubs with annual renewals. Simple, and everyone’s card expires together. |
| Fixed expiry date | Valid until 31 March 2027 | Clubs with rolling memberships that start at different times of year. |
| No date – permanent card | Member since 2019 | Clubs that check membership against a database or app. Cards never go out of date, so no annual reprint. |
| Write-on date panel | Valid until: ________ | Small clubs that want one batch of cards to last several years – the date is written on at renewal. |
Cost tip: printing a year on the card means new cards every season – which many clubs like, as members enjoy collecting them. If you’d rather one card lasts for years, leave the date off entirely or use a write-on panel, and validate membership at the door or by database instead.
Optional Details – and When Each One Earns Its Place
Everything below is optional. The test for each one is simple: does the card need to do this job, or does something else already do it?
| Detail | Add it when… | Skip it when… |
|---|---|---|
| Member photo | The card controls access to something valuable – gyms, leisure clubs, licensed premises – and you need to stop cards being shared. | You’re a small hobby or sports club where everyone knows each other. Photos add admin at renewal time. |
| Membership level or type | Different members have different rights – Full Member, Junior, Senior, Social, Life Member – and staff need to see the difference at a glance. Many clubs use a different card colour per level. | All members have identical rights. |
| Barcode or QR code | You scan members in at the door, till or turnstile, or want the QR code to link to your website, renewal page or digital rulebook. | Nobody will ever scan it. A barcode with no scanner is just decoration. |
| Magnetic stripe or RFID | You have (or are installing) swipe or tap entry systems – common for gyms and leisure clubs. See our RFID smart cards. | You have no reader hardware – and no plans for any. |
| Signature strip | You want the member to sign their own card – a simple, cheap layer of verification. The majority of membership cards we print include one. | The card already carries a photo, or is never checked in person. |
| Emergency contact panel | Members are out on their own doing something with real risk – angling, sailing, walking, running, cycling. A write-on panel: ICE contact: ________ | Activity happens in a supervised venue. |
| Club contact details / website | Almost always worth it on the back – it turns every card into a small advert for the club. | Space is genuinely tight and the QR code already does this job. |
| Joining date | Long service means something in your club – Member since 1998 is a badge of honour. | It adds nothing your records don’t already hold. |
Front or Back? Where Each Detail Belongs
All our membership cards are printed full colour on both sides at no extra cost, so use both. The convention that works for almost every club:
Front of card
Club name and logo – big and proud
Member’s name
Membership number
Membership level (if used)
Season year or expiry date
Photo (if used)
Back of card
Barcode, QR code or magnetic stripe
Signature strip or write-on panels
Club website, email and phone number
Terms wording (see below)
“If found” return line
Sponsor logos (a nice way to give sponsors year-round visibility)
Rule of thumb: no more than four or five pieces of information on the front. A membership card is bank-card size – when in doubt, move it to the back or leave it off. A clean card looks more professional than a crowded one, every time.
Standard Wording You Can Copy
These lines appear on thousands of the membership cards we print. Copy them as they are, or adapt to suit:
Ownership and transfer
This card remains the property of [Club Name] and must be returned on request.
This card is not transferable and may only be used by the named member.
Conditions of use
Admission subject to club rules.
This card must be carried at all times whilst on club premises / waters / grounds. (pick the word that fits your club)
Use of this card constitutes acceptance of the club rules, available at [website].
Lost cards
If found, please return to: [Club Name], [Address].
Lost or stolen cards should be reported to [email] – a replacement fee may apply.
Verification
Not valid unless signed.
Photo ID may be requested with this card.
Suggested Details by Type of Club
Every club is different, but these combinations are what we most commonly print for each sector:
| Type of club | Typical details | Wording worth adding |
|---|---|---|
| Angling & fishing clubs | Name, membership number, season year, permit type (e.g. full / concession / junior), signature strip | This card must be produced on demand to any bailiff or officer of the club. |
| Golf clubs | Name, membership number, membership category (full / 5-day / social / junior), year, often a photo | Handicap enquiries: [pro shop phone] – and CDH/WHS number if your members want it to hand. |
| Gyms & leisure clubs | Name, member number, photo, barcode/QR or RFID for entry, expiry date | This card must be presented or scanned on every visit. |
| Social & working men’s clubs | Name, membership number, year, signature strip, often membership class | Members may sign in up to [X] guests. Guests must be accompanied at all times. |
| Running, cycling & athletics clubs | Name, membership number, season year, emergency contact panel on the back | ICE contact: ________ plus England Athletics / British Cycling number if affiliated. |
| Sailing, boating & yachting clubs | Name, membership number, year, berth or boat name panel, emergency contact | Boat name: ________ Berth: ________ |
| Shooting & archery clubs | Name, membership number, photo, expiry date, membership class | This card must be carried at all times whilst on club grounds and produced on request. |
| Snooker, pool & games clubs | Name, membership number, year, signature strip | Table bookings: [phone / website] |
| Trade bodies & professional associations | Name, membership grade (e.g. Associate / Fellow), registration number, expiry date, QR code to online register | Verify this membership at [website] – the QR code can point straight at your public register. |
Want to see how other clubs have laid these details out? Browse our membership card examples by club type.
How Individual Names and Numbers Get Onto the Cards
You don’t need to do anything technical – there are three ways to handle member details, in increasing order of polish:
1. Write-on panels. We print the card with blank panels (Name: ________) and you fill them in by hand as members join. Cheapest option, and one batch of cards covers new joiners all year.
2. Variable data printing. Send us an Excel file with names, numbers, expiry dates or any other details, and we print each card individually – including unique barcodes and QR codes if needed. Every member gets a fully personalised card in one production run.
3. Bureau personalisation. We print your card stock and hold it here. As new members join through the year, email us the details and we’ll personalise and post cards within 3 working days – no printer, software or card stock cluttering your clubhouse. Full details on our bureau personalisation service page.
A Quick Word on Personal Data
A membership card is carried in a wallet and occasionally lost, so print only what the card needs to do its job. A name and membership number is fine; a member’s home address, date of birth or phone number on the card itself is asking for trouble if it’s ever found by the wrong person – and it’s data you’re responsible for under UK GDPR. Keep the personal details in your membership records, and keep the card lean.
Your Membership Card Details Checklist
Club name and logo – front, prominent
Member name – printed, or a write-on panel
Membership number – sequential or matched to your records
Validity – season year, expiry date, write-on panel, or deliberately none
Membership level – if members have different rights
Barcode / QR / magnetic stripe / RFID – only if something will read it
Signature strip – cheap verification, used on most cards we print
Club contact details and website on the back
Ownership and “not transferable” wording
“If found, return to…” line
Emergency contact panel – for outdoor and solo-activity clubs
No sensitive personal data the card doesn’t need
Ready to Get Your Membership Cards Printed?
Send us your details – even a rough list of what you want on the card is enough to start – and we’ll email your personalised quote within 10 minutes during working hours. Every order includes a free photorealistic proof, free UK delivery, and printing here in England. Minimum order just 25 cards.
Get your quote now or ask us a question.
Membership Card Details – FAQs
What details should be on a membership card?
Every membership card should include the club or organisation name and logo, the member’s name, a membership number and a validity period such as an expiry date or season year. Optional details include a photo, barcode or QR code, membership level, signature strip and contact details for the club.
Should a membership card have an expiry date?
An expiry date or season year gives you control over renewals and stops lapsed members using old cards. If you’d rather reuse the same cards each year, you can leave the date off and validate cards another way – for example with a database check at the door or an annual sticker.
Can each membership card be printed with a different name and number?
Yes. Send us an Excel file containing the names, membership numbers and any other details and we’ll print unique information onto every card. This is called variable data printing and it can include names, numbers, barcodes, QR codes, expiry dates and membership levels.
What wording should go on the back of a membership card?
The back of a membership card usually carries the practical wording. Common lines include: the card remains the property of the club, the card is not transferable, a return address if the card is found, the club website and contact details, and a signature strip or write-on panel for the member.
Should I put a member’s photo on a membership card?
A photo is worth adding when the card controls access to something valuable – for example a gym, leisure club or licensed social club – because it stops cards being shared. For most small sports and hobby clubs a name and membership number is enough, and keeps the cost and admin down.
How many details are too many for a membership card?
A membership card is the same size as a bank card, so space is limited. As a rule of thumb, aim for no more than four or five pieces of information on the front. Move terms, contact details and signature strips to the back, and leave anything that’s only needed on a form off the card completely.
