Credit Card Thickness & Dimensions: Inches, mm & cm

A standard credit card has a nominal thickness of 0.76 mm, or approximately 0.030 inches (30 mil). Its face measures 85.60 × 53.98 mm—about 3.370 × 2.125 inches.

Thickness is the narrow edge you see from the side. The other two measurements describe the front of the card. Keeping these separate helps when comparing a wallet slot, making a generic card-size graphic, or estimating a small object's length.

The figures below describe the standard card format. They are nominal dimensions, not a measurement of every individual card. Chase's card guide supports the 0.76 mm thickness; Evolis's printer specifications list the ID-1 face dimensions.

With the card held horizontally, the long edge is its width and the short edge is its height. Some people call the long edge the length instead. The numbers stay the same when you rotate it.

For a quick estimate, think 8.56 cm long, 5.40 cm tall and less than 1 mm thick. “Average credit card size” usually refers to this format rather than a calculated average from a sample of cards.

The inch figures here are conversions from the listed metric dimensions. For example, 85.60 ÷ 25.4 = 3.3700787… inches. Rounded figures in product listings may differ slightly.

The front view below labels the two face dimensions. It is a schematic, not an actual-size ruler or printing template.

                  85.60 mm / 3.370 in
             <------------------------>
             .------------------------.
             |                        |
53.98 mm     |     FRONT OF CARD      |
2.125 in     |                        |
             '------------------------'

Side view:   --------------------------   0.76 mm thick

The face is about 1.586 times as wide as it is tall. That aspect ratio comes from 85.60 ÷ 53.98. If a generic card illustration looks almost square, its proportions are off.

A picture on a phone or laptop can appear larger or smaller as you zoom. Use the written dimensions when comparing physical sizes.

A mil is one thousandth of an inch. It is not a millimeter.

The exact unit conversion gives:

• 1 mil = 0.001 inch = 0.0254 mm.
• 30 mil = 0.030 inch = 0.762 mm.
• 0.76 mm ≈ 29.92 mil.

That is why card suppliers commonly describe the nominal thickness as both 30 mil and 0.76 mm: these are rounded counterparts. They are not identical to unlimited decimal precision.

Plastek's thickness guide uses the familiar 30 mil designation. Do not read “30 mil” as 30 mm—that would be over an inch thick.

Standard payment cards use the familiar ID-1 face format, also commonly called CR80. For an ordinary debit, bank or ATM card, the reference dimensions are therefore 85.60 × 53.98 mm, with a nominal thickness of 0.76 mm.

The payment function does not change how you read those dimensions. A debit card's long edge is about 3.370 inches, just like the standard credit-card format.

A particular card can have raised lettering, surface layers, wear or curvature that affect a physical measurement. For a close-fitting holder, measure the actual card and allow appropriate clearance. A nominal reference dimension alone does not establish the clearance you need.

Gift cards, membership cards and custom promotional cards should be checked separately. A card-shaped object is not automatically the same thickness as a payment card.

A physical card has no single fixed pixel size. The pixel dimensions depend on the resolution you choose.

Pixels = millimeters ÷ 25.4 × pixels per inch (PPI)

Applying that formula to an 85.60 × 53.98 mm rectangle gives:

Each value is calculated from the physical dimensions and rounded independently. Doubling an already rounded pixel value can give a slightly different result.

These figures describe the nominal face rectangle. They do not include print bleed or specify rounded corners. For a custom printed card, use the printer's own template and file requirements. Setting an image to 300 PPI also does not guarantee that it will display at physical size on a screen.

A standard card is useful for a rough visual comparison: its long edge is a little over 3⅓ inches and its short edge is a little over 2⅛ inches.

For example, compared with a five-inch length, the card's long edge is about 67.4% as long. That leaves a difference of approximately 1.63 inches.

Thickness needs more care. Ten perfectly flat layers at the nominal 0.76 mm thickness would total 7.6 mm, about 0.299 inches, with no gaps. That is a calculation, not a promise about a stack of used cards. Raised features and bending can change the stack height.

Use a ruler or caliper when the measurement matters. A card is a convenient reference for estimating, but it is not a calibrated measuring tool.

For another small thickness reference, a modern U.S. dime is 1.35 mm thick—about 1.78 times a card's nominal 0.76 mm thickness.

How many centimeters long is a credit card?

The standard long edge is 8.56 cm. The short edge is 5.398 cm, commonly rounded to 5.40 cm.

How thick is a credit card in inches?

The nominal 0.76 mm thickness converts to approximately 0.0299 inches, usually rounded to 0.030 inches.

How tall is a credit card?

Held horizontally, it is 53.98 mm, or about 2.125 inches, tall. Held vertically, its height is the 85.60 mm long edge.

What is the credit card aspect ratio?

Using the nominal face dimensions, it is approximately 1.586:1. This describes the outer width-to-height proportions.

Is a credit card exactly 1 mm thick?

No. The nominal thickness is 0.76 mm, which is 0.24 mm less than 1 mm.

Are credit cards 1,011 × 638 pixels?

That is an approximate representation at 300 PPI. A different resolution needs different pixel dimensions for the same physical size.