Access Card Format Finder
Not sure which access card or fob your system uses? Identify your format in about thirty seconds — from your reader model, your system brand, or the card in your hand — and go straight to the compatible replacement.
It is usually on a sticker on the back of the reader or inside the housing.
How the finder works
The finder is built from the same technical data behind our 61 format pages — the reader models each format runs on, the OEM part numbers printed on the cards, and the frequency and encoding each system uses. It matches what you can physically see on your reader or card to the format that produces it, then routes you to the compatible product and an honest answer on whether a replacement can be supplied at all.
Why the exact format matters
Two cards can share the same 125 kHz frequency and still be completely incompatible, because the air-interface encoding differs — Indala uses PSK where HID Prox uses ASK/FSK, and neither reader will accept the other's card. Getting the format right the first time is what separates credentials that enrol on arrival from a box of cards that read as blank. If you want the underlying detail, our guide on how to identify your access card format and the facility code finder walk through it by hand.
Browse instead
Prefer to look it up yourself? See all supported card formats or browse by access-control brand. Once you know your format, every format page links straight to the compatible card and a quote request.
Card format finder — FAQ
How do I identify my access card format?
The fastest way is the model number printed on your reader. Enter it in the finder above and it maps the reader to its credential format. If you cannot reach the reader, choose your access-control brand or describe the card — the finder narrows it from there. The three things that identify a format are the reader model, the system brand, and the number printed on the card.
Why does the exact format matter when ordering replacement cards?
A reader only decodes the specific format it was configured for. A card at the right 125 kHz frequency but the wrong air interface — for example an Indala PSK card presented to an HID Prox reader — reads as blank. Ordering the correct format is the difference between cards that work on arrival and cards that do nothing.
Can American Key Cards supply a compatible card for any format?
For open 125 kHz proximity and legacy formats, yes — we program compatible cards and fobs to your facility code and card number. Encrypted smart credentials that use strong cryptography, such as MIFARE DESFire with AES or HID iCLASS SE and Seos, cannot be reproduced by any third party. The finder tells you which category your format falls in and never claims otherwise.
What if the finder cannot identify my format?
Send us the model number on your reader and a photo of the card through the contact form. We identify the format and confirm whether a compatible replacement is available before you order.
Not sure which format you have?
Send us the numbers printed on your card — we'll identify the format and quote a compatible card, usually within one business day.
Lifetime parts & workmanship guarantee on every card