Low-frequency credentials
HID Prox-compatible cards & fobs
Compatible-by-specification 125 kHz credentials for legacy HID Prox reader installations, including standard 26-bit and selected 37-bit configurations. Secure HID iCLASS and Seos systems are a different product class and are not represented by this offer.
Available as a compatible-by-specification credential after we verify your reader and facility format.
What are HID Prox compatible cards?
An HID Prox compatible card is a 125 kHz proximity credential built to read identically to legacy HID Prox on installed readers, in 26-bit H10301 and selected 37-bit formats. American Key Cards programs each order to your facility code and card-number range with no dealer account. Coverage is unencrypted legacy Prox only — iCLASS, Elite-keyed and Seos are encrypted credential classes this product does not replace.
Overview
About HID Prox-compatible
Legacy HID Prox remains the default credential in thousands of US office buildings, warehouses and medical facilities — and OEM list pricing for a simple 26-bit card has climbed year after year. Our compatible credentials read identically on those installed readers at a fraction of the cost, programmed to your exact facility code and card-number range.
The honest part matters: this product covers unencrypted legacy Prox only. If your badges are iCLASS, Elite-keyed or Seos, those are cryptographic credentials that, as of 2026, cannot be reproduced, and we say so before you spend anything. We verify which family you have from a photo of the card and reader before quoting.
Technical details
HID Prox-compatible cards & fobs specifications
- Frequency
- 125 kHz
- Technology
- Passive RFID proximity
- Supported examples
- H10301, H10302, H10304
- 26-bit H10301 structure
- Facility code 1–255, card number 1–65,535
- Card dimensions
- CR80 ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 — 85.6 × 54 mm
- Thickness
- ISO card 30 mil / 0.76 mm; clamshell is a thicker rigid shell
- Typical read range
- 2–6 in (5–15 cm), reader-dependent
- Printing
- ISO body runs through dye-sub direct-to-card printers
- Not covered
- HID iCLASS, Elite-keyed and Seos encrypted credentials
- Requirement
- Existing format, facility code and card-number range
Available configuration
Choose the form factor after the technology
Where it fits
Common HID Prox-compatible applications
Corporate offices
Ongoing badge stock for HR onboarding where the building runs H10301 26-bit readers and the OEM price per employee no longer makes sense.
Warehouses & logistics
High-churn workforce credentials — clamshells and fobs that get lost, run over and replaced without budget pain.
Medical & professional buildings
Suite-level access cards matched to the base building’s legacy Prox format, printed with tenant branding on request.
Locksmiths & integrators
Wholesale programmed stock in your customers’ facility codes, shipped ready to enroll.
Before you order
How to order HID Prox-compatible correctly
- Facility code + format = everything
A 26-bit H10301 card needs the right facility code and a card number your panel accepts. Both are on your existing cards or in your access software; we program to them exactly.
- Check for the encrypted families first
iCLASS, Seos and Elite-keyed cards look similar in the hand but are a different technology class. One photo of the card face and reader is usually enough for us to tell them apart.
- 37-bit and Corporate 1000 need extra care
Long formats and corporate card programs have wider number spaces and stricter conventions. We support common configurations after verifying the format data.
Compatibility reference
Find your exact reader format
Choose the matching format before ordering. These pages list the relevant reader families, OEM references and credential requirements.
Questions we actually get
HID Prox-compatible FAQ
Are compatible cards legal?
Yes. Producing new credentials in an open, unencrypted format for the operator of the system is standard industry practice — the same as a locksmith cutting keys. What nobody can legitimately do is clone encrypted iCLASS or Seos credentials, and we do not.
How do I find my facility code?
It is often printed on existing cards as part of the sales order number, visible in your access-control software, or readable from a sample card you mail us. Any one of the three works.
Will the cards work in my badge printer?
Choose the printable ISO body — it is standard CR80 thickness and runs through direct-to-card printers. Clamshells are too thick to print and are meant for badge clips.
What if I mix up 26-bit and 37-bit?
The cards will read but your panel will reject the data. This is exactly why we confirm format, facility code and range against a working sample before production instead of guessing.
Need help identifying the technology?
Send a photo of the credential and the reader model. We'll identify the format before we quote a compatible product.
Lifetime parts & workmanship guarantee on every card