What Is a HiCo Magnetic Stripe Card? Full Guide

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Swipe a card at a hotel front desk, flash your gym membership at the turnstile, or hand over a loyalty card at checkout - chances are, a magnetic stripe is doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. But not all magnetic stripes are created equal. There is a meaningful difference between a card that holds its data reliably for years and one that demagnetizes the moment it brushes against a smartphone or a refrigerator magnet. That difference comes down to one word: coercivity.

High coercivity - or HiCo - magnetic stripe cards represent the professional-grade standard for businesses that need their card programs to perform consistently, day after day, swipe after swipe. Whether you are running an employee ID system, a loyalty program, a hotel key operation, or a membership organization, understanding what HiCo means - and why it matters - could save you a significant amount of time, money, and customer frustration.

Magnetic stripes store data by magnetizing tiny particles embedded in the stripe material. Coercivity measures how resistant those particles are to being accidentally remagnetized or erased. It is measured in Oersteds (Oe). A HiCo stripe typically operates at 2750 Oe or 4000 Oe, compared to a Low Coercivity (LoCo) stripe at around 300 Oe.

Think of coercivity like the grip strength of the card's memory. A LoCo stripe can be nudged out of alignment by relatively modest magnetic fields - the kind produced by everyday objects like speaker magnets, hotel room safes, or even some phone cases. A HiCo stripe, by contrast, requires a much stronger field to alter. That resistance translates directly into real-world durability.

This is not a minor technical footnote. In environments where cards are handled constantly, stored near electronics, or carried in crowded wallets alongside other cards, the gap in performance between HiCo and LoCo becomes impossible to ignore. HiCo cards simply last longer and fail less often - and that reliability is exactly what serious card programs demand.

LoCo cards are not without purpose. They shine in short-term, controlled environments - a trade show badge that is used for three days and then discarded, a single-event credential, or a temporary access card where longevity is irrelevant. The lower coercivity is actually by design: LoCo cards can be encoded and reencoded with basic, inexpensive equipment, making them cost-effective for one-off applications.

HiCo cards, however, are the right choice for virtually every long-term program. Employee ID badges that need to survive a two-year contract. Loyalty cards that live at the bottom of a customer's wallet for months. Hotel keys that get swiped dozens of times per stay and then reprogrammed for the next guest. Membership cards that represent your organization's brand every time they come out of a cardholder. These are HiCo scenarios - no question.

A standard magnetic stripe card contains up to three data tracks, each with its own specifications and common uses. Track 1 holds alphanumeric data - names, account numbers, and similar information - and can store up to 79 characters. Track 2 is numeric-only, holds up to 40 characters, and is the most commonly used track in access control and loyalty systems. Track 3, also numeric, can hold up to 107 characters and is occasionally used for specialized financial or transit applications.

Most business card programs rely on Tracks 1 and 2, or Track 2 alone. When CPE supplies HiCo magnetic stripe cards, the stripes can be pre-encoded at the factory or shipped blank for in-house encoding using a compatible card printer or dedicated encoder. The flexibility to choose means you can centralize production, distribute encoding responsibilities across locations, or phase your program rollout as your organization grows.

HiCo vs. LoCo Magnetic Stripe Card Comparison
Feature HiCo (High Coercivity) LoCo (Low Coercivity)
Coercivity Level 2750 Oe or 4000 Oe 300 Oe
Durability High - resists everyday magnetic fields Moderate - more susceptible to erasure
Best Use Cases Loyalty, employee ID, membership, hotel keys Short-term events, temporary credentials
Encoding Equipment Requires HiCo-capable encoder Compatible with basic encoders
Long-Term Value Excellent Limited

Across industries - hospitality, retail, healthcare, fitness, corporate, education - HiCo cards have become the default expectation for any card program built to last. The reasons go beyond just data integrity. A card that fails to swipe, gets rejected at the door, or causes a frustrating moment at the point of sale reflects directly on your organization. Reliability is not just a technical attribute; it is a brand attribute.

When a loyalty customer hands over a card that does not read, the interaction becomes an awkward manual override. When an employee's access badge fails during a busy morning rush, it disrupts workflow and strains security protocols. Every card failure is a small but real erosion of trust. HiCo cards dramatically reduce these failure points - and that is a bottom-line benefit that organizations of every size can appreciate.

Consider a gym chain with 5,000 active members checking in daily. Each card passes through a magnetic stripe reader multiple times per week, often after being tossed in a gym bag alongside keys, phones, and earbuds. In this environment, a LoCo card's life expectancy drops sharply. A HiCo card, built to resist the ambient magnetic interference of modern everyday life, keeps performing through hundreds of swipes.

Hotel operations offer another vivid example. A hotel key card at a busy property might be encoded, used, wiped, and re-encoded dozens of times per month. HiCo cards handle this cycle reliably. The stripe maintains its data integrity through the encoding and reencoding process because its particles require a powerful, intentional magnetic field to change - not just proximity to a guest's iPhone.

The industries that gravitate toward HiCo technology share one common need: cards that must perform over extended periods without failure. Here is a cross-section of the verticals where HiCo magnetic stripe cards are the right call:

  • Retail loyalty programs - Customers carry these cards for months or years; failure means lost data and lost revenue.
  • Corporate employee ID and access control - A badge that fails at 7:45 AM on a Monday is not just inconvenient; it is a security gap.
  • Hospitality and hotel key cards - Frequent encoding cycles demand coercivity that holds.
  • Fitness and recreation membership cards - High-frequency swipe environments where durability is non-negotiable.
  • Healthcare facility ID - Patient and staff identification that must remain readable through long service periods.
  • Event venues and entertainment - Season pass cards, club memberships, and VIP credentials.
  • Educational institutions - Student and faculty IDs that last an entire academic year or longer.

Each of these use cases represents a real investment in infrastructure - readers, encoders, card management software, and the cards themselves. Choosing HiCo from the start protects that investment by ensuring the weakest link in the chain is not the card.

One of the most practical decisions in setting up a HiCo card program is whether to encode cards in-house or order them pre-encoded. In-house encoding using a card printer with a built-in HiCo encoder gives your team maximum flexibility. You can print and encode on demand, personalize each card with individual data, and reorder blank stock whenever inventory runs low.

Pre-encoded orders make sense when data is standardized, volumes are high, and the cards do not require individual personalization at the time of issue. A retail loyalty program issuing generic cards with a unique barcode or number sequence, for example, might find batch pre-encoding more efficient. CPE can advise on which approach fits your program structure and volume requirements. Contact us at 800.835.7919 to talk through your encoding options with a real person who knows cards.

Blank HiCo magnetic stripe cards are the starting point for organizations that want control over their card program without sacrificing quality. These cards conform to the CR80 standard - the same dimensions as a standard credit card (3.375 inches by 2.125 inches, 30 mil thick) - and comply with ISO 7810 specifications. The magnetic stripe comes pre-applied, and the card surface is ready to accept printing from virtually any CR80-compatible card printer.

The economics of blank cards make sense at scale. Rather than paying for custom printing on every order, organizations that print in-house pay only for blank card stock and ribbon - and per-card costs drop substantially as volume increases. For organizations issuing 50 cards a month up through tens of thousands, blank HiCo cards offer the most cost-effective path to a professional card program.

When evaluating blank HiCo magnetic stripe cards, a few specifications deserve close attention. First, the coercivity level - confirm you are ordering HiCo (2750 Oe or 4000 Oe) rather than LoCo. Second, the stripe position - standard is ANSI/ISO placement across the back of the card, but some programs require alternative positioning. Third, stripe color - brown or black stripes are both available, with black being more common in professional settings due to its clean appearance.

Card surface texture also matters for printing. A glossy white PVC surface produces sharp, vibrant printed images with excellent color reproduction. Matte surfaces offer a different aesthetic and can reduce glare, which some organizations prefer for ID cards that will be photographed. The right surface depends on your printer model, ribbon type, and the visual design of your card program.

Ordering quantity is a balancing act between per-card savings and carrying costs. Larger orders bring the per-unit price down, sometimes significantly, but tying up budget in large inventory is not always practical - especially for newer programs that are still calibrating their monthly issuance rate. CPE works with organizations at every scale, from modest monthly orders to high-volume bulk purchasing agreements.

A good rule of thumb: order enough to cover three to six months of projected usage, accounting for a reasonable error rate and any anticipated program growth. Blank cards have a long shelf life when stored properly - away from extreme heat, humidity, and strong magnetic fields - so modest overstocking is rarely a problem. The key is avoiding chronic understocking, which leads to rush orders and program disruptions.

Card Printers and Encoders That Work With HiCo Magnetic Stripe CardsA HiCo magnetic stripe card is only as useful as the system that encodes it. Not every card printer includes a HiCo encoder - many entry-level printers include only a LoCo encoder, or no magnetic stripe encoding capability at all. Before investing in blank HiCo card stock, confirming that your printer is HiCo-capable is an essential step.

The major card printer brands - Evolis, Zebra, and Fargo - all offer models with HiCo encoding capability, either as a standard feature or an available upgrade module. Selecting the right printer involves matching your monthly volume, personalization requirements, and encoding needs to the appropriate model. The right printer-card combination is what turns raw materials into a functioning, professional card program.

Evolis printers are widely respected for their reliability, compact footprint, and smooth user experience. Models like the Evolis Primacy and Evolis Zenius offer HiCo encoding modules and handle both single and double-sided printing beautifully. Zebra printers, including the ZC300 and ZXP series, are known for rugged durability and high-volume throughput - excellent for larger operations with demanding daily print runs.

Fargo printers, including the HDP5000 and the popular DTC series, are a staple in security-conscious environments like government agencies, healthcare institutions, and corporate campuses. Their high-definition printing and robust encoding options make them a natural fit for HiCo ID and access card programs. Each brand has its strengths, and the right choice depends on your specific program needs.

Beyond the printer itself, a functioning card program depends on a reliable supply of ribbons, cleaning kits, and accessories. Using the correct ribbon for your printer model is critical - the wrong ribbon can produce poor print quality, damage the printer's print head, or fail to adhere to the card surface properly. CPE stocks ribbons for all major printer brands alongside cleaning kits designed to maintain print head performance and extend equipment life.

Card carriers and sleeves round out the supply ecosystem. A professionally presented card - delivered in a branded carrier or protected by a clear sleeve - makes a stronger impression than a bare card dropped in an envelope. These details signal to your cardholders that the program is well-managed, professional, and worth participating in.

Organizations shopping for magnetic stripe cards often arrive with a mix of technical questions and practical concerns. The answers to the most common questions can save considerable time and prevent costly ordering mistakes.

Most modern magnetic stripe card readers are capable of reading both HiCo and LoCo cards. The reader does not need to "know" the coercivity level - it reads the magnetic field produced by the stripe, and HiCo stripes produce a strong, clear signal. In practice, HiCo cards tend to read more cleanly and consistently than LoCo cards in the same reader, because the stronger magnetic signal has less ambiguity for the reader to interpret.

Where compatibility can become a concern is on the encoding side, not the reading side. If you are encoding cards in-house, your encoder must be rated for HiCo. Attempting to encode a HiCo card with a LoCo-only encoder will produce a card that either fails to encode at all or holds data unreliably. Always verify your encoder's coercivity rating before purchasing blank HiCo stock.

Under normal use conditions - carried in a wallet, swiped regularly, stored away from strong magnets - a HiCo magnetic stripe card can maintain reliable data integrity for three to five years or more. This assumes the card is printed and encoded using appropriate equipment and supplies. Physical damage to the stripe surface from abrasion, scratching, or contamination can shorten that lifespan regardless of coercivity level.

For programs that cycle cards on an annual basis (annual membership renewals, fiscal year employee badges, and the like), HiCo cards are more than adequate. For programs where cards serve indefinitely until they are physically replaced, the durability of HiCo becomes even more valuable. Fewer card replacements mean lower long-term costs and fewer disruptions to cardholders. Reach out to CPE at 800.835.7919 for specific recommendations based on your program's expected card lifespan.

Both 2750 Oe and 4000 Oe fall within the HiCo category and offer substantially better resistance to accidental demagnetization than LoCo cards. The 4000 Oe specification offers marginally stronger resistance to demagnetization in particularly demanding environments - for example, near industrial equipment, certain medical devices, or security systems that generate strong magnetic fields. For the vast majority of business card programs, 2750 Oe HiCo is the standard and provides more than adequate performance.

The 4000 Oe option is worth considering for card programs deployed in environments with known magnetic hazards or for organizations that want the highest possible margin of reliability. The encoding equipment requirements are the same - a HiCo-capable encoder handles both specifications. If you are unsure which is right for your use case, CPE can help you evaluate the environment and recommend the appropriate specification.

Common HiCo Magnetic Stripe Card Applications at a Glance
Application Recommended Format Typical Volume
Employee ID / Access Control HiCo 2750 Oe, printed in-house 50-5,000 cards/year
Retail Loyalty Cards HiCo 2750 Oe, custom printed 500-50,000 cards/year
Hotel Key Cards HiCo 2750 or 4000 Oe, recodeable 1,000-20,000 cards/year
Fitness / Gym Membership HiCo 2750 Oe, printed in-house 100-10,000 cards/year

Many organizations begin with a HiCo magnetic stripe card program and, as their needs evolve, discover that additional technologies can enhance what their cards can do. Magnetic stripe and RFID technology are not mutually exclusive - combo cards that incorporate both a magnetic stripe and a contactless chip are a real option, allowing organizations to support both legacy swipe readers and modern tap-to-read systems on a single card.

Smart chip cards, proximity access cards, and RFID options including MIFARE DESFire represent the next layer of card technology for organizations ready to invest in more sophisticated access control, data security, or contactless functionality. A well-planned card program can grow with your organization rather than requiring a complete technology overhaul every few years.

Standard white PVC magnetic stripe cards are the workhorse of the industry, but they are far from the only option. Clear and frosted plastic cards add a distinctive visual dimension to loyalty and membership programs. Custom die-cut cards in shapes other than the standard CR80 rectangle can make a product or event card genuinely memorable. For premium loyalty, VIP, or executive membership programs, luxury metal cards in stainless steel, brass, or gold with embedded magnetic stripes create an impression that a standard plastic card simply cannot.

Casino player cards, colored PVC stock, and specialty card stock options round out a catalog that covers virtually every card program scenario a U.S.-based organization might encounter. The common thread across all of these formats is the same fundamental quality commitment: cards that perform reliably and represent your organization professionally at every interaction.

Producing great cards is only part of the equation for many organizations - getting those cards to the people who need them is the other half. Card affixing services attach cards to carrier documents or welcome letters, and card mailing services handle the logistics of getting personalized cards into the hands of cardholders without requiring your team to manage a manual stuffing-and-mailing operation.

For organizations launching or scaling loyalty, membership, or gift card programs, these fulfillment services can represent a significant operational relief. Rather than dedicating staff hours to card distribution, the program runs efficiently in the background. The result is a card program that scales smoothly without creating internal bottlenecks. CPE offers these services as part of a comprehensive, one-stop-shop approach that keeps your program running efficiently from card production through cardholder delivery.

More than 25 years of experience, over 100,000 customers served, and more than 50 million cards shipped across the United States - Plastic Card ID has earned its position as a trusted partner for organizations that take their card programs seriously. Whether you are setting up your first HiCo magnetic stripe card program, scaling an existing one, upgrading your equipment, or exploring more advanced card technologies, CPE brings the product depth, industry knowledge, and genuine partnership mentality to help you succeed.

Choosing the right cards, printers, ribbons, and accessories is easier when you have a supplier who understands what you are actually trying to accomplish - not just what SKU you are looking for. That is the Plastic Card ID difference: strategic partnership backed by deep product expertise and a catalog built for real business needs. From blank HiCo card stock to fully customized solutions, the right answer for your program is available here.

Call Plastic Card ID today at 800.835.7919 and speak with a card program specialist who will help you select the right HiCo magnetic stripe cards, printers, and supplies for your specific needs. Your program deserves a partner as serious about performance as you are.

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