ID-1 card (drivers license, ID)

Take your driver’s license out of your wallet and set it next to a bank card. They are the same size, down to the millimetre. That is by design: a driver’s license, a national ID, a health-insurance card, and a credit card all follow the ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 format, which fixes the card at 85.60 mm long, 53.98 mm wide, and 0.76 mm thick.

This guide covers how big an ID card actually is, why every country landed on the same rectangle, how it compares to things you already carry, and the details most explanations skip, such as corner radius and the difference between a plain plastic card and a modern polycarbonate one.

Quick Answer: How Big Is a Driver’s License?

A standard driver’s license or photo ID card measures 85.60 x 53.98 mm (3.370 x 2.125 in) and is 0.76 mm (about 1/32 in) thick. It weighs about 5 grams. This is the ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 format, shared with credit cards, debit cards, and most membership and insurance cards.

ID Card Dimensions at a Glance

• Length: 85.60 mm / 8.56 cm / 3.370 in
• Width: 53.98 mm / 5.398 cm / 2.125 in
• Thickness: 0.76 mm nominal (range about 0.68 – 0.84 mm)
• Corner radius: about 3.18 mm (1/8 in)
• Aspect ratio: 1.586:1
• Face area: about 46.2 cm2 (7.16 in2)
• Standard: ISO/IEC 7810, format ID-1 (also called CR80)

What Does an ID Card Look Like in Size?

An ID card fills the space from the base of your fingers to about your first knuckle when held flat in your palm. It is a bit wider than three fingers side by side and roughly as long as the distance from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger when you spread them.

On its edge it is barely there: 0.76 mm, about the thickness of eight sheets of paper. A wallet holding a license plus five bank cards is still under 5 mm of card stack.

6 Everyday Comparisons for a Driver’s License

1. A credit card is exactly the same size, 85.60 x 53.98 mm. If your license and your card do not match, one of them is a novelty or a cutout.
2. A US business card (88.9 x 50.8 mm) is 3.3 mm longer and 3.2 mm narrower, close but not a match.
3. A playing card (63.5 x 88.9 mm) turned sideways is within a few millimetres.
4. An iPhone 15 (147.6 x 71.6 mm) is a little under twice the length of an ID card and about 18 mm wider.
5. A folded US dollar bill: a dollar is 156 mm long, so folded in half (78 mm) it is just shorter than the card’s long side.
6. A passport data page (125 x 88 mm) is noticeably larger, about 1.5 ID cards side by side.

ID Card Size in Different Units

How Much Does an ID Card Weigh?

A standard plastic (PVC) ID card weighs about 5 grams. Modern licenses made from polycarbonate, used for laser-engraved photos and stronger security, weigh slightly more, around 5.5 – 6 grams, because the material is denser and the card is often built from several fused layers. The outline and thickness stay the same.

Why Every Country Uses the Same Card Size

ID-1 became the shared format because the alternative was chaos. A single outline means:

• The card fits every wallet, cardholder, and badge sleeve already made.
• Automated readers (at borders, age-check kiosks, building access points) only need to handle one card shape.
• Card printers and laminators worldwide can be built to one specification.

The same ISO family also defines larger formats: ID-2 (105 x 74 mm, used for some older European ID books) and ID-3 (125 x 88 mm, the passport page). ID-1 is the one that fits in a hand.

Common Mistakes When Comparing ID Card Dimensions

1. Calling the short side “height.” The card is 85.60 mm long and 53.98 mm wide. “Height” only makes sense once you decide which way is up.
2. Reconverting rounded figures. 3.370 in and 85.60 mm are both official but independently rounded. Converting 3.375 in back to mm gives 85.73 mm, which is wrong.
3. Assuming a vertical license is a different size. Many US states issue under-21 licenses in portrait orientation. It is the same ID-1 card, just rotated in the artwork.
4. Expecting the card to be rigid like a passport page. ID-1 is a thin, slightly flexible card, not a booklet.
5. Measuring a worn card. Years in a wallet round the corners and shave fractions of a millimetre off the edges. The spec describes a new card.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is a driver’s license in inches?

3.370 x 2.125 in, and about 0.030 in (1/32 in) thick.

Is an ID card the same size as a credit card?

Yes. Both use the ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 format: 85.60 x 53.98 mm.

How big is an ID card in cm?

8.56 cm long by 5.398 cm wide, and 0.076 cm thick.

Are ID cards the same size in every country?

For everyday plastic ID and driver’s licenses, yes, almost universally ID-1. Some countries also issue ID-2 booklets, but the wallet card is ID-1.

What is a vertical driver’s license?

A license printed in portrait layout, usually for holders under 21. Same card size, different artwork orientation.

How thick is an ID card?

0.76 mm nominal, roughly the thickness of eight sheets of printer paper.

How much does an ID card weigh?

About 5 g for PVC, slightly more for polycarbonate.

Will an ID card fit in a credit-card slot?

Yes. It is the same size, so any wallet slot built for a bank card holds a license.

Final Takeaway

A driver’s license or ID card is 85.60 x 53.98 mm and 0.76 mm thick, weighing about 5 grams. It is the ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 format, identical in size to a credit card, which is why a license, a bank card, and a transit pass all sit together neatly in the same wallet slot.