Lock compatibility
Whatever lock is on your doors, we make a key card that fits
American Hotel Cards supplies RFID and magnetic-stripe hotel key cards compatible with every major lock system used in U.S. hotels. Tell us your lock and we spec the exact chip, custom-print it to your brand, and ship it blank for your front desk to encode.
- Every major U.S. hotel lock
- 13.56 MHz contactless & encrypted
- Magstripe & combo where needed
- Blank or pre-encoded
The short answer
Almost every U.S. hotel lock made in the last decade reads a contactless 13.56 MHz credential on the ISO/IEC 14443-A standard — either a standard contactless smart card or an encrypted one. American Hotel Cards supplies cards with exactly the right chip, in standard CR80 format, custom-printed to your brand. We provide the compatible blank or printed card; your own lock system and front-desk encoder write each guest’s credential. Where a lock generation is still magnetic-stripe, we supply magstripe and combo cards too.
How it works
Three steps from your lock to a card that fits
- 01
Identify your lock
Send us your lock model or a photo of a sample card — or just tell us whether guests tap or swipe. We confirm the exact chip your readers use.
- 02
We match & print
We build the card on the matching contactless inlay (or magstripe), custom-printed to your brand — or supply plain blanks for encrypted systems that must be encoded on-site.
- 03
You encode on-site
Your own system and front-desk encoder write each guest’s room, dates and access. The credential stays entirely yours — we never copy a live card.
What your lock reads
Every hotel lock falls into one of four card types
You do not need the brand name on your lock — just how guests open the door. We match the exact card technology your readers expect and ship it plain or custom-printed to your brand.
Standard contactless RFID
13.56 MHz · ISO/IEC 14443-A
The most common tier on U.S. hotel doors today. Your front desk encodes each guest credential on your own system.
RFID cards & wristbands, plain or custom-printed
Encrypted contactless RFID
13.56 MHz · AES-secured
Higher-security locks that keep the encryption keys under your control. We supply compatible blanks your own encoder writes.
Encrypted-tier blanks, plain or custom-printed
Magnetic stripe (legacy)
HiCo magstripe
Older swipe locks still in service. We supply HiCo magnetic-stripe cards, and RFID + magstripe combo cards for phased retrofits.
Magstripe & RFID/magstripe combo cards
Mobile-ready / BLE
NFC + Bluetooth Low Energy
For properties running or piloting mobile keys, physical cards that live alongside a mobile-key rollout for guests who prefer plastic.
NFC-capable cards, plain or custom-printed
Not sure what you have?
The fastest way to identify your lock
You do not need a spec sheet. If guests tap a card to open the door, you are on an RFID lock and almost certainly need a 13.56 MHz contactless card. If they swipe it through a slot, you are on a legacy magnetic-stripe lock. Send us a photo of a sample card — front and back — and your lock model if you have it, and we will confirm the exact card before you order.
Go deeper
Guides that decode the details
Which Key Card Works With Your Lock?
Match your lock brand to the exact chip and card spec it needs.
Read guideStandard vs Encrypted Hotel Key Cards
Which 13.56 MHz card type your locks read — and why it matters for security.
Read guideRFID vs Magnetic-Stripe Hotel Keys
Why U.S. hotels are retiring magstripe — and how to switch cleanly.
Read guideWhat we make
Cards and bands for every one of these systems
The same 13.56 MHz credential drops into all of them — choose the card or band that fits your property.
RFID Hotel Key Cards
Contactless RFID & NFC key cards encoded for any U.S. hotel lock system.
View product
Eco Wood RFID Hotel Key Cards
FSC®-certified maple, walnut & birch cards with a natural, warm feel.
View product
Custom Printed Key Cards
Full-bleed CMYK, metallic foil, spot UV and Pantone brand matching.
View productReady when you are
Send us your lock — we will send back the right card
Request a free sample pack to test the chip and the print against your own doors, or share your lock model and quantity for a tailored quote. Either way, we confirm compatibility before anything prints.
Prefer email? sales@americanhotelcards.com · samples@americanhotelcards.com
Any brand or product names referenced by customers remain trademarks of their respective owners. American Hotel Cards is an independent supplier and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by any lock manufacturer. “Compatible with” describes technical interoperability only.