Hotel Key Cards Compatible With Kaba / Ilco
Legacy Kaba Ilco, Oracode and E-Plex hospitality locks.
The direct answer
Yes — American Hotel Cards supplies key cards compatible with Kaba and Ilco hospitality locks, including Kaba Ilco, Oracode, E-Plex and Confidant. RFID models use 13.56 MHz MIFARE credentials on the ISO/IEC 14443-A standard; older models used magnetic stripe. We supply CR80 cards — RFID blanks, magstripe, or combo — custom-printed for your property to encode on its own system, and we never copy a guest’s active card.
Overview
How Kaba / Ilco reads a key card
Kaba (and the Ilco brand) became part of dormakaba, and the hospitality line spans several generations — which is exactly why getting the card right matters here. The RFID-era locks, including Kaba Confidant and current Ilco-series RFID models, read 13.56 MHz MIFARE credentials (Confidant uses encrypted DESFire, sharing dormakaba’s System 6000 lineage with Saflok). Other long-running platforms such as Kaba Ilco 790, Kaba Oracode (PIN/code-based) and Kaba E-Plex have their own access models. We match stock to whichever generation you actually run.
A number of Kaba/Ilco doors in service are magnetic-stripe, so if your front desk swipes the card, you are on a magstripe generation and we supply HiCo magnetic-stripe cards — or combo cards carrying both a magstripe and an RFID inlay for properties migrating doors in phases. Oracode is worth flagging separately: it is a code/PIN-based offline access model in many deployments, so confirm whether your specific doors take a card at all before ordering.
Where a card is used, the credential is written by your own dormakaba/Kaba system and encoder; we provide compatible card stock. On encrypted DESFire (Confidant) configurations the credential cannot be cloned, so on-site encoding on your own System 6000 is the secure path — and the only one we use. Send us a sample card or your exact lock model and we will confirm precisely what your doors need.
Card specification
The Kaba / Ilco-compatible card, in detail
MIFARE Classic / DESFire (13.56 MHz) · magstripe on legacy models
| Chip | MIFARE Classic 1K · MIFARE DESFire (Confidant); confirm by lock generation |
|---|---|
| Protocol | ISO/IEC 14443-A (RFID models) |
| Frequency | 13.56 MHz (RFID models) |
| Legacy option | Magnetic stripe (HiCo) for magstripe-era doors; RFID + magstripe combo |
| Note | Kaba Oracode is often PIN/code-based — confirm whether your doors take a card |
| Format | CR80 — 85.6 × 54 mm (0.76 mm / 30 mil) |
| Encoding | Blank for on-site encoding (Confidant via System 6000), or pre-encoded |
| Printing | Full-bleed CMYK, Pantone, metallic foil, spot UV, sequential numbering |
| MOQ | From 500 cards |
| Lead time | Approx. 2–3 weeks after artwork approval |
How encoding works
Where Kaba/Ilco doors use a card, the credential is written by your own dormakaba/Kaba system and encoder — not by us. We supply the blank, magstripe or combo card; your property encodes it on-site. On encrypted DESFire (Confidant) configurations the credential cannot be cloned, so on-site encoding via System 6000 is the secure path. We provide compatible stock and never copy a live guest card. Because this line spans several generations, send a sample card or lock model so we confirm the right technology first.
What we make for Kaba / Ilco
We supply cards compatible with Kaba Confidant and current Ilco-series RFID locks (13.56 MHz MIFARE / DESFire, encoded on your own system), magstripe and combo cards for legacy Kaba Ilco 790 and E-Plex magstripe doors, and we will advise on Kaba Oracode (which is often PIN/code-based rather than card-based). Send us your lock model or a sample card and we will confirm exactly what your doors read before you order.
Ordering tips
- This is the most generation-dependent system we cover — a photo of a sample card (front and back) is the fastest way for us to identify exactly what your doors read.
- Kaba Confidant shares dormakaba’s System 6000 lineage with Saflok, so if you run both, the same DESFire workflow and often the same encoder apply.
Recommended cards
Cards we recommend for Kaba / Ilco
Every one carries the right credential for your locks — choose the material and finish that fits your property.
RFID Hotel Key Cards
MIFARE® & NFC key cards encoded for any U.S. hotel lock system.
View product
Custom Printed Key Cards
Full-bleed CMYK, metallic foil, spot UV and Pantone brand matching.
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Eco Recycled & rPVC Key Cards
Ocean-bound rPVC, rPET and seed-paper cores that drop into your locks.
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RFID Key Fobs & Tags
Back-of-house fobs and asset tags on the same credential as your cards.
View productQuestions
Kaba / Ilco compatibility, answered
What key cards work with Kaba / Ilco locks?
It depends on the generation. RFID-era Kaba/Ilco locks (including Kaba Confidant) read 13.56 MHz MIFARE or encrypted DESFire credentials, while older models used magnetic stripe. American Hotel Cards supplies RFID blanks, magstripe and combo cards in CR80 format — send us your lock model or a sample card and we will confirm the right one.
Can you copy or duplicate our existing Kaba card?
No. We supply compatible blank, magstripe or custom-printed cards that your own Kaba/dormakaba system encodes with each guest’s details. On encrypted DESFire (Confidant) setups the credential cannot be cloned. We never copy a live guest card; you keep control of access.
What chip and technology does Kaba / Ilco use?
RFID Kaba/Ilco locks operate at 13.56 MHz on ISO/IEC 14443-A using MIFARE credentials; Kaba Confidant uses encrypted DESFire on dormakaba’s System 6000 lineage. Older models used magnetic stripe, and Kaba Oracode is frequently a PIN/code-based offline system. The generation determines the card.
Can you print our branding on Kaba-compatible cards?
Yes. Whether RFID, magstripe or combo, the cards are fully custom — full-bleed CMYK, Pantone matching, metallic foil and spot UV — all surface finishes that do not affect how the lock reads the card.
What is the minimum order for Kaba-compatible cards?
Minimums start at 500 cards, with most custom orders shipping in roughly 2–3 weeks after artwork approval. Plain stock and reorders are typically faster — share your timeline and we will plan around it.
Our doors use Kaba Oracode — do we need cards?
Possibly not. Many Oracode deployments are PIN/code-based offline systems that issue numeric codes rather than cards. If your specific Oracode doors do take a credential, we can supply it — but confirm with us first so you order the right thing (or nothing) rather than card stock you cannot use.
Ready when you are
Get Kaba / Ilco-compatible cards made for your property
Request a free sample pack to test the chip and the print against your own Kaba / Ilco doors, or send us your lock model and quantity for a tailored quote. We confirm compatibility before anything prints.
Prefer email? sales@americanhotelcards.com · samples@americanhotelcards.com
Kaba / Ilco and dormakaba (legacy Kaba) are trademarks of their respective owners. American Hotel Cards is an independent supplier and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by dormakaba (legacy Kaba) or any lock manufacturer. “Compatible with Kaba / Ilco” describes technical interoperability only — we supply compatible blank or custom-printed card stock that your own system encodes; we do not copy guest cards.