Zebra 104524-803 White Composite HiCo Magnetic Stripe Retransfer Card Stock
Overview
The Zebra 104524-803 is a box of 500 white composite card blanks engineered specifically for high-coercivity (HiCo) magnetic stripe applications on retransfer-capable card printers. At 30 mil thickness, these cards meet the standard CR-80 profile used across access control, employee ID, and loyalty programs — delivering a rigid, professional credential that holds up to daily badge-reader contact without delaminating or warping. If you're running a Zebra retransfer printer and need reliable HiCo card stock sourced direct from the manufacturer's card media division, the 104524-803 (often searched as 104524 803) is the straightforward match.
Composite construction — rather than plain PVC — provides better durability over the card's service life, particularly relevant in environments where badges see frequent swipe or insertion through magnetic readers. HiCo encoding (typically 2,750 Oe coercivity) stores data more permanently than low-coercivity stock, resisting accidental erasure from proximity to everyday magnets like those found in bag clasps or smartphone cases. That matters when a facility badge doubles as a transit or cafeteria payment card where data integrity is non-negotiable.
Key Features
- High-Coercivity (HiCo) Magnetic Stripe: HiCo stripe coercivity is resistant to incidental magnetic field exposure — a meaningful advantage over LoCo stock for credentials that live in wallets alongside debit cards and key fobs. Less re-encoding, less help-desk burden on lost-access calls.
- 30 Mil Composite Construction: Standard CR-80 thickness in a composite substrate (not straight PVC) holds dimensional stability better under heat during retransfer printing, reducing curl and feed jams in high-volume print runs. Credentials also feel more substantial to end users — a real factor for customer-facing programs.
- Retransfer-Ready Surface: The card surface is engineered to accept the retransfer film adhesion layer correctly — using non-retransfer stock in a retransfer printer is a common source of image adhesion failures and wasted ribbon. Specifying 104524-803 eliminates that variable.
- 500 Cards Per Box: A 500-card pack maps well to mid-sized issuance runs — enough for a full employee cohort reissuance or a semester's worth of student IDs without over-buying. Shelf life is predictable when stored in the original sealed packaging away from heat and humidity.
- Zebra Card Media Division Sourcing: These cards are manufactured under Zebra's card media program, meaning formulation is validated against Zebra retransfer printer specs. Third-party card stock introduces variables in thickness tolerance and surface chemistry that can affect ribbon transfer quality and void printer warranties.
- TAA / Country of Origin — United States: Country of Origin is documented as US, which supports TAA compliance requirements common in federal, state, and education procurement where domestic-origin card stock is specified.
Integration & Compatibility
The 104524-803 is designed for use with Zebra's Zebra retransfer card printers — including the ZXP Series 8 and ZXP Series 9 families — where the retransfer process prints onto a film that is then bonded to the card surface rather than printing directly onto the card. This process requires card stock with specific surface properties; standard direct-to-card blanks will not produce the same adhesion or image quality in a retransfer system.
The HiCo magnetic stripe is compatible with standard ISO 7811 track encoding (Tracks 1, 2, and 3), making these cards usable with any ISO-standard magnetic stripe encoder module. They integrate into card printer workflows managed through Zebra's ZMotif SDK or third-party issuance software platforms that drive Zebra hardware. For environments pairing card issuance with access control systems, the HiCo stripe can be encoded in the same pass as printing, keeping issuance time per card minimal.
If your deployment involves visual security features (holograms, UV printing, micro-text), verify those features are applied at the card manufacturing stage or through a separate lamination module — the 104524-803 is a blank card stock without pre-applied security overlaminates. For guidance on matching card stock to printer model and encoding requirements, see the card printer selection guide.
What's in the Box
- 500x Zebra 104524-803 white composite HiCo magnetic stripe 30mil retransfer-ready card blanks
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What printers are compatible with the Zebra 104524-803 card stock?
A: The 104524-803 is specified as retransfer-ready, making it the correct stock for Zebra retransfer card printers such as the ZXP Series 8 and ZXP Series 9. It is not optimized for direct-to-card printers, which use a different card surface chemistry.
Q: What is the difference between HiCo and LoCo magnetic stripe cards, and why does it matter?
A: High-coercivity (HiCo) stripes resist accidental erasure from everyday magnetic fields — such as those from smartphones or bag closures — making them the correct choice for credentials used in access control, payment, or transit applications. Low-coercivity (LoCo) cards are more susceptible to data loss and are generally reserved for short-term or single-use applications like hotel key cards.
Q: How many cards are included in one box of 104524-803?
A: Each box contains 500 white composite HiCo magnetic stripe retransfer-ready cards at 30 mil thickness.
Q: Is the 104524-803 TAA compliant?
A: The country of origin for the 104524-803 is documented as the United States, which supports TAA compliance requirements. Verify with your procurement team whether the full supply chain meets your specific contract's TAA obligations.
Q: Can these cards be used with third-party retransfer printers?
A: The 104524-803 is validated against Zebra printer specifications. While the 30 mil CR-80 dimensions are industry-standard, surface chemistry and thickness tolerances are matched to Zebra's retransfer process. Compatibility with non-Zebra retransfer printers should be confirmed with that printer manufacturer before committing to a large quantity.
Q: What is the card thickness and why does it matter for retransfer printing?
A: These cards are 30 mil thick — the standard CR-80 profile. In retransfer printing, consistent card thickness is critical for proper film bonding pressure. Using non-spec card stock can cause adhesion failures, image defects, or feed jams, particularly in high-volume runs.
The 104524-803 comes up regularly when customers are troubleshooting adhesion failures or image lift on a Zebra retransfer printer — and nine times out of ten the root cause is non-retransfer card stock that someone ordered to save a few dollars per box. The retransfer-ready surface specification on this card isn't marketing language; the film bonding step in a retransfer printer applies heat and pressure calibrated for a specific surface chemistry, and off-spec cards simply don't hold the image reliably, especially at card edges.
Technical Highlights:
- HiCo Magnetic Stripe: HiCo coercivity (approximately 2,750 Oe) holds encoded data against incidental field exposure — the right call for any credential that will spend time in a wallet next to payment cards or transit media.
- 30 Mil Composite Body: Composite substrate maintains dimensional stability better than straight PVC under the heat cycle of retransfer printing — fewer curl-related feed issues in sustained high-volume runs.
- 500-Card Pack Quantity: Sized for mid-scale issuance programs. At 500 cards per box, you can run a full departmental reissuance or a semester cohort without managing partial boxes across storage locations.
Deployment Considerations:
- Store unopened boxes in a climate-controlled environment away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Card substrate absorbs moisture and heat differentially, which can cause feeding issues if stock is conditioned at room temperature for at least 24 hours before a large print run.
- These are blank card bodies — no pre-applied holograms, UV features, or security overlaminates. If your ID program requires visual security elements beyond printed graphics, plan for a lamination module or pre-laminated card variant.
The 104524-803 is the practical specification for enterprise and institutional ID programs running Zebra retransfer hardware where HiCo encoding is required — government contractor badge programs, university IDs that double as building access credentials, and healthcare facilities where staff IDs are swiped daily at controlled entry points.
