MSRP: $6,851.42
$4,796.00Part #055038
Overview
Professional credentials, printed at your desk
The HID FARGO DTC4500e is a high-volume direct-to-card ID printer built for organizations that issue cards every day - medium-to-large businesses, schools, healthcare systems, and government card offices. This configuration, part number 055038 (also listed as 55038), is the single-sided model with key-locking card hoppers and consumables access, an ISO magnetic stripe encoder (dual high- and low-coercivity, tracks 1, 2, and 3), and integrated OMNIKEY 5121 and 5125 encoders covering 125 kHz HID Prox, 13.56 MHz iCLASS and MIFARE contactless credentials, and ISO 7816 contact chip cards. USB 2.0, Ethernet with an internal print server, and a 200-card dual input hopper are standard on every unit.
It prints at 300 dpi, combining dye-sublimation color with resin thermal transfer for sharp text and scannable barcodes. A full-color card takes about 16 seconds, a dual-sided color card about 24, and a monochrome card about 6 - roughly 225 full-color cards per hour. High-yield ECO refill ribbons (700 full-color prints) mean the DTC4500e runs about twice as long between ribbon changes as comparable printers, and the cleaning roller is built into the ribbon cartridge, so it is replaced automatically with every ribbon change. The SmartScreen graphical display walks users through setup, loading, and status.
Security comes standard: AES-256 encryption protects card data in transit, resin scramble renders used ribbon panels unreadable, password protection locks down printer access, and fluorescent (YMCFKO) panel printing adds a covert UV security layer. This configuration adds physical key locks on the card hoppers and consumables compartment, keeping blank stock and ribbons secured - a common requirement in government and campus card offices. Cards are personalized and encoded in a single inline print job, so credentials come out ready to use. HID backs the DTC4500e with a three-year printer and printhead warranty, with unlimited printhead coverage on HID UltraCard stock.
Reference
Consumables
A complete list of compatible consumables for the HID FARGO DTC4500e. Click any part number for details.
| Part Number | Description and Yield |
|---|---|
| 045230 | HID FARGO ECO YMCKO Ribbon, 700 Prints |
| 045233 | HID FARGO ECO YMCKO Half-Panel, 1,000 Prints |
| 045209 | HID FARGO YMCFKO Ribbon, 500 Prints |
| 045201 | HID FARGO Premium Black (K) Ribbon, 3,000 Prints |
| 045202 | HID FARGO Standard Black (K) Ribbon, 3,000 Prints |
| 045206 | HID FARGO White Ribbon, 2,000 Prints |
| 045200 | HID FARGO YMCKO Ribbon, 500 PrintsDiscontinued – limited stock |
| 045214 | HID FARGO YMCKO Half-Panel, 850 PrintsDiscontinued – limited stock |
| Part Number | Description |
|---|---|
| SPID-9630 | Specialist ID Blank White PVC Cards, CR-80 30mil |
| SPID-9790-WHITE | Specialist ID HiCo Mag Stripe PVC Cards, CR-80 30mil |
| 081754 | HID FARGO UltraCard PVC, CR-80 30mil (500) |
| 082266 | HID FARGO UltraCard CR-80 Paper-Adhesive (500) |
| 082267 | HID FARGO UltraCard CR-80 Mylar-Adhesive (500) |
| 081759 | HID FARGO UltraCard CR-79 Paper-Adhesive (500) |
| 081758 | HID FARGO UltraCard CR-80 10mil PVC (1,000) |
| 081751 | HID FARGO UltraCard CR-80 HiCo Mag Stripe (500) |
| 081750 | HID FARGO UltraCard CR-80 LoCo Mag Stripe (500) |
| 082136 | HID FARGO UltraCard Premium Composite (500) |
| 082137 | HID FARGO UltraCard Composite HiCo Mag (500) |
| 082279 | HID FARGO UltraCard CR-79 Mylar-Adhesive (500) |
The detail
Technical Specifications
- Print method
- Dye sublimation / resin thermal transfer
- Resolution
- 300 dpi (11.8 dots/mm) continuous tone
- Colors
- Up to 16.7 million / 256 shades per pixel
- Print speed
- 6 sec/card monochrome (K); 8 sec/card (KO); 16 sec/card full-color (YMCKO); 24 sec/card dual-sided (YMCKOK)
- Printing capability
- Single-sided printing
- Ribbon options
- ECO refill ribbons - YMCKO 700 prints; YMCKO half-panel 1,000 prints; YMCKOK 600 prints (dual-sided); YMCFKO fluorescent 500 prints; resin black 3,000 prints; resin white 2,000 prints
- Display
- SmartScreen graphical display
- Accepted card sizes
- CR-80; CR-79 adhesive back
- Print area
- CR-80 edge-to-edge
- Accepted card thickness
- 9-40 mil (print only)
- Accepted card types
- PVC or polyester with polished PVC finish; 100% polyester (monochrome resin); rewritable cards
- Input hopper
- 200 cards (30 mil) - dual input hopper standard
- Output hopper
- Up to 30 cards (30 mil)
- Card cleaning
- Cleaning roller integrated into ribbon cartridge; replaced with each ribbon change
- Memory
- 32 MB RAM
- Connectivity
- USB 2.0; Ethernet with internal print server
- Security
- Password protection; AES-256 encryption; resin scramble data protection; fluorescent panel printing; locking card hoppers
- Encoding
- ISO Magnetic Stripe + HID Prox + iCLASS/MIFARE Contactless + Contact Chip (OMNIKEY 5121/5125)
- Software
- FARGO Workbench diagnostic utility with Color Assist spot-color matching
- Software drivers
- Windows 7 / 10 / 11 / Server 2012 / 2016 / 2019 / 2022; macOS; Linux
- Operating temperature
- 65 to 80 F (18 to 27 C)
- Humidity
- 20-80% non-condensing
- Dimensions
- 9.8 in H x 18.1 in W x 9.2 in D
- Weight
- 9 lbs
- Supply voltage
- 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz
- Warranty
- 3-year printer; 3-year printhead (unlimited with UltraCard)
Stock up
Compatible Supplies
Genuine HID Fargo ribbons and supplies matched to the DTC4500e.
HID Fargo 45230 ECO YMCKO Ribbon Refill for the DTC4500e, 700 Prints
#045230
Regular price
$299.88
Sale price
$195.00
HID Fargo 45233 ECO YMCKO Half Panel Ribbon Refill for the DTC4500e, 1000 Prints
#045233
Regular price
$330.75
Sale price
$208.00
HID Fargo 45206 White Ribbon Refill for the DTC4500e and DTC4500 ID Card Printers 2000 Prints
#045206
Regular price
$103.95
Sale price
$69.30
HID Fargo 45200 YMCKO Full-Color Ribbon for the DTC4500e and DTC4500 ID Card Printers 500 Prints
#045200
Regular price
$214.20
Sale price
$142.80
Sold out
HID Fargo 45214 YMCKO Half-Panel Color Ribbon Refill for the DTC4500e and DTC4500 ID Card Printers 850 Prints
#045214
Regular price
$281.40
Sale price
$187.59
Sold out
Blank White PVC Cards for ID Badge Printers - CR80 30 Mil (SPID-9630) Color Options
#SPID-9630
Regular price
From $15.99
Regular price
Sale price
From $15.99
Standard CR80 30mil Cards w/ HiCo Mag Stripe
#SPID-9790-WHITE
Regular price
From $19.99
Regular price
Sale price
From $19.99
HID FARGO 81754 UltraCard PVC Cards - 500 Pack, CR80 30 Mil
#081754
Regular price
$83.00
Sale price
$64.00
FARGO 82266 CR-80, 10mil Blank White PVC Cards with Paper Adhesive Back
#082266
Regular price
$214.00
Sale price
$184.99
FARGO 82267 CR-80, 10mil Blank White PVC Cards with 14mil Mylar Adhesive Back
#082267
Regular price
$391.00
Sale price
$299.00
HID FARGO 081759 UltraCard CR-79 10 mil PVC Cards with Paper Adhesive Back, 500 Pack
#081759
Regular price
$214.00
Sale price
$176.99
HID FARGO 81758 UltraCard CR80 10 mil PVC Cards, 1000 Pack
#081758
Regular price
$151.25
Sale price
$141.17
HID FARGO 81751 UltraCard CR80 30 mil PVC Cards with High-Coercivity Magnetic Stripe, 500 Pack
#081751
Regular price
$155.00
Sale price
$144.67
HID FARGO 81750 UltraCard CR80 30 mil PVC Cards with Low-Coercivity Magnetic Stripe, 500 Pack
#081750
Regular price
$131.25
Sale price
$122.50
HID FARGO 82136 UltraCard Premium Composite Cards - 500 Per Box, 30 mil, CR80
#082136
Regular price
$190.00
Sale price
$169.00
HID FARGO 82137 UltraCard Premium Composite Cards with High-Coercivity Magnetic Stripe, 500 Pack
#082137
Regular price
$227.00
Sale price
$208.08
HID FARGO 82279 UltraCard CR-79 10 mil PVC Cards with Mylar Adhesive Back, 500 Pack
#082279
Regular price
$391.00
Sale price
$364.93
Downloads
Documents & Resources
Documents
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
Can the DTC4500e print on both sides of a card?
Yes. It comes in single-sided and dual-sided versions, and the dual-sided models print the front and back automatically. Use the selector above to choose your configuration.
What is the difference between the DTC4500e and the DTC4250e?
The DTC4500e is the higher-volume workhorse of the DTCe line. It doubles card capacity with a 200-card dual-input hopper (the DTC4250e holds 100), uses higher-yield 700-print YMCKO ribbons versus 300, and adds options the DTC4250e does not offer: single- or dual-side card lamination, physically locking card hoppers, and fluorescent (YMCFKO) security printing. If you print a few hundred cards a year, the DTC4250e is plenty; for daily or high-security issuance, choose the DTC4500e.
What ribbon does the DTC4500e use, and how many cards does a ribbon print?
It uses HID ECO refill ribbons with a reusable cartridge system, and a cleaning roller is replaced with every ribbon change. The current full-color YMCKO refill (045230) prints 700 cards, the dual-sided YMCKOK (045231, dual-sided models only) 600, the half-panel YMCKO (045233) 1,000, fluorescent YMCFKO (045209) 500, resin black (045201 premium / 045202 standard) 3,000, and white (045206) 2,000. Every compatible ribbon is listed above. Note that HID has transitioned the color ribbons to a new generation: 045230, 045231, and 045233 replace the discontinued 045200, 045210, and 045214.
Do I need to update my printer for the new-generation color ribbons?
Yes. The new-generation ribbons (045230, 045231, 045233) require printer firmware 3.7.0.8 or newer, driver 5.6.0.8 or newer, and the updated color profile loaded through Printer Properties. Both are free downloads in the Drivers section higher up on this page. Skipping the update can cause color drift, so update once and the new ribbons run exactly like the old ones.
What is card lamination, and which DTC4500e models include it?
Lamination bonds a clear or holographic overlaminate patch onto the printed card, extending card life and making tampering obvious - common for government, education, and multi-year credentials. The DTC4500e sells in configurations with a single-side lamination module or a dual-side simultaneous lamination module; choose under Lamination above. Lamination models accept 30-40 mil cards only, and HID recommends composite cards rather than plain PVC in the lamination module - the composite UltraCards are listed first in the Cards tab on those configurations.
Which overlaminates does it use?
PolyGuard 0.6 mil and 1.0 mil patch overlaminates in clear and holographic Orbit designs, half-patch versions that leave the magnetic stripe uncovered (dual-side lamination module only), and a smart-chip cutout version, plus economical 0.25 mil thermal transfer overlaminates (single-side lamination module only). All compatible laminates are listed on the lamination configurations above.
What size and type of cards does it use?
Standard CR-80 cards (credit-card size) and CR-79 adhesive-back cards, 9 to 40 mil thick, in PVC or polyester with a polished PVC finish; monochrome resin is required for 100% polyester cards. Lamination configurations accept 30-40 mil cards only, and adhesive-back cards cannot run through the lamination module. It also supports eco-friendly rewritable cards for reusable visitor and contractor badges.
How fast is it?
About 6 seconds per monochrome card, 16 seconds per full-color YMCKO card - roughly 225 full-color cards per hour - and 24 seconds per dual-sided YMCKOK card.
Can it encode magnetic stripe or smart cards?
Yes, depending on the configuration you select above. Options include an ISO magnetic stripe encoder (tracks 1, 2, and 3), an OMNIKEY 5122 encoder for iCLASS, MIFARE, and DESFire contactless credentials with an optional contact smart card slot, and an OMNIKEY 5127 encoder that adds 125 kHz HID Prox support on top of the 13.56 MHz contactless technologies. Cards are printed and encoded in a single inline print job.
What are the locking hoppers?
On the WITH Locking Hoppers configurations (select Physical locks above), the card hoppers and consumables compartment lock with a key, keeping blank card stock and ribbons secured against unauthorized access - a requirement in many government and campus card offices. Password protection, AES-256 encryption, and resin scramble data protection are standard on every configuration.
What is the same-side input/output hopper?
On the same-side configurations (select Same-side in/out hopper above), blank cards load and finished cards exit on the same side of the printer, and a 100-card reject bin is included. That lets the printer sit flush against a wall or work in very tight spaces.
Can I connect it to my network, and does it work with Mac?
Ethernet with an internal print server comes standard on every DTC4500e configuration, alongside USB 2.0, so multiple workstations can share the printer. HID publishes Windows, macOS, and Linux printer drivers - current versions are in the Drivers section higher up on this page.
Is the DTC4500e available for HID FARGO Connect?
Yes. HID sells FARGO Connect Enabled versions of the DTC4500e for its cloud card-issuance platform: a base dual-sided model (078003) and dual-side lamination models with OMNIKEY 5127 encoding (078041) or OMNIKEY 5127 plus magnetic stripe (078004). FARGO Connect lets card offices design, encode, and issue cards from any supported device with no printer drivers or workstation software. It requires a FARGO Connect Console and an annual FARGO Connect subscription, sold separately - contact us and we will help configure the complete solution. Search FARGO Connect DTC4500e on our site to find the three Connect-enabled listings.
What warranty does it include, and is Specialist ID an authorized dealer?
The DTC4500e carries a three-year warranty on both the printer and the printhead, with unlimited printhead coverage when you use HID UltraCard stock. Specialist ID is an authorized HID FARGO reseller, so your printer, supplies, and warranty are backed by HID.
Complete your setup
Add the consumables you'll need to start printing.