Lock Compatibility · Chip guide
MIFARE Classic® 1K hotel key cards
Custom printed MIFARE Classic® 1K compatible cards for the lock systems that still run the industry’s volume-standard chip: pre-update Saflok and Kaba estates, SALTO Space with Classic active, and the RFID lines of Tesa, CISA, Omnitec, Orbita, Be-Tech, Hune and Adel. Chip confirmed by test sample before printing.
For independently sourced replacement cards. Brand names identify the intended locking system; confirm the credential and your property's authorization requirements before ordering.
At a glance · indicative, updated September 2026
Indicative prices for Classic 1K key cards
| Card format | Indicative range per card (USD) |
|---|---|
| MIFARE Classic 1K compatible, PVC | $0.10 – $0.30 |
| MIFARE Ultralight C (ULC), PVC | $0.16 – $0.30 |
Ultralight C is listed for comparison: it is the credential security-updated Saflok, dormakaba, Onity and SALTO estates typically move to, and it is not interchangeable with Classic 1K. Classic 1K inlays can also be laminated into wooden ($0.30–$1.60), bamboo ($0.25–$1.50) and waterproof paper ($0.12–$1.35) card bodies; those material ranges span several chips, so the figure for a wood, bamboo or paper card is set in the quote.
Indicative USD ranges per card at 1,000–4,999 pieces per design, four-colour offset printing included, EXW Dongguan; freight, duties, taxes, special finishes, sleeves and credential preparation are quoted separately, and the exact price is set in a dated quote.
Quantity bands. Per design, against the 1,000–4,999 range: about −15% from 5,000 pieces, −25% from 10,000 and −35% from 25,000; 500–999 pieces run about +35%. Full price table
A price range is not a compatibility statement. Confirm the chip with test samples in your own locks before ordering.
Short answer
MIFARE Classic® 1K is the volume-standard hotel RFID chip: 1 KB of sector-protected memory read at 13.56 MHz under ISO/IEC 14443. A hotel needs Classic 1K cards when its installed locks and encoder are configured for that credential — the common case for pre-update Saflok and Kaba estates, SALTO Space with Classic active and most Tesa, CISA, Omnitec, Orbita, Be-Tech, Hune and Adel RFID lines. Security-updated Saflok, dormakaba, Onity and SALTO estates have typically moved to Ultralight C instead. Before ordering, confirm the chip with test samples encoded on your own front desk and tested in your own locks.
The volume standard for hotel RFID
MIFARE Classic® 1K is the most widely deployed hotel credential chip family. The NXP part behind it, MF1S50, holds 1 KB of EEPROM in sixteen sectors protected by keys and answers readers at 13.56 MHz under ISO/IEC 14443 Type A. Because so many lock generations read it, "1K-compatible" cards are the volume standard of the industry, and Classic 1K is the lowest-priced RFID row in the price table.
That ubiquity is why quotes shorten it so many ways: "MIFARE Classic 1K", "MF1S50", "S50" and "1K-compatible" all name the same family. It is also why the chip cannot be assumed from a brand name. A lock estate is configured for a specific credential, and the same brand sells locks for several — so the pairings below are reference starting points to confirm, not a substitute for a test sample.
Why security-updated estates moved from Classic 1K to ULC
In September 2022 security researchers reported to dormakaba that the MIFARE Classic credentials used by Saflok locks could be cloned and forged from a single legitimate card; the finding was published as Unsaflok in March 2024. dormakaba began upgrading locks, front-desk software and encoders for System 6000, Ambiance and Community from November 2023, and upgraded properties issue MIFARE Ultralight C (ULC) cards — the updated encoder no longer accepts Classic 1K stock. Onity and SALTO run their own programmes with the same practical outcome.
That does not retire Classic 1K across the industry. The chip’s CRYPTO1 cipher has publicly documented weaknesses, but each lock vendor sets its own credential roadmap, and estates that were not updated continue to issue Classic 1K exactly as configured. What matters for a card order is what your encoder issues today: if Classic stock stopped encoding after an update or service visit, quote ULC for the updated floors and keep Classic 1K only for the floors that were not updated.
Classic 1K at a glance
Reference figures from the NXP data sheet linked at the end of this page. Which chip a property needs is set by its encoder and lock configuration, not by the brand name.
| Specification | MIFARE Classic® 1K |
|---|---|
| Standard / frequency | ISO/IEC 14443 Type A at 13.56 MHz |
| Memory | 1 KB EEPROM in 16 sectors of 4 blocks, protected by sector keys |
| UID | 4-byte or 7-byte |
| Security | Proprietary CRYPTO1 cipher; publicly documented weaknesses |
| Names on quotes | MIFARE Classic 1K, MF1S50, S50, “1K-compatible” |
| Card bodies | PVC, wood, bamboo, waterproof paper |
Card bodies: PVC, wood and bamboo and waterproof paper. Each construction is checked with a sample of the intended material.
How to tell whether your current cards are Classic 1K
Checks a front-desk or purchasing team can complete without access keys. None of them replaces a test sample.
- 1
Check the last invoice or carton label
Look for a line naming the chip: "MIFARE Classic 1K", "MF1S50", "S50" or "1K" points to this family. "Ultralight" with any suffix is a different family, and an "RFID card" line without a chip name does not settle the question.
- 2
Read a working card with NXP TagInfo
The free NXP TagInfo app on an NFC Android phone identifies the chip family of a card that still opens doors. "MIFARE Classic 1K" or "MF1S50" points to Classic; "MIFARE Ultralight C" or "MF0ICU2" points to ULC. Android’s Classic support is optional, so a failed scan is inconclusive; treat the result as supporting evidence.
- 3
Ask when cards last stopped encoding
If Classic 1K stock encoded until a service visit or software update and failed afterwards, the estate has likely moved to Ultralight C. A date is a clue, not a specification; the installer confirms which credential the updated encoder issues.
- 4
Ask the installer for the credential specification
Request a non-sensitive specification: chip, capacity and any factory preparation. Do not ask for or send access keys, passwords or guest data.
- 5
Settle it with a test sample
Request Classic 1K test cards, have an authorized operator encode them on your own front desk and test guest rooms, common doors and lift readers before approving the printed order.
Which systems use Classic 1K
Reference pairings from the per-system guides on this site. The installed generation and configuration decide; confirm with your installer and test samples in your own locks.
- Saflok (dormakaba): Pre-update MT, Quantum and RT estates commonly issued Classic 1K; the security programme rolled out from November 2023 moves updated floors to ULC.
- Kaba / dormakaba (dormakaba): RFID estates that have not taken the Saflok security update commonly reorder Classic 1K; confirm the exact part and configuration.
- SALTO (SALTO Systems): Space documents SAM and issuing settings for MIFARE Classic 1K / 4K; the licensed issuing function and card preparation must be confirmed.
- Onity (Honeywell): Trillium 1.0 documentation lists MIFARE Classic among its reader options; security-updated Trillium properties commonly moved to ULC.
- Tesa (ASSA ABLOY): Tesa RFID hotel lines are commonly paired with Classic 1K; legacy swipe floors use LoCo magstripe.
- CISA (Allegion): eSIGNO and related CISA RFID generations are commonly paired with Classic 1K.
- Omnitec (Omnitec Systems): Gaudí, Slim, EVO and OS series RFID locks commonly enroll Classic 1K credentials.
- Orbita (Orbita Technology): Current RFID models are commonly paired with Classic 1K (S50); older lines ran T5577 at 125 kHz, which looks identical and is not interchangeable.
- Be-Tech (Be-Tech Security Systems): The Visual family and current RFID series are commonly paired with Classic 1K.
- Hune (Hune): Current RFID models are commonly paired with Classic 1K; earlier lines ran T5577 at 125 kHz.
- Adel (Adel Group): Current RFID models are commonly paired with Classic 1K (S50); older floors used T5577 or LoCo magstripe.
Not Classic 1K: security-updated Saflok, dormakaba, Onity and SALTO estates typically issue Ultralight C (ULC) instead; VingCard orders follow the approved ASSA ABLOY credential SKU; and classic Häfele Dialock generations are commonly cited with Tag-it (ISO 15693) media rather than MIFARE.
Ordering Classic 1K cards from Cardotel
- Chip confirmed by sample: request Classic 1K test cards, have an authorized operator encode them on your own front desk and test guest rooms, common doors and lift readers, including reissue and expiry.
- Indicative Classic 1K range in PVC: $0.10–$0.30 per card at 1,000–4,999 pieces per design, printing included, EXW Dongguan. The cost guide gives the full basis, the other card formats and the quantity bands; the exact price is set in a dated quote.
- What to send: lock and encoder model, software name and version, the current card SKU or a TagInfo screenshot of a working card, quantity per design, artwork status and destination. Mark unknown fields as not sure; do not send access keys, passwords or guest data.
- Card bodies in PVC, wood or bamboo or waterproof paper, four-colour printing; matching sleeves quoted in the same enquiry.
- Mixed estates: separate quote lines for floors still on Classic 1K and security-updated floors (ULC), so neither batch is wasted.
- Not sure the chip is Classic 1K? Start with which chip your locks need or, if cards failed after a service visit, the key card not working checklist.
Classic 1K key card questions
What is a MIFARE Classic 1K hotel key card?
A key card built on NXP’s MIFARE Classic 1K chip family (part MF1S50): 1 KB of memory in sixteen sectors protected by keys, read at 13.56 MHz under ISO/IEC 14443 Type A. It is the most widely deployed hotel credential chip family and the volume standard of the industry. "MF1S50", "S50" and "1K-compatible" on a quote name the same family.
Which hotel lock systems use Classic 1K cards?
As reference pairings: pre-update Saflok and Kaba/dormakaba estates, SALTO Space configured for Classic, Onity Trillium 1.0 (a listed reader option) and the RFID lines of Tesa, CISA, Omnitec, Orbita, Be-Tech, Hune and Adel. None of these is a brand-wide rule: the installed generation and configuration decide, so confirm the credential with your installer and test samples in your own locks.
Why did our Classic 1K cards stop encoding after a lock update?
Vendor security updates remove Classic 1K as an accepted credential. dormakaba began its Saflok programme in November 2023 after the vulnerability published as Unsaflok, and security-updated Saflok, dormakaba, Onity and SALTO estates commonly move to MIFARE Ultralight C. Existing Classic stock then serves only the floors that were not updated. Ultralight C (ULC) key card guide
Is MIFARE Classic 1K still secure enough for a hotel?
Classic 1K uses the proprietary CRYPTO1 cipher, whose weaknesses are publicly documented; that is why security-updated estates moved to chips with 3DES or AES authentication. Whether that matters for your property is a decision for your lock vendor’s security programme, not for a card supplier: locks configured for Classic 1K accept only correctly specified Classic 1K stock, and the credential roadmap comes from the vendor.
How much do MIFARE Classic 1K key cards cost?
Indicative Cardotel range for printed MIFARE Classic 1K compatible cards in PVC: $0.10–$0.30 per card at 1,000–4,999 pieces per design, four-colour offset printing included, EXW Dongguan. Freight, duties, taxes, special finishes, sleeves and credential preparation are quoted separately. Quantity moves the figure: about −15 % from 5,000 pieces, −25 % from 10,000 and −35 % from 25,000; 500–999 pieces run about +35 %. The exact price is set in a dated quote for your artwork, material and destination. Full hotel key card price table
Can Classic 1K cards be made in wood, bamboo or paper?
Yes. The same inlay can be laminated into PVC, wooden, bamboo and waterproof paper card bodies, which is one reason Classic 1K suits eco programmes. Each construction changes thickness and antenna behaviour, so test a sample of the intended material in your encoder and doors rather than approving the chip in PVC and the material separately.
Are Classic 1K and Ultralight C interchangeable?
No. Classic 1K holds 1 KB in key-protected sectors under CRYPTO1; Ultralight C is a different NXP product with 3DES mutual authentication and 192 bytes of memory. A lock configured for one rejects the other, and a "1K-compatible" quote does not fulfil a ULC specification. Keep the full chip name on the quote and the sample approval.
Sources · checked 29 September 2026
- NXP: MIFARE Classic EV1 1K (MF1S50) data sheet (PDF)
- dormakaba: Security Support Center for Saflok System 6000, Ambiance and Community
- Unsaflok: disclosure of the Saflok MIFARE Classic vulnerability and the Ultralight C upgrade
- SALTO Space: MIFARE Classic / Plus issuing requirements
- Onity / Honeywell: Trillium 1.0 reader options
These references describe the manufacturers’ systems and chips. They are separate from evidence for the Cardotel card offered in your quote. MIFARE, MIFARE Classic and MIFARE Ultralight are trademarks of NXP B.V.; lock brand names identify the intended system only.
Plan your MIFARE Classic 1K card order
Share your lock system, approximate quantity and destination. Unsure of the chip? Start with the system details you have.