Multi-part standard defining contact smart card physical, electrical, and command interfaces.
ISO/IEC 7816 is the multi-part foundation standard for contact smart cards, covering the card's physical dimensions, contact placement, electrical signals, transmission protocols, and command structure. Parts 1 through 3 specify the hardware and low-level signalling, while later parts define the command set, file organisation, and security architecture. Nearly every contact chip card — banking, SIM, and identity — builds on this standard.
Standard Details
| Category | ISO/IEC |
| Year Published | 1987 |
| Status | Active |
Compliant Card Types
National eID Card
Dual-InterfaceGovernment-issued electronic identity card with contact and contactless interfaces for in-person and online identification.
National Health Insurance Card
ContactSmart card for healthcare access and insurance verification, storing patient identity and entitlement data.
Memory Card (Synchronous)
ContactSimple EEPROM-based card without a microprocessor, used for low-cost applications like prepaid phone cards and parking tokens.