---
title: Create and activate an ID card
description: How to generate and activate QR code ID cards for students in SchoolDay — by grade, class, or individual student.
---

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August 22, 2026

# Create and activate an ID card

## Generate QR code ID cards for students by grade, class, or individual from the ID Card Administration tool.

**In this article**

> [Requirements](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/create-activate-id-card#requirements)
> 
> [Generate ID cards](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/create-activate-id-card#generate)
> 
> [After generating cards](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/create-activate-id-card#after-generating)
> 
> [Related articles](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/create-activate-id-card#related-articles)

Generating an ID card creates a unique QR code tied to a specific student’s SchoolDay account and sets an expiration date for that code. The output is a PDF that you download, print, and distribute. Cards can be generated for an entire grade, a class, or individual students.

### Requirements

- Primary District Admin or Teacher permissions.
- [ID card login enabled](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/enable-id-card-login?hsLang=en) for your district and the relevant school.

### Generate ID cards

1. From the SchoolDay main page, open the **ID Card Administration** tool.  
   ![image-png-Sep-11-2023-12-09-32-5187-PM](https://help.schoolday.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Sep-11-2023-12-09-32-5187-PM.png?width=170&height=201&name=image-png-Sep-11-2023-12-09-32-5187-PM.png)
2. Choose the desired school.
3. Select the tab that matches how you want to generate cards:
   
     - **Grades**: Generate cards for all students in a grade. District admins only.
       
        
     - **Classes**: Generate cards for all students in a class.
     -  
       
       **Students**: Generate cards for individual students.

1. Select the students or group you want to activate: 
     - **Single student or group:** Click the three-dot menu next to the name and select **Activate**.
     - **Multiple students:** Select their records and click **Activate Selected**.
2. Choose an expiration date for the QR code, then click **Reset** and confirm.

**Result:** A PDF file containing the ID card(s) downloads immediately to your **Downloads** folder. Print the cards and distribute them to students.  
![Updated QR codes](https://help.schoolday.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base/SP%20ecosystem/ID%20Card%20administrative%20tool/Updated%20QR%20codes.png?width=670&height=191&name=Updated%20QR%20codes.png)

### After generating cards

- Cards are not valid until printed and distributed to students.
- Students use the printed card to sign in via the [Sign in with ID Card](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/sso-school-passport-qr-code-id-card-badge?hsLang=en) option on the login page.
- Changes to a student’s school assignments or class enrollments do not affect the QR code.

### Related articles

- [Enable ID card login for your organization](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/enable-id-card-login?hsLang=en)
- [Assign an ID card to a student](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/assign-id-card-student?hsLang=en)
- [Issue a temporary ID card](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/issue-temporary-id-card?hsLang=en)
- [Deactivate an ID card](https://help.schoolday.com/knowledge/deactivate-id-card?hsLang=en)

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