# Create physical cards

Create a cardholder and issue a physical card.

You can use the [Dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/issuing/cards) or the [Create a card](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards.md) endpoint to issue your standard and custom bundles to cardholders. If we approve your design, any card you create is sent to the card printer for fulfillment. If your design is still under review, we send cards for fulfillment after we approve the design. This applies only when you add an additional logo to the card or text to the standard carriers. Otherwise, we send cards for fulfillment without additional review.

## Create a cardholder 

You can use the [Dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/issuing/cardholders) or the [Cardholders API](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cardholders.md) to create a cardholder.

> For stablecoin-backed consumer card programs, Bridge manages cardholder creation and identity verification. See the [Bridge documentation](https://apidocs.bridge.xyz/platform/cards/overview/kyc) for details.

# Dashboard


1. Visit the [Cardholders tab](https://dashboard.stripe.com/issuing/cardholders) in the Issuing Dashboard.

1. Click **Create cardholder** on the upper right.

1. Select cardholder type: individual or company. The full set of valid characters for both cardholder name and business name are alphabetical characters, spaces, and `-,.'` special characters. There’s a 24 character limit.

1. Add a billing address.

1. If you’re creating a company card, add the tax ID number.

1. Add contact information, which is required for certain features like digital wallets.

1. Click **Create cardholder**.

### Individual type cardholder requirements 

When you select the individual cardholder type, you must add the cardholder’s legal first and last name and [date of birth](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cardholders/create.md#create_issuing_cardholder-individual-dob). Consider uploading [government-issued ID](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cardholders/create.md#create_issuing_cardholder-individual-verification), which may help reduce [watchlist reviews](https://support.stripe.com/questions/issuing-watchlist-reviews).

If you issue cards to individuals for programs backed by Cross River Bank, you must record acceptance of the [Cross River Bank Authorized User Terms](https://stripe.com/legal/issuing/crb-authorized-user-terms) before [activating](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/cards/physical/issue-cards.md?testing-method=without-code#activate-the-card) a card for that cardholder. See the [Required Agreements for Issuing and Treasury for platforms](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/compliance-us.md) for more information about which agreements you must present to account holders and cardholders.

### Company type cardholder requirements 

When you add a company name, ensure that it has a minimum of two words, for example: Stripe Inc.

## Create a card 

You can use the [Dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/issuing/cards) to create a new card.

1. Visit the [Cards tab](https://dashboard.stripe.com/issuing/cards) in the Issuing Dashboard.

1. Click **Create card** on the upper right.

1. Search for the cardholder you created in [Create a cardholder](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/cards/physical/issue-cards.md#create-cardholder).

1. Select **Physical** for the type.

1. Search for the personalization design you created in [Create a design](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/cards/physical/create-design.md) to select the desired physical bundle design for this cardholder.

1. If your physical bundle supports a second line on the card, you can enter one in the second line input to add the information. This is typically used for business names.

1. Add shipping information. For more details, see [Ship cards](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/cards/physical/ship-cards.md).

1. Click **Create**.


## Activate the card

For [authorizations](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/purchases/authorizations.md) to be approved on a card, its `status` must be set to `active`. Past-due [requirements](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cardholders/object.md#issuing_cardholder_object-requirements-past_due) block card activation.

### Activate on creation

You can activate the card when creating it using the Dashboard or the API. In the Dashboard, when creating a card, click **Activate card**. Using the API, set `status` to `active` when using the [create card](https://docs.stripe.com/api/.md#create_issuing_card) endpoint.

### Activate after creation

Alternatively, after creating an inactive card, you can activate it using the Dashboard or the API. To activate it using the Dashboard, select the card you want to activate, then click **Activate card**. To activate it using the API, use the [update card](https://docs.stripe.com/api.md#update_issuing_card) endpoint to set its `status` to `active`.

```curl
curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/issuing/cards/{{ISSUINGCARD_ID}} \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>:" \
  -d status=active
```

### Re-activate after blocking

In some cases, multiple incorrect PIN attempts on a transaction deactivates a card, preventing further authorizations. To reactivate the card, use the Dashboard or the [update card](https://docs.stripe.com/api.md#update_issuing_card) API to set the card’s `status` to `active`.