Custom Nightclub Tickets

Security Features That Deter Copies

Printed tickets are only useful if they cannot be copied cheaply. A few simple features make forgery far more trouble than it is worth.

Sequential numbering on both the ticket and the stub lets you track how many have been sold and check each one at the door. Foil blocking, especially holographic foil, is very hard to reproduce on a home printer. UV-reactive ink is invisible in normal light but glows under a UV torch, which most door teams already carry.

Other options include a unique pattern printed across the back, perforated stubs that are torn on entry, and variable codes that can be cross-checked against a list. We can combine two or three features on one ticket without making it look cluttered.

Whatever mix you choose, brief the door team before the night so they know exactly what a genuine ticket looks like and where to find each feature. A security mark only works if the people checking it know to look for it. p3 Raffle draws on the night can use our numbered raffle tickets from the same numbering run.

Stock, Size and Shape

Most nightclub tickets are printed on a heavy card stock so they feel substantial and survive a night in a back pocket. A silk or matte coated card takes bold colours well and can be written on if needed. A thicker, rigid stock with a soft-touch finish suits VIP tickets and invite-only events.

Standard ticket sizes are roughly the shape of a long rectangle with a stub at one end, but you are not limited to that. Square tickets, rounded corners and die-cut shapes based on a logo or theme all get noticed. Credit-card-sized passes are popular for season tickets and membership cards because they fit easily into a wallet.

Wristband cards, a card ticket with a detachable wristband section, are useful for events where guests need to leave and re-enter. Tell us how the ticket will be used at the door and we will suggest the right format.

If tickets are sold at local shops or record stores, a smaller wallet size with a clear price box makes them easy to keep behind the counter. p3 Larger gigs and shows are covered on our concert tickets page.

Finishes for the Club Environment

Under club lighting, gloss finishes catch reflections and metallic foils sparkle. Neon and fluorescent inks glow brightly under UV light, which suits many club nights. Spot UV can pick out a logo or pattern so it shines when the ticket is tilted.

For a more understated look, a black matte card with a single foil colour feels exclusive and is ideal for members' events or launch parties. Rounded corners stop tickets fraying in pockets and wallets.

Whatever finish you pick, check that the ticket number and essential text remain easy to read. Door staff need to scan it quickly in poor light. p2 The guide to print and finish options shows foil and spot UV on black card.

Guest Lists, VIP Packs and Event Series

Not every ticket is sold. Complimentary passes for guest lists, artists' friends and partner venues need to look just as good, but door staff need to tell them apart from paid entries. A different colour, a small printed mark or a separate numbering range does this neatly.

VIP tickets often come as part of a pack, perhaps with a drinks token, a lanyard or a wristband. A slightly thicker, foil-blocked ticket with rounded corners feels special, and a lanyard hole lets guests wear it in VIP areas. Matching drinks tokens can be printed at the same time in the same design.

For private hire and launch parties, invitations and tickets can merge into one item: a folded card with the event details inside and a tear-off entry stub. It saves printing two pieces and keeps the look consistent from invitation to door.

Promoters running regular nights often order several events at once. Keeping one master design and changing the date, line-up and colour for each night builds recognition while keeping costs down. Numbering can restart for each event so sales are easy to track.

For larger events with multiple ticket tiers, colour-coding each tier helps door staff direct guests to the right queue or area. Early bird, standard and VIP tickets can share a layout but differ in colour, foil or stock. p4 Drinks tokens in the same design are described on our event tickets page.

Pick Two Security Features and Brief the Door Team

A ticket's security only works at the door, so choose the features with the door team in mind. Sequential numbering on ticket and stub plus one feature a home printer cannot copy, holographic foil or UV ink, is the usual pair; three features start to clutter a small card. Decide the numbering ranges for paid, guest list and VIP before artwork, so each tier is told apart by colour and by number.

Send the event details, the stock you want and the quantity per tier, and say if a wristband section or a lanyard hole is needed. The custom quote arrives by email within one working day, from £0.25 for simpler tickets, with the minimum set per job so a single night can run short.

The free proof shows the layout, the numbering position and the stub perforation; check the number sits where a torch can find it. Printing takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and the tickets reach UK mainland addresses by free tracked delivery, so order early enough for promoters to hand them out. Venues with a members' night usually add our VIP passes on heavy card in the same foil.