Fargo Printer Ribbons
Genuine Fargo printer ribbons — full-colour YMCKO, monochrome, and specialty options for every Fargo card printer in the range. Each ribbon is matched to your specific printer model, so you get clean, consistent prints every time.
We stock the complete Fargo ribbon lineup for Irish businesses — from standard colour ribbons for everyday ID cards to overlay panels for added durability. Not sure which ribbon fits your printer? Check the model number on your current ribbon cartridge or give us a call. Browse our Fargo printers and blank cards.
Genuine Fargo printer ribbons — full-colour YMCKO, monochrome, and specialty options for every Fargo card printer in the range. Each ribbon is matched to your specific printer model, so you get clean, consistent prints every time.
We stock the complete Fargo ribbon lineup for Irish businesses — from standard colour ribbons for everyday ID cards to overlay panels for added durability. Not sure which ribbon fits your printer? Check the model number on your current ribbon cartridge or give us a call. Browse our Fargo printers and blank cards.
Choosing the right Fargo ribbon for your printer
Fargo ribbons are not interchangeable across the range, and the part number matters more than the description. A DTC1250e takes a different cartridge from a DTC4500e, and the HDP retransfer printers use a colour ribbon and a separate transfer film. Before ordering, read the five-digit number off the empty cartridge. That number is the whole answer.
Irish organisations run Fargo printers in every setting from a two-person office to a Dublin university card office printing thousands a term, and the ribbon range reflects that. Full-colour YMCKO for photo ID, YMCKOK and YMCKK where the back of the card prints in black, half-panel ribbons that print colour only over the photo area to stretch the count, and standard black monochrome ribbons rated at 1,000 or 3,000 prints for plain text cards.
Fargo ribbon types explained
- YMCKO: colour front with a protective overlay. The everyday ribbon, such as the 045000 for the DTC1250 and DTC1000 at 250 prints, from €67 ex VAT.
- YMCKOK and YMCKK: colour front plus a black panel for the reverse, used on dual-sided printers.
- Half-panel YMCKO: shorter colour panels, so a card with a small photo and black text gets up to 850 cards per ribbon.
- YMCKH, YMCFK and YMCKI: HDP ribbons that add a heat seal, UV fluorescent or inhibitor panel for specialised cards.
- Retransfer film: the HDP5000 84053 film at 1,500 prints and the 84500 clear HDP film are consumed alongside the ribbon, not instead of it.
Ribbons by printer model
To narrow the list, go to the page for your printer: Fargo DTC1250 ribbons, DTC4500 ribbons, HDP5000 ribbons or HDP6600 ribbons. Pair any of them with blank white cards, and the printers themselves are under Fargo card printers.
Further reading
- How to Fix a Broken ID Card Printer Ribbon
- A Guide to ID Card Printer Ribbons: YMCKO, KO, and Everything In Between
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which Fargo ribbon my printer takes?
The part number is printed on the cartridge already in the printer. Match it exactly; the same YMCKO description covers several different cartridges across the DTC and HDP ranges.
What is the difference between a Fargo YMCKO and YMCKK ribbon?
YMCKO has one black panel and a clear overlay, for single-sided cards. YMCKK has two black panels and no overlay panel, for dual-sided printing where the reverse is black only.
Are black Fargo ribbons cheaper to run?
Yes, by a wide margin. A monochrome ribbon rated at 1,000 or 3,000 prints costs a fraction per card of a 250-print colour ribbon, which is why visitor passes across Ireland are usually printed in black.
Most of the range is priced on request; call 01 555 5555 with your part number for a quote from Dublin.
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