---
updatedAt: 2026-05-07T13:26:35.000Z
agentTools:
  siteIndex: https://developers.pismo.io/llms.txt
  projectIndex: https://developers.pismo.io/pismo-docs/llms.txt
---

# Start card embossing

Starts card embossing for a specific embossing configuration. Within that configuration, you can emboss cards for a specific program or card(s).

* If only `config_id` is passed in the request, then all cards in all programs are added to the embossing file.
* If `config_id` and  program ID(s) are passed in the request, then all cards in those programs are added to the embossing file.
* If `config_id` and card ID(s) are passed in the request, then only those cards are added to the embossing file.

You can call the [List embossing files](ref:get-embossing-file-info) endpoint to get embossing configuration IDs.

The file generation is asynchronous and not in real-time for any option described above.

Only available in the EXT environment. For more information, refer to [Embossing flows](doc:physical-card-embossing#embossing-flow).

**Note:** This is a PCI endpoint, use the https://gw-pci.pismolabs.io environment.


# OpenAPI definition

```json
{
  "openapi": "3.1.0",
  "info": {
    "title": "Card issuing - Cards",
    "version": "1.4.6",
    "description": "Card endpoints API",
    "contact": {
      "name": "API Support",
      "url": "https://developers.pismo.io/support/"
    },
    "license": {
      "name": "Copyright Pismo"
    }
  },
  "servers": [
    {
      "url": "https://sandbox.pismolabs.io",
      "description": "Sandbox API server for testing."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://gw-pci.pismolabs.io",
      "description": "Sandbox PCI API server for testing."
    }
  ],
  "security": [
    {
      "BearerAuth": []
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    {
      "name": "Embossing",
      "description": "Card embossing endpoints"
    }
  ],
  "components": {
    "schemas": {
      "ConfigID": {
        "type": "string",
        "format": "uuid",
        "description": "Embosser configuration/group ID. \n\nYou can call [Get nominal card embossing info](https://developers.pismo.io/pismo-docs/reference/get-embossing-info)  to get a card's embossing group.\n\nYou can also call [Get org embosser info](https://developers.pismo.io/pismo-docs/reference/get-embossing-configurations-info) to get an embossing group's configuration ID. \n",
        "example": "acde070d-8c4c-4f0d-9d8a-162843c10333"
      }
    },
    "securitySchemes": {
      "BearerAuth": {
        "type": "http",
        "scheme": "bearer",
        "description": "Account token - an access token encoded with a Pismo account ID. Tokens can expire quickly, which can result in an \"Unauthorized\" error.",
        "bearerFormat": "JWT"
      }
    }
  },
  "paths": {
    "/embossing/v1/triggers/embossing": {
      "post": {
        "operationId": "start-embossing",
        "summary": "Start card embossing",
        "description": "Starts card embossing for a specific embossing configuration. Within that configuration, you can emboss cards for a specific program or card(s).\n\n* If only `config_id` is passed in the request, then all cards in all programs are added to the embossing file.\n* If `config_id` and  program ID(s) are passed in the request, then all cards in those programs are added to the embossing file.\n* If `config_id` and card ID(s) are passed in the request, then only those cards are added to the embossing file.\n\nYou can call the [List embossing files](https://developers.pismo.io/pismo-docs/reference/get-embossing-file-info) endpoint to get embossing configuration IDs.\n\nThe file generation is asynchronous and not in real-time for any option described above.\n\nOnly available in the EXT environment. For more information, refer to [Embossing flows](https://developers.pismo.io/pismo-docs/docs/physical-card-embossing#embossing-flow).\n\n**Note:** This is a PCI endpoint, use the https://gw-pci.pismolabs.io environment.\n",
        "tags": [
          "Embossing"
        ],
        "requestBody": {
          "required": true,
          "content": {
            "application/json": {
              "schema": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                  "config_id": {
                    "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ConfigID"
                  },
                  "programs": {
                    "type": "array",
                    "description": "Program ID array",
                    "items": {
                      "type": "integer"
                    }
                  },
                  "cards": {
                    "type": "array",
                    "description": "Card ID array",
                    "items": {
                      "type": "integer"
                    }
                  }
                },
                "required": [
                  "config_id"
                ]
              }
            }
          }
        },
        "responses": {
          "202": {
            "description": "Embossing trigger as Accepted"
          },
          "400": {
            "description": "Bad Request",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "description": "",
                  "type": "object",
                  "properties": {
                    "message": {
                      "type": "string"
                    },
                    "status": {
                      "type": "integer"
                    },
                    "error": {
                      "type": "string"
                    }
                  }
                },
                "examples": {
                  "example-bad-request": {
                    "value": {
                      "message": "Field config_id is required",
                      "error": "bad_request",
                      "status": 400
                    }
                  }
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```