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BS ISO IEC 7816 — Identification Cards Integrated Circuit Cards (Smart Cards) Standard Series
Identification Cards — Integrated Circuit Cards (Smart Cards) (BSI reference BS ISO IEC 07816)
💳 BS ISO/IEC 7816 (BSI catalogue reference BS ISO IEC 07816) is the British Standard series implementing the ISO/IEC 7816 International Standards (prepared by ISO/IEC JTC 1) for identification cards and integrated circuit cards (smart cards), under Technical Committee IST/17 (Cards and personal identification), classified under ICS 35.240.15 (identification cards and related devices). The series specifies the physical characteristics of contact integrated circuit cards, the dimensions and positions of the contacts, the electrical interface and transmission protocols, interindustry data elements, security commands and mechanisms, application-management commands, registration of application providers, and the cryptographic information application. It is the global technical foundation for bank cards, SIM cards, transit cards, identity cards and electronic wallets.
💡 The SIM card in your phone and the chip on your bank card are products of ISO/IEC 7816. Part 3 defines the electrical signals and transmission protocols between card and reader, and Part 4 defines the APDU commands and file structure — the “operating-system level” specification of the whole smart-card ecosystem.
1. Series Overview 📌
The series is derived from the ISO/IEC 7816 standards prepared by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 17 (Cards and personal identification) and adopted identically as BS ISO/IEC parts in the UK. It is organised by “layers”:
- Physical layer: Part 1 physical characteristics (bending, twisting, ESD, temperature/humidity), Part 2 contact dimensions and positions.
- Electrical layer: Part 3 electrical interface and transmission protocols (T=0/T=1).
- Command and data layer: Part 4 organisation, security and interindustry commands (APDU, file structure, security mechanisms).
- Application layer: Part 6 interindustry data elements, Part 8 security-operation commands, Part 13 application management in multi-application environments, Part 15 cryptographic information application, Part 5 registration of application providers.
⚠️ Some files in this series are scanned versions. For the scanned parts, this article gives a general explanation based on publicly available domain knowledge; specific parameters and clauses are subject to the official BSI publications.
2. Series Structure and Technical Points 🧩
| Part | Subject | Main Content |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Cards with contacts — Physical characteristics | Card dimensions, bending/twisting, ESD, temperature and humidity characteristics. |
| Part 2 | Cards with contacts — Dimensions and location of contacts | Dimensions, positions and numbering of the 8 contacts. |
| Part 3 | Electrical interface and transmission protocols | Power, signals, and the T=0/T=1 half-byte/byte transmission protocols (APDU commands). |
| Part 4 | Organisation, security and interindustry commands | File structure, APDU commands, security mechanisms and interindustry commands. |
| Part 5 | Registration of application providers | Registration methods and authorities for application providers. |
| Part 6 | Interindustry data elements | Definition and coding of interindustry data elements (name, document number, etc.). |
| Part 8 | Commands and mechanisms for security operations | Security-operation commands and mechanisms (encryption, MAC, key management). |
| Part 13 | Commands for application management in a multi-application environment | Card and application life-cycle management commands in multi-application environments. |
| Part 15 | Cryptographic information application | Cryptographic information objects and storage/management of certificates and keys (CIA). |
3. Key Technical Requirements 🔧
Physical characteristics and contacts (Parts 1/2)
Part 1 specifies mechanical strength, resistance to bending and twisting, electrostatic discharge (ESD), temperature/humidity working range and radiation resistance; Part 2 specifies the dimensions and positions of the 8 contacts (C1–C8: supply, ground, reset, clock, I/O, etc.). The physical layer is the prerequisite for reliable card operation.
Electrical interface and transmission protocols (Part 3)
Defines the electrical conditions between card and terminal (operating voltage, current, clock-frequency tolerance) and the half-byte/byte transmission protocols (asynchronous T=0, block-oriented T=1), together with the APDU (application protocol data unit) command/response structure that underpins the “command–response” communication model.
Commands and security mechanisms (Parts 4/8)
Part 4 defines the file system (MF/DF/EF), data objects, security states and security attributes, and interindustry commands such as read, write and update; Part 8 adds security-operation commands for encryption, MAC and key loading. These two parts are the basis for implementing on-card applications and authentication mechanisms.
Multi-application and cryptographic applications (Parts 13/15)
Part 13 specifies installation, deletion, selection and life-cycle management of applications in a multi-application environment; Part 15 specifies the cryptographic information application (CIA) for storing and using certificates, private keys and other cryptographic objects — a key part of modern secure elements and eID.
✅ ISO/IEC 7816 uses an open “layered + command/response” architecture: as long as the card and reader follow the Part 3 protocols and the Part 4 command framework, cards and applications from different vendors interoperate — the basis of the globally interconnected smart-card ecosystem.
4. Engineering Practice 🛠️
- 📱 SIM and mobile communications: phone SIM cards follow the 7816 series, supporting authentication, number storage and application management.
- 🏦 Financial payments: bank card chips rely on the APDU and security mechanisms of Parts 4/8 for offline authentication and electronic wallets.
- 🚌 Transit and access control: transit cards, access cards and employee cards use interindustry data elements and file structures.
- 🔐 eID and secure authentication: electronic identity documents and digital-certificate media store and manage cryptographic information per Part 15.
5. Frequently Asked Questions ❓
❓ Q: What is the difference between the 7816 and 14443 series?
A: 7816 covers contact smart cards, while ISO/IEC 14443 covers contactless (RF) smart cards; they share concepts in the command and data layers.
A: 7816 covers contact smart cards, while ISO/IEC 14443 covers contactless (RF) smart cards; they share concepts in the command and data layers.
❓ Q: What is the difference between the T=0 and T=1 protocols?
A: T=0 is an asynchronous half-byte (character) transmission protocol and T=1 is a block transmission protocol; most contact cards support one or both.
A: T=0 is an asynchronous half-byte (character) transmission protocol and T=1 is a block transmission protocol; most contact cards support one or both.
❓ Q: What is an APDU?
A: Application Protocol Data Unit — the standard message format by which a terminal sends commands to the card and the card returns responses.
A: Application Protocol Data Unit — the standard message format by which a terminal sends commands to the card and the card returns responses.
❓ Q: What is the Part 4 file structure?
A: A hierarchical tree of master files (MF), dedicated files (DF) and elementary files (EF), with EF types such as transparent, linear fixed and cyclic.
A: A hierarchical tree of master files (MF), dedicated files (DF) and elementary files (EF), with EF types such as transparent, linear fixed and cyclic.
❓ Q: How should the scanned parts be treated?
A: The scanned files are summarised here from publicly available domain knowledge; specific clauses are subject to the official BSI publications.
A: The scanned files are summarised here from publicly available domain knowledge; specific clauses are subject to the official BSI publications.