Frequently Asked Questions

If your Spartan Card has been found and returned to our office, we will email you at your MSU email address to notify you.

The issue date of your Spartan Card is printed on the back of the card. If you received a replacement Spartan Card, only the most recently printed card is active.

If you tap your card to open a door and the card reader beeps/flashes a green light, but the door remains locked, you do not have appropriate permissions on your card to open that door. Door access, such as access to a specific academic building or office, can be added by the department that desires you to have that access. Please reach out to the department and they will get the appropriate door access added. You may also visit ID Access Control website for additional help. 

If you tap your card and the card reader does not beep/flash a green light or open the door, there may be an issue with the chip in your card. You may come to the ID Office during our business hours to troubleshoot your card and/or obtain a replacement Spartan Card.

You can login to the Transact Campus System to check your balance.

Spouses or Other Eligible Individuals (OEI) of students, faculty, staff and retirees may obtain Spartan Cards. The student or employee and the spouse/OEI must both appear in person at the ID Office, with 1) the employee or student's Spartan Card, 2) proof of marriage or passport with J2 visa, 3) and the spouse/OEI's government issued photo ID such as a US driver's license, passport, state ID or military ID. A non-prox card can be obtained for free. A prox card costs $10 and can be used for door access and/or dining. 

For IM Sports membership for spouses, please review the "Guests" section here.

For dining options for spouses, please visit Eat@State.

If you tap your card at a door and it makes a beeping sound – most likely, your card has no technical issues even if it can’t open the door.

If you tap your card at a door and it does not make a beeping sound – your card may have a technical issue. Bring your card to the ID Office for further troubleshooting.

Please note: it is extremely rare for a newly printed card to have technical issues.

It is possible the magnetic stripe on your card is no longer magnetized. Please visit our office to have the magnetic stripe tested and re-magnetized, if needed.

If you tap your card to open a door and the card reader beeps/flashes a green light, but the door remains locked, you do not have appropriate permissions on your card to open that door. Door access, such as access to a specific academic building or office, can be added by the department that desires you to have that access. Please reach out to the department and they will get the appropriate door access added. You may also visit ID Access Control website for additional help. 

If you tap your card and the card reader does not beep/flash a green light or open the door, there may be an issue with the chip in your card. You may come to the ID Office during our business hours to troubleshoot your card and/or obtain a replacement Spartan Card.

If you think your card has faded due to regular wear and tear (this includes illegible name, scratched off letters or numbers, hard-to-see photo, etc.), you may come into our office during our business hours for a replacement Spartan Card. Depending on the nature of the damage, we may be able to process a replacement at no charge. 

If you are unable to open parking gates with your new Spartan Card, please reach out to MSU Parking Services as they may need to update your card information in their system.