Pet tag mode

Pet tag generator
Name, tag and hole in one file.

Type your dog's or cat's name and the generator builds a rounded tag behind the letters with the collar hole punched straight through it. One STL, prints flat, no CAD and no drilling.

Loading 3D Generator...

Pet tag mode is already selected. Change the name, font, thickness and colour, then download the STL.

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What pet tag mode builds

A tag fails in two places: at the hole and at the letters. Both are modelled for you here.

A pill-shaped tag

Rounded ends and about 5 mm of padding around the name, the silhouette of a classic collar tag. The tag is 40% of the letter thickness deep, at least 2 mm, and the letters stand proud of it.

A hole through the tag

The hole sits on the left, at least 5 mm across with roughly 3 mm of solid material to each side of it. It fits a split ring or an S-hook, the two ways tags actually attach to a collar.

Raised letters, not engraved ones

Letters printed on top of the tag stay readable as they wear, and they give you the option of a second colour. Engraved text on a small FDM part fills with dirt within weeks.

One solid body

Tag and letters overlap deliberately, so the STL slices as a single piece. No supports, no assembly, nothing to glue.

From name to collar

1. Type the name

Short names read best on a tag. Four to six letters keep it compact enough that it doesn't swing against the buckle.

2. Drop the thickness

The default 5 mm is meant for keychains. For a tag that a cat or small dog wears all day, 3 mm is plenty: the tag ends up around 5 mm thick in total and stays light.

3. Download, print, attach

Print flat on the bed with no supports, then hook it on with a split ring. If the ring binds against the plastic, a quick pass with a 5 mm drill bit cleans the hole up.

Sizes that fit the animal

Scale the STL in your slicer until the tag height matches the pet. These are heights of the tag itself, not the letters:

20-25 mm

Cats & small dogs

Light enough not to bother a cat. Keep the total under about 5 grams and use a breakaway collar.

25-32 mm

Medium dogs

The everyday size. Readable at arm's length without hanging below the collar strap.

35-45 mm

Large dogs

Bigger letters, more room for a longer name. At this size print in PETG so it survives being knocked around.

What a printed tag does and doesn't do

A 3D printed tag is lighter and much quieter than a metal one, and it costs a few cents to replace, which means you can reprint it whenever it looks tired. It is not a replacement for a microchip, and it will not outlast stainless steel: expect to reprint once or twice a year on an active dog.

This generator prints a name, not a full contact card. If you want a phone number on the back, add it as a second text object in your slicer, or print a second tag. UV light is the other limit: PLA left in full sun for a summer goes brittle and colours fade, so PETG is the better choice for outdoor dogs.

Filament for pet tags

PETG

The default choice. It shrugs off rain, sun and heat, and it flexes instead of cracking when a dog rolls on it.

TPU

Silent and effectively unbreakable, which cats appreciate. Print slowly, around 25 mm/s, ideally on a direct-drive extruder.

PLA

Fine indoors or for a short-term tag: crisp letters, cheapest to print. It gets brittle in sun and softens around 60 °C, so it's the wrong pick for a dog that lives outside.

Time and cost per tag

Measured on a 30 mm tall tag with 3 mm letters, printed in PETG at 0.2 mm layers:

15-30 min

Print time

One tag fits in a coffee break. A full plate holds a dozen for a shelter or a rescue.

5-10 g

Filament

Well under 50 cents of material, which is why reprinting a worn tag is a non-decision.

Colours

Letters and tag sit at different heights, so a filament change at the layer where the letters start gives you a two-colour tag from one STL.

3D printed pet tag FAQ

Is a 3D printed pet tag durable enough for daily wear?

In PETG or TPU, yes, for months of normal wear. It will scuff before a stainless tag does, but it costs a few cents to reprint. For a dog that swims, digs and lives outdoors, plan on a fresh tag once or twice a year and check the hole for wear when you do.

Can I put a phone number on the tag?

Not from this generator, which builds a single name. The usual workaround is to add a second line of text as a separate object in your slicer, or to print two tags. A tag is a supplement to a microchip, not a substitute for it.

How big should the hole be?

5 mm or more, which is what pet tag mode builds. Standard split rings are made from about 2 mm wire, so a 5 mm hole lets the ring turn freely instead of grinding on the plastic. Keep at least 3 mm of material around it. Keychain slicer settings that stop breakage →

Will the tag be noisy on the collar?

Much less than metal. Plastic against a plastic buckle is close to silent, which is one of the main reasons people print tags for cats and for dogs that sleep in the bedroom. TPU is the quietest of the three materials.

How long does a 3D printed dog tag take to print?

15-30 minutes for a 30 mm tag at 0.2 mm layers, using 5-10 grams of filament. Printed flat with no supports, so you can queue a full plate of them for a shelter or an adoption event overnight.

Make your pet's tag

The generator above is already in pet tag mode. Type the name, download the STL, print it this afternoon.