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Autism Card for Police and First Responders

An autism card for police and first responders, already filled in. It tells an officer the person is autistic, what they may do under stress, what helps, and who to call.

Front
Back
Customize in Editor

Opens the free maker with this card already filled in. Change any word, add your photo, then print.

An autism ID card is information you choose to share. It is not a government ID, a medical document or a TSA form.

A traffic stop, a 911 call or a search for someone who wandered can go wrong when an officer reads autistic behavior as refusal. Not answering, not making eye contact, repeating words or walking away can look like defiance to someone who has seconds to decide. A card in a wallet or pocket puts the explanation in front of the officer first.

Some police departments and states run their own autism card or registry programs, and this card is not one of them: it is information you choose to carry. Practice the plan ahead of time, with your child or on your own: where the card lives, and saying "I have a card in my pocket" before reaching for it slowly.

Start from a blank card, or make cards for the whole family, in the free Autism ID Card Maker.

What is on this card

Front

  • Autism ID Card, Please read, in the color band
  • A photo (optional)
  • My name is Sam Rivera. I am autistic.
  • I may not speak or answer right away, not make eye contact, move away and not follow fast commands

Back

  • What helps: use simple words, ask one question at a time, tell me before you touch me and call my contact
  • Emergency contact: a name and a phone number
  • The Spectrum Unlocked web address, in small print

Every word can be changed in the maker, and any line can be removed.

How to print this card

  1. Print at 100% (Actual size), not "Fit to page".
  2. Cut on the dashed line, fold on the dotted line so the back sits behind the front.
  3. Laminate, or slide into a badge holder.

When to use this template

Traffic stops, a 911 call at home, a search when someone has wandered, a fall or a medical emergency in public, and any time an officer starts asking questions.

Frequently asked questions

Should I tell police I am autistic?
That is your choice. Many autistic adults and parents carry a card so the explanation is ready when words are hard. Showing it is never required.
Where should I keep the card?
In the same place every time: a wallet, a phone case or a pocket. Tell the officer where it is before you reach for it.
Is this an official police autism card?
An autism ID card is information you choose to share. It is not a government ID, a medical document or a TSA form. Some states and police departments run their own programs, so ask your local department what it offers.
Can I change the I may lines?
Yes. Tick the lines that fit, change their words, or add your own in the maker.
What size does the card print?
3.375 x 2.125 inches, the standard wallet card size, so it fits a standard badge holder.

Related templates

Autism Travel Card

For airports, flights and trips: what I may do, what helps, and a contact on the back.

I Am Autistic Card

An adult wallet card, in the I am autistic or I have autism wording you prefer.

My Child Is Autistic Card

For parents to hand to staff, a sitter or a stranger, with your phone number on the back.

Related guides

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