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Access Control | Security Terms

What is a Cardholder?

May 30th, 2025 | 1 min. read

Isabel Leckie

Isabel Leckie

Isabel is a Marketing Specialist at DGA.

A cardholder is an individual who uses an access control system to gain entry to secured areas within a building or facility. Each cardholder is assigned a unique access credential, which could include a physical card, fob, key tag, or even a mobile device.

Cardholders play a central role in any access control system. Each Cardholder's credentials have a permission set that determines which areas they can access and at what times. For example, an employee might be granted access to their office floor during business hours but restricted from entering sensitive areas like server rooms or executive offices.

The access control system ensures that only authorized individuals can enter specific areas, enhancing security and streamlining entry processes. Cardholder credentials are easy to manage—administrators can quickly update permissions, deactivate lost or stolen credentials, and monitor access activity in real time using DGAConnect, DGA's online portal.

This combination of convenience and security makes cardholder-based systems an effective solution for businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, and more. By using personalized credentials, organizations can maintain control over who can access their spaces while providing a seamless experience for authorized individuals.

Access Card