RFID is a technology that is seeing increasing use in the industry as an alternative to barcode scanning. RFID has a major advantage over barcodes in that it does not require direct contact or close proximity line-of-sight scanning. Collection of Access Control or financial data can therefore be faster and less intrusive than with traditional approaches to Access Control module.

An RFID system consists of three major components: an antenna and transceiver (often combined into a single reader) and a transponder tag. The antenna uses radio frequency waves to transmit a signal that activates the transponder. When activated, the tag transmits data back to the antenna. The data is used to notify a programmable logic controller that an action occurs (for example, an Access Control gate opens).

High-frequency RFID systems (30 KHz to 500 KHz) have short transmission ranges (generally less than six feet). Ultra high-frequency RFID systems (850 MHz to 950 MHz and 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz) offer longer transmission ranges (more than ninety feet).