diff --git a/src/lib/ae_events/badges/css/badge_layout_zebra_zc10l_pvc.css b/src/lib/ae_events/badges/css/badge_layout_zebra_zc10l_pvc.css
index 58fd9454..829cedeb 100644
--- a/src/lib/ae_events/badges/css/badge_layout_zebra_zc10l_pvc.css
+++ b/src/lib/ae_events/badges/css/badge_layout_zebra_zc10l_pvc.css
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
         height: 5.5in !important;
         max-width: 3.5in !important;
         max-height: 5.5in !important;
-        overflow: hidden !important;
+        /* Allow visible: the bleed div inside badge_front extends past the card
+           boundary intentionally. The Zebra driver clips at the physical card edge. */
+        overflow: visible !important;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/ae_events/types/ae_badge_template_cfg.ts b/src/lib/ae_events/types/ae_badge_template_cfg.ts
index e8dbb287..7e060ffa 100644
--- a/src/lib/ae_events/types/ae_badge_template_cfg.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ae_events/types/ae_badge_template_cfg.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ export interface BadgeTemplateCfg {
     // Body text color: either a Tailwind `text-*` class or a hex color like `#112233`.
     body_text_color?: string;
 
+    // Background image bleed: how far the background image extends past the physical
+    // card edge on all four sides. Prevents white borders when the printer clips at the
+    // card boundary. Any CSS length is valid: "0.125in", "3mm", "9px".
+    // Leave unset (or "0") for no bleed.
+    bleed?: string;
+
     // Allow arbitrary extra keys to preserve forward-compatibility.
     [key: string]: any;
 }
diff --git a/src/routes/events/[event_id]/(badges)/badges/[badge_id]/ae_comp__badge_obj_view.svelte b/src/routes/events/[event_id]/(badges)/badges/[badge_id]/ae_comp__badge_obj_view.svelte
index be98c8c0..e47a6e42 100644
--- a/src/routes/events/[event_id]/(badges)/badges/[badge_id]/ae_comp__badge_obj_view.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/events/[event_id]/(badges)/badges/[badge_id]/ae_comp__badge_obj_view.svelte
@@ -309,6 +309,15 @@ let body_text_color_style = $derived.by(() => {
     return 'color: #000000;';
 });
 
+// Background image bleed: template cfg_json.bleed is a CSS length like "0.125in" or "3mm".
+// We negate it here so it can be used as a CSS inset value on the bleed container div.
+// "0px" means no bleed — the bg image is flush with the badge edges (same as before).
+let bleed_offset = $derived.by(() => {
+    const b = template_cfg?.bleed;
+    if (!b || b === '0' || b === '0px') return '0px';
+    return `-${b}`;
+});
+
 /**
  * Layout-aware section heights for Element_fit_text.
  *
@@ -615,9 +624,7 @@ const code_to_icon: {
             text-center hover:outline-2 hover:outline-red-500/75
             hover:outline-dashed
             "
-            style="{bg_image_path
-                ? `background-image: url('${bg_image_path}'); background-size: cover; background-position: top center; background-repeat: no-repeat;`
-                : ''}{demo_bg_style ? ` ${demo_bg_style}` : ''}">
+            style="isolation: isolate;{demo_bg_style ? ` ${demo_bg_style}` : ''}">
             <span
                 class="
                 absolute top-1 left-4 text-xs
@@ -628,6 +635,20 @@ const code_to_icon: {
                 {#if show_badge_back}Front of badge{:else}Badge preview{/if}
             </span>
 
+            <!-- Background image bleed container.
+                 Absolutely positioned so it can extend past badge_front's edges by bleed_offset
+                 (e.g. "-0.125in" on all sides). z-index: -1 keeps it behind all badge content.
+                 badge_front has isolation: isolate so the negative z-index stays within its
+                 stacking context and doesn't punch through parent backgrounds.
+                 When bleed_offset is "0px" this is flush with the badge edges (same as before). -->
+            {#if bg_image_path}
+                <div
+                    class="pointer-events-none absolute"
+                    aria-hidden="true"
+                    style="top: {bleed_offset}; right: {bleed_offset}; bottom: {bleed_offset}; left: {bleed_offset}; z-index: -1; background-image: url('{bg_image_path}'); background-size: cover; background-position: top center; background-repeat: no-repeat;">
+                </div>
+            {/if}
+
               <!-- Header: controlled by per-template cfg_json (hide_badge_header).
                   If cfg.hide_badge_header is set, it overrides the default. By default
                   a background image will hide the header unless explicitly overridden. -->
@@ -1310,7 +1331,7 @@ const code_to_icon: {
 }
 .name_pad_long {
     /* padding-left: 2%; */
-    /* padding-right: 0%; */
+    padding-right: 0%;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/routes/events/[event_id]/(badges)/templates/ae_comp__badge_template_form.svelte b/src/routes/events/[event_id]/(badges)/templates/ae_comp__badge_template_form.svelte
index fc063689..599d48f3 100644
--- a/src/routes/events/[event_id]/(badges)/templates/ae_comp__badge_template_form.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/events/[event_id]/(badges)/templates/ae_comp__badge_template_form.svelte
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ let cfg_controls_shown: string[] = $state(['name', 'title', 'affiliations', 'loc
 let cfg_controls_auth_editable: string[] = $state([]);
 // Body text color (hex)
 let cfg_body_text_color = $state('#000000');
+// Background image bleed (CSS length, e.g. "0.125in", "3mm"). Empty = no bleed.
+let cfg_bleed = $state('');
 // Alignment overrides: 'left' | 'center' | 'right' | 'justify'
 let cfg_align_name = $state('center');
 let cfg_align_title = $state('center');
@@ -156,6 +158,9 @@ async function load_template(id: string) {
                 cfg_body_text_color = '#000000';
             }
 
+            // Background bleed (CSS length, e.g. "0.125in"). Empty = no bleed.
+            cfg_bleed = parsed_cfg.bleed ?? '';
+
             // Alignment overrides (nested under cfg_json.align and cfg_json.qr_alignment)
             cfg_align_name = parsed_cfg?.align?.name ?? parsed_cfg.align_name ?? 'center';
             cfg_align_title = parsed_cfg?.align?.title ?? parsed_cfg.align_title ?? 'center';
@@ -226,6 +231,13 @@ async function handle_submit() {
         if ((cfg_obj as any)?.body_text_color_hex) delete (cfg_obj as any).body_text_color_hex;
     }
 
+    // Background bleed: save if set, remove key entirely when cleared
+    if (cfg_bleed.trim()) {
+        cfg_obj.bleed = cfg_bleed.trim();
+    } else {
+        delete cfg_obj.bleed;
+    }
+
     const data_to_save: key_val = {
         name,
         background_image_path,
@@ -525,6 +537,15 @@ function toggle_cfg_controls_auth_editable(key: string) {
                             Pick a hex color (e.g. #112233). The renderer will use this inline color.
                         </p>
                     </label>
+                    <label class="label mt-3">
+                        <span>Background Image Bleed</span>
+                        <input type="text" bind:value={cfg_bleed} class="input" placeholder="e.g. 0.125in or 3mm" />
+                        <p class="text-xs text-surface-400 italic">
+                            Extends the background image past the card edge on all four sides — prevents a white border
+                            if the printer clips slightly inside the physical card boundary. Any CSS length works
+                            (<code>0.125in</code>, <code>3mm</code>, <code>9px</code>). Leave blank for no bleed.
+                        </p>
+                    </label>
                 </div>
                 <div class="border-t pt-2">
                     <h4 class="font-semibold">Controls Menu Toggles</h4>