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Based in Simi Valley, California · Since 1999

Custom Police Patches Order in Bulk Online

Custom police patches for departments of every size — from major metro PDs to small-town agencies. Embroidered, woven, or PVC rubber shoulder patches, K9 unit patches, SWAT patches, detective patches, and specialty unit insignia. Priced from $1.40 to $15.00 per piece with a 10-piece minimum and no setup fees. Design live in your browser with the Owl Badges TruePatch Designer™, order online for single patches or full-department bulk runs, or submit a purchase order for procurement. Production runs 3 to 8 weeks from approved artwork.

Custom police patch by owl badges - university of alabama hurley police department patch
15,000+ Monthly designer users
1,000,000+ Patches delivered
5,000+ Agencies served
5,000+ Stock patch styles
Since 1999 U.S. manufacturer
How it works

Ordering custom police patches is straightforward

1

Browse styles

Start in the design gallery to see embroidered, woven, PVC rubber, and flag patches built for departments, units, and organizations like yours.

2

Pick your patch type

Choose construction (embroidered, woven, or PVC rubber), shape, size, and backing. Our team confirms what fits your use case.

3

Design online

Build your patch live in your browser with unlimited color variations and real-time preview. No signup, no design fees.

Try the TruePatch Designer
4

Approve your proof

Our design team sends a digital proof, makes free revisions, and locks the artwork before anything goes to production.

5

Order single or bulk

Order one piece or thousands. Departments and agencies can submit purchase orders and request volume pricing.

6

Receive your patches

Production runs 3 to 8 weeks from approved artwork. Rush production is available on most orders.

What you don’t pay for — on every custom police patch order

No setup fees

No charge to start a design. Iterate, save, and refine in the TruePatch Designer™ without per-design or per-session fees.

No digitization fees

Industry standard: $80–$300 per design for embroidery digitization. Included at $0 on every embroidered patch order.

No mold fees

Industry standard: $150–$500 per mold for custom PVC rubber. Eliminated on every PVC patch order, regardless of design complexity.

No design fees

Free in-house design team. Free production-art proof. No charge for revisions before approval.

Low 10-piece minimum

All patch orders — stock shapes and custom shapes alike — start at 10 patches. No premium for custom shapes.

No dealer markup

Direct from the U.S. manufacturer since 1999. The price shown in the TruePatch Designer™ is the price paid at checkout. Volume discounts apply automatically.

Patches from $1.40 to $15.00 per piece — volume pricing applies as quantities increase.

Three police patch constructions — embroidered, woven, and PVC rubber

Every police patch is built from the construction type that fits its use. Embroidered for traditional shoulder and unit patches. Woven for name tapes and fine-detail department seals. PVC rubber for K9, SWAT, and field-gear patches.

Embroidered patches

Stitched on twill backing with merrowed or laser-cut edges. The classic choice for police shoulder patches, department insignia, and uniform patches where heritage and durability matter most.

Woven patches

Thinner profile with finer detail. Best for police name tapes, department seals, small text on rank insignia, and intricate department logos.

PVC rubber patches

Soft-flex PVC patches for K9 units, SWAT teams, field gear, and tactical patches. Weatherproof, durable, and works with hook-and-loop backings.

Five backing options on every patch

  • Plastic (stiffener)
  • Iron-on heat seal
  • Velcro hook
  • Adhesive (sticky)
  • Sew-on (no backing)
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Custom police patch specifications

Every Owl Badges police patch is manufactured to commercial uniform-grade standards. Specifications below cover standard production runs — tactical, ceremonial, and oversized patches available on request.

Built for daily wear, washable, and dimensionally stable through hundreds of laundering cycles. Color-fast threads and PVC compounds resist UV fading from outdoor patrol exposure.

Standard sizes
4″ × 4.75″, 4.5″ × 5″, 5″ × 5.5″ (American shoulder patch). Custom shapes and sizes available.
Embroidery thread
100% polyester, Madeira-grade. Color-fast, UV-resistant, machine-washable.
Thread color count
Up to 9 colors per patch standard. 12+ colors on premium runs.
Stitch density
~10,000 stitches per square inch for full-coverage embroidered patches.
Border style
Merrowed (raised, ceremonial) or laser-cut (clean edge, tactical).
Twill backing
100% polyester twill, 7 base colors. Heavyweight construction.
PVC thickness
2mm–3mm standard, up to 5mm for tactical/K9 patches.
PVC color layers
Up to 4 color layers per patch, Pantone-matched.
Backing options
Plastic stiffener, iron-on heat seal, hook-side velcro, adhesive, or sew-on.
Weight (typical 4″)
~15g embroidered, ~22g PVC.
REGULATIONS & COMPLIANCE

Built to department and agency standards

Police patches face daily exposure to weather, washing, and operational stress. Owl Badges manufactures to commercial uniform-grade standards and works with departments to meet agency-specific requirements.

CALEA & departmental policy

Most US police departments specify patch design, dimensions, placement, and material in their uniform manual or CALEA accreditation policy. We work directly from your department’s spec sheet, or help you build one if you don’t have one yet.

Color-fastness for outdoor duty wear

All embroidered and PVC police patches are UV-resistant and color-stable through extended outdoor patrol exposure. Thread and PVC compounds tested for repeated commercial laundering cycles.

Federal & ITAR-controlled patches

For federal law enforcement, prosecutor’s offices, and patches bearing controlled designations or restricted insignia, Owl Badges follows agency-supplied artwork only and never reproduces controlled designs without authorization.

Tactical vest & soft-shell compatibility

PVC patches with hook-side velcro backing attach to standard MOLLE webbing and tactical loop fields. Embroidered patches with iron-on backing meet most duty soft-shell jacket and bag specifications.

OUR ONLINE DESIGN TOOL

Design your custom police patch with the Owl Badges TruePatch Designer™

The Owl Badges TruePatch Designer™ is the in-browser custom police patch designer from Owl Badges. Officers, departments, and law enforcement agencies design their police patches — shape, material, backing, colors, department seal, rank, and unit — in real time, see live volume pricing, and order directly from the US manufacturer. No software install, no account required to start, no dealer markup.

In-browser Real-time pricing No account required Upload your artwork Department orders
Open the TruePatch Designer →
owlbadges.com/patch-designer
Custom police patch preview in the owl badges truepatch designer
PATH 2 · CUSTOM DESIGN PATH

Need a custom police patch? Request a quote.

Some agencies need a police patch the TruePatch Designer™ doesn’t cover — a fully custom shape outside the standard catalog, a complex multi-layer department seal, a hybrid embroidered-and-PVC build, photographic memorial elements, or a one-of-a-kind unit design. For these, the Owl Badges in-house design team builds your police patch from scratch. There’s no design fee, no setup fee, and no commitment to order.

  • Fully custom shapes outside the standard catalog
  • Complex multi-layer seals with raised 3D elements
  • Hybrid finishes — embroidered + PVC, woven + 3D
  • Memorial patches with photographic elements
  • One-of-a-kind unit dies for unique shapes
  • Specialty K9, SWAT, tactical & departmental insignia
Request a Quote →

Custom quotes typically returned within 4 business hours, Mon–Fri 9 AM–4 PM PST.

FREE · NO COMMITMENT

Custom Quote Request

Tell us about your custom police patch. A designer will follow up within 4 business hours.

First Name
 
Last Name
 
Agency / Organization
 
Email
 
Tell Us About Your Police Patch
 
Submit Quote Request
Volume pricing · applied live 30–85% OFF
10–49
$15 ea
50–99
30% off
100–249
50% off
250–499
65% off
500+
75–85% off
DEPARTMENT PROCUREMENT

Group orders. Live pricing. One session.

  • Multi-rank and multi-unit orders in one session. Build patrol, K9, SWAT, traffic, and admin patch variants together. Each variant inherits the base design and accepts unit-specific overrides.
  • Volume tier applies across the full order. Pricing tier calculated on total quantity, not per design. Order 50 patrol + 50 K9 + 50 SWAT patches and you hit the 100+ tier.
  • Department POs and NET-30. Verified agencies set up with PO accounts and NET-30 terms by the Owl Badges procurement team.
  • Account-saved designs. Designs persist for replacement patches, new hires, and template reuse across orders.
  • Production timeline. 3–4 weeks for embroidered, 3–5 weeks for woven, 4–8 weeks for PVC rubber. Rush handling available for memorial and ceremonial orders.
PRICING TRANSPARENCY

Why custom police patches cost less from Owl Badges

The custom patch industry charges setup fees, digitization fees, and mold charges before the per-patch unit price even applies. Owl Badges is a U.S. manufacturer that sells direct — every fee below is $0 on every order.

Fee type
Industry standard
Owl Badges
Setup fee
$80 – $300 per design
$0
Embroidery digitization
$80 – $300 per design
$0
PVC rubber mold
$150 – $500 per mold
$0
Design fee
$50 – $200 per revision
$0
Dealer markup
20% – 40% added on top
$0 — direct from manufacturer

Pay only the per-patch unit price. Volume discounts applied automatically.

Police units we serve

Every patch we make goes to a specific buyer — a department, unit, organization, or program. Here are the audiences that work with us most.

K9 units

Handler and canine patches, K9 unit insignia, and hook-and-loop tactical PVC patches.

SWAT

Tactical team patches, SWAT operator insignia, breachers, snipers, and special response unit patches.

Detective

Plain-clothes and investigative unit patches, narcotics, vice, and criminal investigations divisions.

Patrol

Standard shoulder patches for patrol officers, department-issue insignia, and rank patches.

Motor / Traffic

Motor unit, traffic enforcement, and motorcycle officer patches with riding-gear-compatible backings.

Reserve & auxiliary

Reserve officer patches, auxiliary unit insignia, and volunteer patrol patches.

Honor guard

Ceremonial honor guard patches, color guard insignia, and memorial detail patches.

Chaplain

Department chaplain patches, pastoral care insignia, and crisis-response chaplaincy patches.

School resource

SRO patches, campus police insignia, and school resource officer unit patches.

Cadet / training

Police academy patches, cadet patches, explorer post patches, and field training officer insignia.

Sheriff patches

County sheriff shoulder patches, deputy insignia, and corrections unit patches.

Fire patches

Fire department patches, engine company patches, rescue and HazMat unit insignia.

WHERE POLICE PATCHES ARE WORN

Uniform positions and officer roles

Police patch placement follows department uniform regulations. Each position carries a specific meaning — department identity, unit affiliation, rank, or specialty. Designs and backings are chosen to match the position’s wear conditions.

LEFT SHOULDER
Department patch

Primary department identification patch. Worn on the left shoulder of Class A, Class B, and BDU uniforms. Typically embroidered with sew-on or iron-on backing for permanent placement.

RIGHT SHOULDER
Unit / specialty patch

Right shoulder reserved for unit affiliation: K9, SWAT, SRT, traffic, detective bureau, honor guard. Often embroidered or PVC, depending on unit duty environment.

CHEST / NAME TAPE
Officer name tape

Worn above the right breast pocket. Typically woven for fine-detail text rendering. Embroidered or sew-on backing for daily wear.

SLEEVE CUFF
Rank insignia / service stripes

Smaller patches indicating rank (stripes, chevrons, bars) or years of service. Embroidered with sew-on backing, often on Class A dress uniforms only.

TACTICAL VEST
PVC velcro patches

Hook-side velcro PVC patches attach to MOLLE webbing or tactical vest loop fields. Easily swappable for unit assignment changes. Standard for K9, SWAT, and field operations.

CAP / SOFT GEAR
Hat patches and morale patches

Baseball caps, beanies, and soft-shell jackets carry smaller department or morale patches. Iron-on or velcro backing, embroidered or PVC.

Officer types and the patches they wear

  • Patrol officerDepartment shoulder patches (both shoulders), name tape, rank insignia. Embroidered, sew-on backing for daily wear.
  • K9 handlerDepartment patch + K9 unit patch (right shoulder), often a matching handler-and-canine PVC patch set for tactical vest.
  • SWAT / SRT operatorDepartment patch + tactical unit PVC patch on vest. Subdued or full-color depending on mission profile.
  • DetectiveSubdued or low-profile patches on plain-clothes attire; department patch on outerwear when in uniform.
  • Honor guardOrnate embroidered department patch on Class A dress uniform with ceremonial sleeve cuff insignia.
  • Motor / traffic officerDepartment + motor unit patches, often weather-resistant PVC for riding-gear durability.
  • School resource officerDepartment patch + SRO unit patch; campus-friendly designs often used.
  • Academy cadetCadet-specific shoulder patch during training, often replaced with full department patch upon graduation.
WHO ORDERS CUSTOM POLICE PATCHES

From department procurement to individual officers

Police patch orders come from four distinct buyer types — each with different needs around quantity, payment, customization, and turnaround. Owl Badges supports all four.

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CHIEF OF POLICE / SHERIFF

Department-wide patch programs

Order patches for the entire department in one procurement cycle. Volume tier applies across all uniforms, ranks, and units. Net-30 terms, purchase orders, and procurement card payments accepted. Free design help to update or modernize department insignia.

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QUARTERMASTER / SUPPLY OFFICER

Replacement and replenishment orders

Recurring orders for new hires, replacement patches, and uniform refreshes. Account-saved designs persist for unlimited reorders at the previously approved price point. NET-30 invoicing available for verified agencies.

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UNIT COMMANDER

Specialty unit patches

Order K9, SWAT, SRT, traffic, honor guard, or other specialty patches for a specific unit. Smaller batches (often 10–50 patches), faster turnaround. Often paired with PVC backing for tactical gear or embroidered for ceremonial use.

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INDIVIDUAL OFFICER

Personal and morale patches

Single-piece or small-batch orders for personal duty kit, callsigns, morale patches, or off-duty gear. 10-piece minimum applies; no setup fees regardless of quantity. Credit card or PayPal accepted.

Frequently asked questions

What is TruePatch Designer?
TruePatch Designer is the online custom patch designer tool from Owl Badges, a U.S. manufacturer of custom patches and badges in business since 1999. The tool lets police departments, sheriff offices, fire and EMS agencies, security companies, military units, scout troops, motorcycle clubs, corporate uniform programs, sports teams, and volunteer organizations design, customize, and order embroidered, woven, or PVC rubber patches online in a single browser session — including custom emblems, multi-unit orders, sequential numbering, and department purchase orders with NET-30 terms.
How does TruePatch Designer work?
TruePatch Designer runs in any modern web browser with no software install and no account required to begin. You choose a patch material (embroidered, woven, or PVC rubber), select a shape and size, add your department or organization name and rank or unit, enter custom text, upload or design a central emblem, and apply thread or PVC colors. The tool renders your patch in real time and shows live volume pricing as you make each choice. When you are satisfied, you check out directly — credit card, ACH, or department PO — and Owl Badges produces a production art proof for your approval before manufacturing begins.
What patch materials does Owl Badges produce?
Three patch construction types are supported. Embroidered patches use traditional thread-on-twill construction with merrowed or hot-cut borders — the classic uniform patch look, best for shoulder, chest, and unit patches. Woven patches use high-detail flat-thread construction that renders fine artwork, small text, and intricate gradients better than embroidery — best for corporate logos, name tapes, and military insignia with complex detail. PVC rubber patches use 3D-molded soft rubber with Pantone-matched colors — weatherproof, tactical-grade, and durable for K9 units, SWAT, EMS, morale patches, and outdoor wear.
How long does custom patch production take?
Standard production timelines depend on construction type. Embroidered patches: 3–4 weeks from approved proof to delivery. Woven patches: 3–5 weeks. PVC rubber patches: 4–8 weeks. Rush production is available on most orders for an additional fee — we have turned around department patch orders in as little as 2 weeks for time-sensitive memorial and ceremonial orders. Ask our team when you request a quote to confirm rush availability for your specific project.
How much do custom patches cost?
Custom police patches at Owl Badges range from $1.40 to $15.00 per piece. The exact per-piece price depends on patch size, construction type (embroidered, woven, or PVC rubber), thread or color count, backing choice, and order quantity. Department-wide orders for 250+ officers typically run $4.00 to $7.00 per patch. Volume pricing applies automatically: 10–49 patches at base price ($15 ea), 50–99 at approximately 30% off, 100–249 at approximately 50% off, 250–499 at approximately 65% off, and 500+ at 75–85% off. No setup fees, no digitization fees, no mold fees, and no dealer markup — the price shown in the TruePatch Designer is the price paid at checkout.
What is the minimum order quantity?
The minimum is 10 pieces. The 10-piece floor applies to both stock shapes and fully custom-shaped patches across all three construction types (embroidered, woven, PVC rubber). For larger orders, volume pricing kicks in automatically — bigger runs mean lower per-piece cost.
What backings are available on custom patches?
Every patch comes with your choice of five backing options: plastic stiffener (the standard for uniform patches), iron-on heat seal (heat-applied to uniforms), hook-side velcro (for hook-and-loop tactical use), adhesive (sticky) for one-time application, and sew-on with no backing. The right backing depends on whether the patch is permanent or interchangeable, and what fabric it attaches to.
What file formats does Owl Badges accept for patch artwork?
Vector formats give the cleanest result on the finished patch: AI, EPS, PDF, and SVG. High-resolution raster files (PSD, PNG, JPG) are accepted too. If all you have is a sketch on a napkin or a photo of an existing patch on a uniform, send that — the Owl Badges design team will redraw it for free. There is no upload fee, no digitization fee, and no setup fee for uploading and using your own artwork. The TruePatch Designer also lets you build a patch from scratch in your browser without uploading anything.
Does Owl Badges accept police department purchase orders?
Yes. Owl Badges accepts purchase orders from police departments, sheriff offices, fire departments, federal agencies, schools, and approved corporate buyers. Verified agencies can be set up with NET-30 payment terms by the Owl Badges procurement team. Submit your specifications through the TruePatch Designer or the quote form, send a PO, and we will invoice on net terms. Government and law enforcement agencies can also pay by department procurement card.
Can a police department order multiple patch variants in one order?
Yes. The TruePatch Designer supports bulk orders with multiple variants in a single session — for example, a police department ordering patrol, K9, SWAT, traffic, and admin patches together, or a fire department ordering engine, rescue, HazMat, and chaplain variants. Volume pricing applies across the total quantity, not per variant — 50 patrol + 50 K9 + 50 SWAT patches hits the 100–249 tier together at 50% off. Each variant inherits the base design and accepts unit-specific overrides for unit name, rank, or insignia.
Can I upload my department logo or unit emblem to use on a custom patch?
Yes. TruePatch Designer accepts uploaded department logos, city seals, county seals, unit emblems, club emblems, corporate logos, scout troop crests, and any other graphic file you want to use as the patch’s central emblem. Higher-resolution files produce sharper detail on the finished patch — vector files (SVG, AI, EPS, PDF) are preferred. There is no upload fee, no digitization fee, and no setup fee for uploading and using your own emblem on a standard patch shape. Uploaded emblems save to your account for unlimited reuse on additional patches, badges, or accessories.
What happens after I submit my custom patch design?
After you submit your design through the TruePatch Designer, an Owl Badges production artist prepares a high-resolution production art proof showing the exact patch as it will be manufactured — the central emblem, all thread or PVC colors, text, border style, and backing. You review the proof and either approve it or request changes. There is no limit on revision rounds, and no fee for changes at this stage. Once you approve the proof, your patches enter production: 3–4 weeks for embroidered, 3–5 weeks for woven, or 4–8 weeks for PVC rubber.

Ready to design your custom police patches?

US-based manufacturer · Since 1999
1,000,000+ patches delivered
Free design assistance · Free proofs · No setup fees