Custom dice from Get Custom Dice follow a predictable path: you request a quote, receive a free mockup within 24 hours, approve the design, and standard production takes about 2 weeks before shipping. To hit a convention, product launch or gift date, start from that date, subtract shipping, production and approval time, then add a buffer for revisions.
- Free mockup within 24 hours of a quote request
- Standard turnaround is about 2 weeks after design approval
- Faster turnaround is available with express shipping
- Minimum order is 12 dice, with unlimited free revisions
- You pay nothing until you approve the design
How long does a custom dice order take from quote to delivery?
A custom dice order from Get Custom Dice moves through four stages: quote request, free mockup within 24 hours, design approval, and standard production of about 2 weeks followed by shipping. The production clock starts when you approve the mockup, not when you first ask for a quote, so the fastest orders are the ones where the approval happens quickly.
Most delays on dice orders have nothing to do with the factory. They come from artwork that needs rework, a face map that keeps changing, or a decision maker who is away when the mockup arrives. If you treat approval as its own scheduled task, the rest of the timeline is easy to predict.
- Quote request: share the dice style, quantity, colors, and what goes on each face.
- Mockup: Get Custom Dice returns a free digital mockup within 24 hours.
- Revisions: request as many changes as you need; revisions are unlimited and free.
- Approval: you approve the design and only then pay.
- Production and shipping: standard turnaround is about 2 weeks, with faster options using express shipping.
How do I plan a custom dice order backward from my event date?
Plan custom dice backward by starting with the date the dice must be in hand, then subtracting shipping, about 2 weeks of production, your revision rounds, and internal sign-off. The day you land on is the latest sensible day to send a quote request. Moving that day earlier is the cheapest insurance you can buy for an event.
The “in hand” date is rarely the event date itself. A game store running a league night wants dice on the shelf before the flyers go out. A publisher packing a crowdfunding reward needs dice at the fulfillment partner before boxes are assembled. A company giving dice at a trade show needs them packed into the exhibit crate, which often ships days ahead of the booth opening.
| Step | Who owns it | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| In-hand date | You | The real deadline, before packing, kitting or shipping onward |
| Shipping | Get Custom Dice | Standard or express shipping to your address |
| Production | Get Custom Dice | About 2 weeks after approval |
| Revisions and approval | You and your team | Mockup arrives within 24 hours; your feedback speed sets the pace |
| Quote request | You | Send style, quantity, colors and artwork together |
Which custom dice styles need the most lead time?
Custom dice styles that involve more decisions per die need the most planning time, mainly on the approval side rather than in production. A simple six-sided die with a logo on one face is quick to approve. A full set of polyhedral RPG dice with custom symbols, or a game die where every face carries different artwork, needs more review before anyone signs off.
- Custom printed dice: usually the fastest to approve when you have clean vector artwork for a single face.
- Engraved wooden dice: check how fine detail reads when cut into wood grain before you approve.
- Metal dice sets: confirm finish, number style and any inlaid color on the mockup, since premium sets tend to be judged closely by recipients.
- Precision and casino dice: confirm color, edge style and any serial or logo marks with whoever runs the table.
- Giant and foam dice: large faces show more artwork, so review each face mockup at full size.
When in doubt, give complex styles an extra round of review time before the production window starts.
What is the fastest way to get custom dice approved?
The fastest way to get custom dice approved is to send complete information with the first quote request and name one person who can say yes. Get Custom Dice turns the mockup around within 24 hours, so every day you spend gathering opinions after that is a day taken from your buffer, not from production.
A complete request covers the dice style and material, the quantity (minimum 12), body color and marking color, and a face-by-face plan: which faces keep standard pips or numbers and which carry a logo, symbol or word. Send the logo as a vector file if you have one. If you are replacing all faces for a board game, include a simple face map listing what appears on each side.
- Collect feedback from stakeholders before the mockup arrives, not after.
- Decide whether the logo face replaces the one, the six or another face.
- Confirm color names with the team so the mockup is judged against the same expectation.
- Keep revision notes in a single message so nothing is missed.
Revisions are unlimited and free, so a second or third mockup is fine. The goal is simply to keep each round short.
Can I still get custom dice if my date is close?
Custom dice can still arrive for a close date when the artwork is ready and approval happens the same day the mockup lands. Get Custom Dice offers faster turnaround with express shipping, so tell the team your in-hand date in the very first message. That lets them confirm what is realistic before you spend time on design decisions.
When the calendar is tight, simplify. A single logo face on standard printed dice moves faster through review than a multi-face game set. Choose one body color rather than a mix, and save elaborate ideas such as fully custom polyhedral faces for a second, unhurried order.
A close deadline is also a good reason to order slightly more than you think you need. Spares cover breakage, late additions to a guest list, and the extra player who turns up at a convention table, and they avoid a rushed reorder later. Our quantity planning guide walks through how to size that cushion without invented math.
How should board game publishers schedule custom dice around production?
Board game publishers should schedule custom dice as a separate track that finishes before box assembly, not as the last item on the list. Dice are often the component that changes latest, because playtesting reveals that a symbol is hard to read or a face distribution needs adjusting. Locking the face map early protects the whole schedule.
A practical rhythm is to order a small playtest batch first, use the feedback to finalize faces, then place the production order with the approved design. Because the minimum is 12, a playtest batch is a realistic way to check how symbols read on the table before committing to a full print run. The board game designer page covers face layouts and player colors in more detail.
- Finalize the face map and colors after playtesting.
- Request a quote with quantities per color.
- Approve the mockup for every die variant.
- Allow about 2 weeks of production plus shipping to your fulfillment address.
- Leave a buffer before kitting begins.
When should you order custom dice for holiday gifts and year-end events?
Custom dice for holiday gifts and year-end events should be ordered well before the seasonal rush, because recipients, carriers and your own team all get busier at the same time. Work backward from the day gifts are handed out or mailed, then add time for wrapping, packing and any rules cards that travel with the dice.
Gifts sent to remote employees or clients add another step: the dice arrive at your office first, then go back out in individual packages. Count that second shipping leg in the plan. If gifts carry the year or a seasonal message, approve the mockup early so nobody has to rush a design decision during the busiest weeks.
For ideas on gift styles, packaging and logo placement, see custom dice for holiday gifts. Wooden and metal sets tend to suit client gifts, while printed dice and giant foam dice fit office parties and game nights.
What usually pushes a custom dice timeline off track?
A custom dice timeline usually slips because of artwork, approval or quantity changes, not production. Each of these is avoidable with a little preparation before the quote request, and each costs far more time when discovered after the mockup is already on the table.
- Low-resolution logos: a blurry file needs rework before the mockup can be judged. Send vector artwork where possible.
- Moving face maps: changing which symbol sits on which face after approval restarts the review.
- Late quantity changes: adding a color or variant mid-order means new mockups to approve.
- Absent approvers: the mockup is ready within 24 hours, but nothing moves until someone signs off.
- Forgotten onward shipping: dice that must travel to a venue, warehouse or remote recipients need that leg planned too.
The fix for all of them is the same: decide early, write it down once, and give one person authority to approve. Read how it works for the full ordering flow, then request a custom quote with your in-hand date included.
Frequently asked questions
When does the production clock start on a custom dice order?
Production on custom dice starts once you approve the final mockup, not when you first send a quote request. Get Custom Dice returns a free mockup within 24 hours, and standard turnaround after approval is about 2 weeks before shipping. The quicker your team signs off, the sooner the dice move into production, so plan approval as its own step.
Should my custom dice deadline be the event date or an earlier date?
Custom dice should be scheduled against the date they must be in your hands, which is usually earlier than the event itself. Trade show crates, fulfillment partners and gift packing all need the dice before the event opens. Pick that in-hand date first, then work backward through shipping, about 2 weeks of production and your approval rounds.
Can express shipping help custom dice arrive for a tight deadline?
Custom dice can arrive faster when you choose express shipping, which Get Custom Dice offers for orders that need quicker turnaround. Mention your in-hand date in your first message so the team can confirm what is realistic. Pairing express shipping with ready artwork and same-day mockup approval gives a close deadline the best chance.
Do revision rounds slow down a custom dice timeline?
Revision rounds on custom dice only slow the timeline as much as your response time allows. Get Custom Dice offers unlimited free revisions and returns mockups quickly, so the real variable is how long feedback takes on your side. Gather stakeholder opinions before the first mockup and send changes in one consolidated note to keep each round short.
Which custom dice styles take longest to approve?
Custom dice with many custom faces take the longest to approve, such as polyhedral sets with unique symbols or game dice where every side carries different artwork. A single logo on one face of a printed die is the quickest. Production timing is similar across styles, so the difference mostly comes from how much there is to review.
How early should a publisher lock the face map for game dice?
Game dice face maps should be locked after playtesting and before the production order, because changing symbols later means new mockups and new approvals. Many publishers order a small batch of custom dice first, since the minimum is 12, then finalize faces based on table feedback. Get Custom Dice can then produce the approved design for the full run.
What information should a rush custom dice request include?
A rush custom dice request should include the in-hand date, delivery address, dice style, quantity, body and marking colors, and vector artwork for every custom face. Sending all of that in one message to Get Custom Dice lets the team confirm feasibility and return a mockup within 24 hours without a round of follow-up questions.
Do I pay for custom dice before the timeline is confirmed?
Custom dice orders from Get Custom Dice require no payment until you approve the design. You can request a quote, review the free mockup, ask for revisions and confirm timing first. Payment comes at approval, which is also when production begins, so you always know the plan before committing to the order.
How do I schedule custom dice gifts for remote recipients?
Custom dice gifts for remote recipients need two shipping legs in the plan: from production to your office or packer, then out to each person. Add time for packing, gift notes and labels between those legs. Order early enough that about 2 weeks of production plus both shipping steps still lands before your gifting date.
Is it smarter to order spare custom dice when the deadline is tight?
Spare custom dice are especially sensible on a tight deadline, because a rushed reorder after the event is far harder to schedule. Extra dice cover breakage, late guests and new players without a second approval round. Since the design is already approved, adding a cushion to the original order costs no extra planning time.
Can I split delivery of custom dice to more than one location?
Custom dice orders that need to reach several locations, such as different stores or event venues, should mention every address in the quote request. Get Custom Dice can then advise on how to plan shipping within the timeline. Listing destinations upfront avoids a separate onward-shipping step that eats into your buffer.
What is the latest sensible day to start a custom dice order?
The latest sensible day to start a custom dice order is your in-hand date minus shipping, about 2 weeks of production, your approval time and a safety buffer. Any earlier start gives room for extra revisions. If that day has already passed, contact Get Custom Dice about express shipping and simplify the design to speed approval.
Get a free mockup for your dice
Send your logo or idea and the quantity you have in mind. Get Custom Dice returns a free mockup within 24 hours, you approve the design before anything is produced, and standard turnaround is about two weeks with faster options available. Get a custom quote.