Abstract: A system for personalization of I.C. microchip cards includes a feed mechanism, which feeds blank plastics cards into an encoder, which encodes a magnetic stripe on each card with personalized data from a magnetic tape or disk. Correctly encoded cards are then fed to a personalization module consisting of up to sixty I.C. write stations for programming a microchip of each card with data corresponding to that encoded on the magnetic stripe. The module moves relative to the in-feed and out-feed lines of the cards, at a speed in dependence on the programming time, which can vary depending on the volume and complexity of the program. The magnetically encoded and programmed cards may then optionally be provided with human-readable information by an embosser or printer before being fed out of the system.