<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Total System Services, Inc., in accordance with Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 128 (SFAS 128) "Earnings per Share", has restated its
earnings per share for all periods presented to reflect the adoption of SFAS
128.
</LEGEND>
<RESTATED> 
<CIK> 0000721683
<NAME> TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES, INC.
       
                                                                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS                   6-MOS                   9-MOS                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996             DEC-31-1996             DEC-31-1996             DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1996             JAN-01-1996             JAN-01-1996             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1996             JUN-30-1996             SEP-30-1996             DEC-31-1996
<CASH>                                      19,612,947              23,512,307              24,989,809              27,496,057
<SECURITIES>                                         0                       0                       0                       0
<RECEIVABLES>                               49,434,032              50,507,417              56,599,491              59,748,530
<ALLOWANCES>                                   708,662                 718,574                 707,938                 704,000
<INVENTORY>                                          0                       0                       0                       0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                            77,813,337              84,795,927              93,468,786             103,379,818
<PP&E>                                     114,400,803             119,223,836             119,968,214             121,340,252
<DEPRECIATION>                              56,279,824              58,388,965              58,503,014              58,441,206
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             204,040,528             217,934,357             236,072,971             245,759,083
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                       37,798,636              45,853,695              53,635,057              51,105,345
<BONDS>                                              0                       0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                       0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED>                                          0                       0                       0                       0
<COMMON>                                    12,948,352              12,948,352              12,948,352              12,948,352
<OTHER-SE>                                 135,920,125             142,763,169             152,663,406             165,929,395
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>               204,040,528             217,934,357             236,072,971             245,759,083
<SALES>                                     71,101,979             145,591,366             225,770,020             311,648,349
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                            71,101,979             145,591,366             225,770,020             311,648,349
<CGS>                                                0                       0                       0                       0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                               63,232,684             127,732,183             193,305,275             259,744,821
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0                       0                       0                       0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0                       0                       0                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0                       0                       0                       0
<INCOME-PRETAX>                              9,003,656              18,669,832              38,478,035              60,444,404
<INCOME-TAX>                                 3,034,442               6,828,327              13,261,794              21,007,223
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                          5,969,214              13,869,331              25,216,241              39,437,181
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0                       0                       0                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                       0                       0                       0
<CHANGES>                                            0                       0                       0                       0
<NET-INCOME>                                 5,969,214              13,869,331              25,216,241              39,437,181
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .05                     .11                     .20                     .31
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .05                     .11                     .19                     .30