In a method and an apparatus for personalizing card-shaped data carriers (10, 11, 12), for example chip cards in the formats ID000 to ID3 or other suitable formats, a card-shaped data carrier (10, 11, 12) to be personalized is transported by means of a transport device within the apparatus. During the transport motion, personalization data are transferred to an electronic storage device (13) of the card-shaped data carrier (10, 11, 12) by means of a personalization device (40). The transporting of the card-shaped data carrier (10, 11, 12) is effected by means of a band-shaped or tubular carrier (20, 21, 22, 23) on which a multiplicity of card-shaped data carriers (10, 11, 12) to be personalized are arranged one behind the other in the transport direction.