A validation module provides for the upgrading of a physical access control system (PACS) to full HSPD-12 compliance without requiring modification or replacement of the existing PACS. The validation module may contain all of the validation functionality required by federal specifications and technical requirements. The validation module may be installed between an existing PACS panel and a supported card/biometric reader. Readers may be selected based on assurance level requirements, e.g., contactless or contact readers for low and medium assurance level areas and full biometric readers for high assurance areas. The validation module may validate a card according to the assurance level setting, extract ID information from data on the card and then pass the ID information to the PACS panel for an access decision. Cardholder data captured by one validation module may be distributed to other validation modules of the PACS using a management station.