<PAGE>
 
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 23, 1996

                                              Registration No. 333- ________


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                _______________

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                _______________

                                NOVA CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            GEORGIA                                 58-2209575
  (State or other jurisdiction                   (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)

           FIVE CONCOURSE PARKWAY, SUITE 700, ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30328
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)



NOVA CORPORATION 1991 EMPLOYEES' STOCK OPTION AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS PLAN
              NOVA CORPORATION 1996 EMPLOYEES STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plans)

                                _______________
                                        

 
           CATHY A. HARPER, ESQ.                         COPY TO:
             NOVA CORPORATION
          FIVE CONCOURSE PARKWAY                LEONARD A. SILVERSTEIN, ESQ.
                SUITE 700                       LONG, ALDRIDGE & NORMAN, LLP
          ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30328              ONE PEACHTREE CENTER, SUITE 5300
  (Name and address of agent for service)           303 PEACHTREE STREET
             (770) 396-1456                       ATLANTA, GEORGIA  30308
  (Telephone number, including area code,              (404) 527-4000
          of agent for service)
<PAGE>
 
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 
Title of Securities     Amount to     Proposed Maximum           Proposed Maximum           Amount of
to be Registered        be            Offering Price Per Share   Aggregate Offering Price   Registration Fee
                        Registered    (2)                        (2)                        (2)
                        (1)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                    <C>              <C>                        <C>                        <C>
Common Stock,
 $.01 par value per
 share
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991 Employees'
 Stock Option and
 Stock Appreciation
 Rights Plan             1,225,020                $  1.18            $  1,445,523.60         $   498.46
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            25,600                   2.34                  59,904.00              20.66
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           763,732                  36.125             27,589,818.50           9,513.73
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         1,292,076                  36.125             46,676,245.50          16,095.26
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1996 Employees
 Stock Incentive           488,200                  19.00               9,275,800.00           3,198.55
 Plan
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         1,511,800                  36.125             54,613,775.00          18,832.34
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total:                   5,306,428                                    139,601,162.60          48,159.00
==========================================================================================================
</TABLE>

  (1) The shares of Common Stock being registered represent (i) 1,250,620 shares
      of Common Stock which may be acquired pursuant to options outstanding
      under the NOVA Corporation 1991 Employees' Stock Option and Stock
      Appreciation Rights Plan (the "1991 Plan"); (ii) 763,732 shares of Common
      Stock which may be acquired pursuant to options and stock appreciation
      rights available for grant in the future under the 1991 Plan; (iii)
      1,292,076 shares of Common Stock which have been issued pursuant to the
      exercise of options granted under the Plan and are offered for the account
      of certain selling shareholders pursuant to the reoffer prospectus filed
      as an exhibit to this Registration Statement; (iv) 488,200 shares of
      Common Stock which may be acquired pursuant to options outstanding under
      the NOVA Corporation 1996 Employees Stock Incentive Plan (the "1996
      Plan"); and (v) 1,511,800 shares of Common Stock which may be acquired
      pursuant to options available for grant in the future under the 1996 Plan.
      An undetermined number of additional shares may be issued, or the shares
      registered hereunder may be combined into an undetermined lesser number of
      shares, if the antidilution provisions of the 1991 Plan or the 1996 Plan
      become operative.

  (2) The offering prices for the 1,250,620 shares subject to currently
      outstanding options under the 1991 Plan and the 488,200 shares subject to
      currently outstanding options under the 1996 Plan are the applicable
      option exercise prices for each currently outstanding option. The offering
      price of the 763,732 shares which may be acquired pursuant to options
      available for grant in the future under the 1991 Plan, the 1,511,800
      shares which may be acquired pursuant to options available for grant in
      the future under the 1996 Plan, and the 1,292,076 shares offered for the
      account of certain selling shareholders is not presently determinable. The
      offering price for such shares is estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and
      (h) solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and is
      based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's
      Common Stock on May 16, 1996 as quoted on the New York Stock Exchange,
      Inc.

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
         ---------------------------------------

          The following documents heretofore filed by NOVA Corporation (the
"Company" or the "Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") hereby are incorporated herein by reference as of their respective
dates:

          (1) The Company's prospectus dated May 7, 1996 filed with the
Commission pursuant to the Commission's Rule 424(b)(1); and
 
          (2) The description of the Company's Common Stock as contained in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A (Registration No. 1-14342) as
declared effective by the Commission on May 7, 1996.
 
          In addition, all reports and documents subsequently filed by the
Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act") subsequent to the date hereof
and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
and made a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
          -----------------------------------------

          Article IX of the Bylaws of the Registrant sets forth the extent to
which the Registrant's directors and officers may be indemnified against
liabilities they may incur while serving in such capacities.  Such
indemnification will be provided to the fullest extent allowed by the Georgia
Business Corporation Code, as amended from time to time.  Under these
indemnification provisions, the Registrant is required to indemnify any of its
directors and officers against any reasonable expenses (including attorneys'
fees) incurred by him or her in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, to which he or she was
made a party, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, by reason of
the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Registrant or
who, while a director or officer of the Registrant, is or was serving at the
Registrant's request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan
or other enterprise to the extent that such director or officer has been
successful, on the merits or otherwise, in such defense.  The Registrant is also
required to indemnify any of its directors or officers against any liability
incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than
an action by or in the right of the Registrant, in which event, additional
determinations must be made before indemnification is provided) by reason of the
fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Registrant or who,
while a director or officer of the  Registrants, is or was serving at the
Registrant's request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan
or other enterprise, if such director or officer acted in a manner he or she
believed in good faith to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the
Registrant, and with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause
to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.  The Registrant may not indemnify
any of its directors and officers, however, against any liability incurred in
connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the Registrant in which the
director or officer was adjudged liable to the Registrant or in connection with
a proceeding in which the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis
that personal benefit was improperly received by him or her.  The Registrant may
also provide advances of expenses incurred by a director or officer in defending
any such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of (i) a written affirmation of
such officer or director that he or she has met certain standards of conduct and
that his or her conduct does not constitute certain identified behavior, and
(ii) a written undertaking by or on behalf of such officer or director to repay
such advances if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to
indemnification by the Registrant.

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
          The Registrant's Articles of Incorporation contain a provision which
eliminates, to the fullest extent permitted by law, director liability for
monetary damages for breaches of the fiduciary duty of care or any other duty as
a director.

          The Registrant currently maintains an insurance policy which insures
the directors and officers of the Registrant against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act.  The Registrant currently is
negotiating to obtain an insurance policy insuring the directors and officers of
the Registrant against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.

ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED
          -----------------------------------

          The 1,292,076 shares of Common Stock being registered pursuant to this
Registration Statement and offered for the account of certain selling
shareholders were issued directly to such selling shareholders as employees of
the Company pursuant to the Company's 1991 Employees' Stock Option and Stock
Appreciation Rights Plan in reliance upon the exemption from registration set
forth in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act").
 

ITEM 8.   EXHIBITS
          --------

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                   DESCRIPTION
- ------                   -----------

  5                      Opinion of Long, Aldridge & Norman.

 23(a)                   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

 23(b)                   Consent of Long, Aldridge & Norman (included in
                         Exhibit 5).

 24                      Powers of Attorney.

 99                      Reoffer prospectus prepared in accordance with the
                         requirements of Part I of Form S-3.

ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS
          ------------

          A.   RULE 415 OFFERING.

          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include any
material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement.

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933
Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
          B.   SUBSEQUENT DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.

          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each filing of the Registrant's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the 1934 Act that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          C.   INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND CONTROLLING PERSONS.

          Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 1933 Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 6 above, or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on May 22, 1996.

                            NOVA CORPORATION
                            (Registrant)


                            By:/s/ James M. Bahin
                               ------------------------------------
                               James M. Bahin
                               Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated as of May 22, 1996.

Signatures                           Title
- ----------                           -----


/s/ Edward Grzedzinski               Director, Chairman of the Board,
- -----------------------------        President and Chief Executive Officer
Edward Grzedzinski                   (principal executive officer)          
                                



/s/ James M. Bahin                   Director, Vice Chairman of the
- -----------------------------        Board, Chief Financial
James M. Bahin                       Officer and Secretary (principal accounting
                                     officer)


/s/ Charles T. Cannada               Director    
- -----------------------------                    
Charles T. Cannada                               
                                                 
                                                 
/s/ Dr. Henry Kressel                Director    
- -----------------------------                    
Dr. Henry Kressel                                
                                                 
                                                 
/s/ Joseph P. Landy                  Director    
- -----------------------------                    
Joseph P. Landy                                  
                                                 
                                                 
/s/ Maurice F. Terbrueggen, Jr.      Director    
- ------------------------------                    
Maurice F. Terbrueggen, Jr.                      
                                                 
                                                 
/s/ Fred Martin Winkler              Director     
- ------------------------------              
Fred Martin Winkler


*By: 
     ------------------------- 
     as Attorney-in-Fact

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit                                                               Page No.
- --------                                                              -------

  5                 Opinion of Long, Aldridge & Norman.

 23(a)              Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

 23(b)              Consent of Long, Aldridge & Norman (included in Exhibit 5).

 24                 Powers of Attorney.

 99                 Reoffer prospectus prepared in accordance with the  
                    requirements of Part I of Form S-3.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19276}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "NOVA CORP \\GA\\", "cik": "0001009918", "assigned-sic": "7380", "irs-number": "582209575", "state-of-incorporation": "GA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-04351", "film-number": "96571352"}, "business-address": {"street1": "FIVE CONCOURSE PARKWAY", "street2": "STE 700", "city": "ATLANTA", "state": "GA", "zip": "30328", "phone": "7703961456"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "FIVE CONCOURSE PARKWAY", "street2": "SUITE 700", "city": "ATLANTA", "state": "GA", "zip": "30328"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 23, 1996

                                              Registration No. 333- ________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                _______________

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                _______________

                                NOVA CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            GEORGIA                                 58-2209575
  (State or other jurisdiction                   (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)

           FIVE CONCOURSE PARKWAY, SUITE 700, ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30328
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

NOVA CORPORATION 1991 EMPLOYEES' STOCK OPTION AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS PLAN
              NOVA CORPORATION 1996 EMPLOYEES STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plans)

                                _______________
                                        

 
           CATHY A. HARPER, ESQ.                         COPY TO:
             NOVA CORPORATION
          FIVE CONCOURSE PARKWAY                LEONARD A. SILVERSTEIN, ESQ.
                SUITE 700                       LONG, ALDRIDGE & NORMAN, LLP
          ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30328              ONE PEACHTREE CENTER, SUITE 5300
  (Name and address of agent for service)           303 PEACHTREE STREET
             (770) 396-1456                       ATLANTA, GEORGIA  30308
  (Telephone number, including area code,              (404) 527-4000
          of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Securities     Amount to     Proposed Maximum           Proposed Maximum           Amount of
to be Registered        be            Offering Price Per Share   Aggregate Offering Price   Registration Fee
                        Registered    (2)                        (2)                        (2)
                        (1)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,
 $.01 par value per
 share
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991 Employees'
 Stock Option and
 Stock Appreciation
 Rights Plan             1,225,020                $  1.18            $  1,445,523.60         $   498.46
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            25,600                   2.34                  59,904.00              20.66
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           763,732                  36.125             27,589,818.50           9,513.73
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         1,292,076                  36.125             46,676,245.50          16,095.26
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1996 Employees
 Stock Incentive           488,200                  19.00               9,275,800.00           3,198.55
 Plan
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         1,511,800                  36.125             54,613,775.00          18,832.34
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total:                   5,306,428                                    139,601,162.60          48,159.00
==========================================================================================================
(1) The shares of Common Stock being registered represent (i) 1,250,620 shares
      of Common Stock which may be acquired pursuant to options outstanding
      under the NOVA Corporation 1991 Employees' Stock Option and Stock
      Appreciation Rights Plan (the "1991 Plan"); (ii) 763,732 shares of Common
      Stock which may be acquired pursuant to options and stock appreciation
      rights available for grant in the future under the 1991 Plan; (iii)
      1,292,076 shares of Common Stock which have been issued pursuant to the
      exercise of options granted under the Plan and are offered for the account
      of certain selling shareholders pursuant to the reoffer prospectus filed
      as an exhibit to this Registration Statement; (iv) 488,200 shares of
      Common Stock which may be acquired pursuant to options outstanding under
      the NOVA Corporation 1996 Employees Stock Incentive Plan (the "1996
      Plan"); and (v) 1,511,800 shares of Common Stock which may be acquired
      pursuant to options available for grant in the future under the 1996 Plan.
      An undetermined number of additional shares may be issued, or the shares
      registered hereunder may be combined into an undetermined lesser number of
      shares, if the antidilution provisions of the 1991 Plan or the 1996 Plan
      become operative.

  (2) The offering prices for the 1,250,620 shares subject to currently
      outstanding options under the 1991 Plan and the 488,200 shares subject to
      currently outstanding options under the 1996 Plan are the applicable
      option exercise prices for each currently outstanding option. The offering
      price of the 763,732 shares which may be acquired pursuant to options
      available for grant in the future under the 1991 Plan, the 1,511,800
      shares which may be acquired pursuant to options available for grant in
      the future under the 1996 Plan, and the 1,292,076 shares offered for the
      account of certain selling shareholders is not presently determinable. The
      offering price for such shares is estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and
      (h) solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and is
      based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's
      Common Stock on May 16, 1996 as quoted on the New York Stock Exchange,
      Inc.

                                       2
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
         ---------------------------------------

          The following documents heretofore filed by NOVA Corporation (the
"Company" or the "Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") hereby are incorporated herein by reference as of their respective
dates:

          (1) The Company's prospectus dated May 7, 1996 filed with the
Commission pursuant to the Commission's Rule 424(b)(1); and
 
          (2) The description of the Company's Common Stock as contained in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A (Registration No. 1-14342) as
declared effective by the Commission on May 7, 1996.
 
          In addition, all reports and documents subsequently filed by the
Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act") subsequent to the date hereof
and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
and made a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
          -----------------------------------------

          Article IX of the Bylaws of the Registrant sets forth the extent to
which the Registrant's directors and officers may be indemnified against
liabilities they may incur while serving in such capacities.  Such
indemnification will be provided to the fullest extent allowed by the Georgia
Business Corporation Code, as amended from time to time.  Under these
indemnification provisions, the Registrant is required to indemnify any of its
directors and officers against any reasonable expenses (including attorneys'
fees) incurred by him or her in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, to which he or she was
made a party, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, by reason of
the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Registrant or
who, while a director or officer of the Registrant, is or was serving at the
Registrant's request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan
or other enterprise to the extent that such director or officer has been
successful, on the merits or otherwise, in such defense.  The Registrant is also
required to indemnify any of its directors or officers against any liability
incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than
an action by or in the right of the Registrant, in which event, additional
determinations must be made before indemnification is provided) by reason of the
fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Registrant or who,
while a director or officer of the  Registrants, is or was serving at the
Registrant's request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan
or other enterprise, if such director or officer acted in a manner he or she
believed in good faith to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the
Registrant, and with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause
to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.  The Registrant may not indemnify
any of its directors and officers, however, against any liability incurred in
connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the Registrant in which the
director or officer was adjudged liable to the Registrant or in connection with
a proceeding in which the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis
that personal benefit was improperly received by him or her.  The Registrant may
also provide advances of expenses incurred by a director or officer in defending
any such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of (i) a written affirmation of
such officer or director that he or she has met certain standards of conduct and
that his or her conduct does not constitute certain identified behavior, and
(ii) a written undertaking by or on behalf of such officer or director to repay
such advances if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to
indemnification by the Registrant.

                                       3
The Registrant's Articles of Incorporation contain a provision which
eliminates, to the fullest extent permitted by law, director liability for
monetary damages for breaches of the fiduciary duty of care or any other duty as
a director.

          The Registrant currently maintains an insurance policy which insures
the directors and officers of the Registrant against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act.  The Registrant currently is
negotiating to obtain an insurance policy insuring the directors and officers of
the Registrant against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.

ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED
          -----------------------------------

          The 1,292,076 shares of Common Stock being registered pursuant to this
Registration Statement and offered for the account of certain selling
shareholders were issued directly to such selling shareholders as employees of
the Company pursuant to the Company's 1991 Employees' Stock Option and Stock
Appreciation Rights Plan in reliance upon the exemption from registration set
forth in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act").
 

ITEM 8.   EXHIBITS
          --------

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                   DESCRIPTION
- ------                   -----------

  5                      Opinion of Long, Aldridge & Norman.

 23(a)                   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

 23(b)                   Consent of Long, Aldridge & Norman (included in
                         Exhibit 5).

 24                      Powers of Attorney.

 99                      Reoffer prospectus prepared in accordance with the
                         requirements of Part I of Form S-3.

ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS
          ------------

          A.   RULE 415 OFFERING.

          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include any
material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement.

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933
Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

                                       4
B.   SUBSEQUENT DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.

          The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each filing of the Registrant's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the 1934 Act that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

          C.   INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND CONTROLLING PERSONS.

          Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 1933 Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 6 above, or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on May 22, 1996.

                            NOVA CORPORATION
                            (Registrant)

                            By:/s/ James M. Bahin
                               ------------------------------------
                               James M. Bahin
                               Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated as of May 22, 1996.

Signatures                           Title
- ----------                           -----

/s/ Edward Grzedzinski               Director, Chairman of the Board,
- -----------------------------        President and Chief Executive Officer
Edward Grzedzinski                   (principal executive officer)          
                                

/s/ James M. Bahin                   Director, Vice Chairman of the
- -----------------------------        Board, Chief Financial
James M. Bahin                       Officer and Secretary (principal accounting
                                     officer)

/s/ Charles T. Cannada               Director    
- -----------------------------                    
Charles T. Cannada                               
                                                 
                                                 
/s/ Dr. Henry Kressel                Director    
- -----------------------------                    
Dr. Henry Kressel                                
                                                 
                                                 
/s/ Joseph P. Landy                  Director    
- -----------------------------                    
Joseph P. Landy                                  
                                                 
                                                 
/s/ Maurice F. Terbrueggen, Jr.      Director    
- ------------------------------                    
Maurice F. Terbrueggen, Jr.                      
                                                 
                                                 
/s/ Fred Martin Winkler              Director     
- ------------------------------              
Fred Martin Winkler

*By: 
     ------------------------- 
     as Attorney-in-Fact

                                       6
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit                                                               Page No.
- --------                                                              -------

  5                 Opinion of Long, Aldridge & Norman.

 23(a)              Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

 23(b)              Consent of Long, Aldridge & Norman (included in Exhibit 5).

 24                 Powers of Attorney.

 99                 Reoffer prospectus prepared in accordance with the  
                    requirements of Part I of Form S-3.