As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2003
                                          Registration File No. ________________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

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


                           TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES, INC.
             -------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         Georgia                                              54-1493818
  ------------------------                                --------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction of                           (IRS Employer
  incorporation or organization)                           Identification No.)

     1600 First Avenue
    Columbus, Georgia                                           31901
    -----------------                                         -----------
    (Address of Principal                                     (Zip Code)
     Executive Offices)

         --------------------------------------------------------------

                           TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES, INC.
                          2002 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)
         --------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Kathleen Moates
                          Senior Deputy General Counsel
                           Total System Services, Inc.
                                901 Front Avenue
                                    Suite 202
                             Columbus, Georgia 31901
                                 (706) 649-4818
                  -------------------------------------------
            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                          CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
====================================================================================================================
       Title of                                      Proposed               Proposed
      Securities               Amount                 Maximum                Maximum               Amount of
         to be                  to be                Offering               Aggregate            Registration
      Registered             Registered           Price Per Share        Offering Price               Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                         <C>                   <C>                    <C>                       <C>
Common Stock,                9,355,299<f1>         $14.90<f2>             $139,393,955<f2>           $11,291
$.10 par value
====================================================================================================================
<FN>

<f1>     Maximum number of shares which may be issued by Total System Services,
         Inc. This Registration Statement also covers any additional shares of
         common stock issued or issuable as a result of a stock split or stock
         dividend.

<f2>     Determined pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933
         solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and
         represents the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock
         of Total System Services, Inc. on the New York Stock Exchange on March
         26, 2003.

</FN>
</TABLE>
<PAGE>



                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
         ---------------------------------------

The following documents and information previously filed by Total System
Services, Inc. (the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission are
incorporated herein by reference in this Registration Statement as of their
respective dates:

a.    The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
      December 31, 2002.

b.    All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
      Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") since the end of the fiscal year
      covered by the Annual Report referred to in paragraph (a) above.

c.    The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the Company's
      Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Securities and Exchange
      Commission on May 17, 1989.

All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement and
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all
securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing such
documents.

Item 4.     Description of Securities.
            -------------------------

Not applicable.

Item 5.     Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
            --------------------------------------

      The legality of the securities offered hereby has been rendered by
Kathleen Moates, Senior Deputy General Counsel of the Company.

Item 6.     Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
            -----------------------------------------

Subsection (a) of Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code
provides that a corporation may indemnify or obligate itself to indemnify an
individual made a party to a proceeding because he or she is or was a director
against liability incurred in the proceeding if such individual conducted
himself or herself in good faith and such individual reasonably believed, in the
case of conduct in an official capacity, that such conduct was in the best
interests of the corporation and, in all other cases, that such conduct was at
least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, in the case of
any criminal proceeding, such individual had no reasonable cause to believe such
conduct was unlawful. Subsection (d) of

                                       2

Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code provides that a
corporation may not indemnify a director in connection with a proceeding by or
in the right of the corporation except for reasonable expenses incurred if it is
determined that the director has met the relevant standard of conduct, or in
connection with any proceeding with respect to conduct under Section 14-2-851 of
the Georgia Business Corporation Code for which he was adjudged liable on the
basis that personal benefit was improperly received by him. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, pursuant to Section 14-2-854 of the Georgia Business Corporation
Code, a court may order a corporation to indemnify a director or advance
expenses if such court determines that the director is entitled to
indemnification under the Georgia Business Corporation Code or that the director
is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant
circumstances, whether or not such director met the standard of conduct set
forth in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business
Corporation Code, failed to comply with Section 14-2-853 of the Georgia Business
Corporation Code or was adjudged liable as described in paragraph (1) or (2) of
subsection (d) of Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code.

Section 14-2-852 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code provides that to the
extent that a director has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the
defense of any proceeding to which he was a party, because he or she is or was a
director of the corporation, the corporation shall indemnify the director
against reasonable expenses incurred by the director in connection therewith.

Section 14-2-857 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code provides that a
corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer of the corporation
who is a party to a proceeding because he or she is an officer of the
corporation to the same extent as a director and if he or she is not a director
to such further extent as may be provided in its articles of incorporation,
bylaws, action of its board of directors or contract except for liability
arising out of conduct specified in Section 14-2-857(a)(2) of the Georgia
Business Corporation Code. Section 14-2-857 of the Georgia Business Corporation
Code also provides that an officer of the corporation who is not a director is
entitled to mandatory indemnification under Section 14-2-852 and is entitled to
apply for court ordered indemnification or advances for expenses under Section
14-2-854, in each case to the same extent as a director. In addition, Section
14-2-857 provides that a corporation may also indemnify and advance expenses to
an employee or agent who is not a director to the extent, consistent with public
policy, that may be provided by its articles of incorporation, bylaws, action of
its board of directors or contract.

In accordance with Article VIII of the Company's Bylaws, every person who is or
was (and the heirs and personal representatives of such person) a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Company shall be indemnified and held harmless
by the Company from and against the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement,
penalty, fine (including an excise tax assessed with respect to an employee
benefits plan), and reasonable expenses (including attorneys' fees and
disbursements) that may be imposed upon or incurred by him or her in connection
with or resulting from any threatened, pending, or completed, action, suit, or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative, formal or
informal, in which he or she is, or is threatened to be made, a named defendant
or respondent: (a) because he or she is or was a director,

                                       3


officer, employee, or agent of the Company; (b) because he or she or is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, partner, trustee,
employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other enterprise; or (c) because he or she is or was
serving as an employee of the corporation who was employed to render
professional services as a lawyer or accountant to the corporation; regardless
of whether such person is acting in such a capacity at the time such obligation
shall have been imposed or incurred, if (i) such person acted in a manner he or
she believed in good faith to be in or not opposed to the best interest of such
corporation, and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, if such person had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful or (ii), with
respect to an employee benefit plan, such person believed in good faith that his
or her conduct was in the interests of the participants in and beneficiaries of
the plan.

Pursuant to Article VIII of the Bylaws of the Company, reasonable expenses
incurred in any proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final
disposition of such proceeding if authorized by the Board of Directors in the
specific case, or if authorized in accordance with procedures adopted by the
Board of Directors, upon receipt of a written undertaking executed personally by
or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount if
it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be
indemnified by the Company, and a written affirmation of his or her good faith
belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct required for
indemnification.

The foregoing rights of indemnification and advancement of expenses are not
intended to be exclusive of any other right to which those indemnified may be
entitled, and the Company has reserved the right to provide additional indemnity
and rights to its directors, officers, employees or agents to the extent they
are consistent with law.

The Company carries insurance for the purpose of providing indemnification to
its directors and officers. Such policy provides for indemnification of the
Company for losses and expenses it might incur to its directors and officers for
successful defense of claims alleging negligent acts, errors, omissions or
breach of duty while acting in their capacity as directors or officers and
indemnification of its directors and officers for losses and expense upon the
unsuccessful defense of such claims.

Item 7.     Exemption from Registration Claimed.
            -----------------------------------

Not applicable.

Item 8.     Exhibits.
            --------

Exhibit
Number
-------

4.1         Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended.

                                       4


4.2         Bylaws, as amended, of the Company, incorporated by reference to
            Exhibit 3.2 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
            fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, as filed with the Securities
            and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2003.

5           Legal opinion of Kathleen  Moates, Senior Deputy General Counsel of
            the Company, as to the legality of the  securities being offered.

23.1        Consent of KPMG LLP.

23.2        The consent of Kathleen Moates, Senior Deputy General Counsel of the
            Company, is contained in her opinion filed as Exhibit 5.

24          Powers of Attorney contained on the signature pages of this
            Registration Statement.

Item 9.     Undertakings.
            ------------

(a)   The Company 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
            Securities 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.

(b)   The Company hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
      liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Company's annual
      report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act
      (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual
      report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange 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)   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
      Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
      Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company
      has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
      Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in
      the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a
      claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment
      by the Company of

                                       5

      expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
      controlling person of the Company 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 Company
      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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final
      adjudication of such issue.










                                       6
<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all 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.

                                         TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES, INC.
                                         (Registrant)


March 31, 2003                           By:/s/Richard W. Ussery
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Richard W. Ussery,
                                            Chairman and
                                            Principal Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints James H. Blanchard, Richard W. Ussery and Philip
W. Tomlinson, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s), with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments
to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with all exhibits and
schedules thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s) full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) or their
substitute(s), may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


/s/James H. Blanchard                                   Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
James H. Blanchard,
Director and Chairman of the
Executive Committee


/s/Richard W. Ussery                                    Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Richard W. Ussery,
Chairman of the Board
and Principal Executive Officer


/s/Philip W. Tomlinson                                  Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Philip W. Tomlinson,
President
and Director


/s/James B. Lipham                                      Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
James B. Lipham,
Executive Vice President, Treasurer, Principal
Accounting and Financial Officer


/s/Richard Y. Bradley                                   Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Richard Y. Bradley,
Director


/s/G. Wayne Clough                                      Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
G. Wayne Clough,
Director


/s/Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr.                             Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr.,
Director


/s/Sidney E. Harris                                     Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Sidney E. Harris,
Director


/s/John P. Illges, III                                  Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
John P. Illges, III,
Director


/s/Alfred W Jones III                                   Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Alfred W. Jones III,
Director


/s/Mason H. Lampton                                     Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Mason H. Lampton,
Director


/s/H. Lynn Page                                         Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
H. Lynn Page,
Director


/s/W. Walter Miller, Jr.                                Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
W. Walter Miller, Jr.,
Director


/s/William B. Turner                                    Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
William B. Turner,
Director


/s/James D. Yancey                                      Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
James D. Yancey,
Director


/s/Rebecca K. Yarbrough                                 Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Rebecca K. Yarbrough,
Director


                                                        Date: ___ __, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Walter W. Driver, Jr.,
Director
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES INC", "cik": "0000721683", "assigned-sic": "7374", "irs-number": "581493818", "state-of-incorporation": "GA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-104142", "film-number": "03627362"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1600 FIRST AVENUE", "street2": "P O BOX 1755", "city": "COLUMBUS", "state": "GA", "zip": "31901", "phone": "7066492267"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1600 FIRST AVENUE", "city": "COLUMBUS", "state": "GA", "zip": "31901"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2003
                                          Registration File No. ________________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

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

                           TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES, INC.
             -------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         Georgia                                              54-1493818
  ------------------------                                --------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction of                           (IRS Employer
  incorporation or organization)                           Identification No.)

     1600 First Avenue
    Columbus, Georgia                                           31901
    -----------------                                         -----------
    (Address of Principal                                     (Zip Code)
     Executive Offices)

         --------------------------------------------------------------

                           TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES, INC.
                          2002 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)
         --------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Kathleen Moates
                          Senior Deputy General Counsel
                           Total System Services, Inc.
                                901 Front Avenue
                                    Suite 202
                             Columbus, Georgia 31901
                                 (706) 649-4818
                  -------------------------------------------
            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
====================================================================================================================
       Title of                                      Proposed               Proposed
      Securities               Amount                 Maximum                Maximum               Amount of
         to be                  to be                Offering               Aggregate            Registration
      Registered             Registered           Price Per Share        Offering Price               Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,                9,355,299
$14.90
$139,393,955
$11,291
$.10 par value
====================================================================================================================
Maximum number of shares which may be issued by Total System Services,
         Inc. This Registration Statement also covers any additional shares of
         common stock issued or issuable as a result of a stock split or stock
         dividend.
Determined pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933
         solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and
         represents the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock
         of Total System Services, Inc. on the New York Stock Exchange on March
         26, 2003.
PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
         ---------------------------------------

The following documents and information previously filed by Total System
Services, Inc. (the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission are
incorporated herein by reference in this Registration Statement as of their
respective dates:

a.    The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
      December 31, 2002.

b.    All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
      Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") since the end of the fiscal year
      covered by the Annual Report referred to in paragraph (a) above.

c.    The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the Company's
      Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Securities and Exchange
      Commission on May 17, 1989.

All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement and
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all
securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing such
documents.

Item 4.     Description of Securities.
            -------------------------

Not applicable.

Item 5.     Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
            --------------------------------------

      The legality of the securities offered hereby has been rendered by
Kathleen Moates, Senior Deputy General Counsel of the Company.

Item 6.     Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
            -----------------------------------------

Subsection (a) of Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code
provides that a corporation may indemnify or obligate itself to indemnify an
individual made a party to a proceeding because he or she is or was a director
against liability incurred in the proceeding if such individual conducted
himself or herself in good faith and such individual reasonably believed, in the
case of conduct in an official capacity, that such conduct was in the best
interests of the corporation and, in all other cases, that such conduct was at
least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, in the case of
any criminal proceeding, such individual had no reasonable cause to believe such
conduct was unlawful. Subsection (d) of

                                       2

Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code provides that a
corporation may not indemnify a director in connection with a proceeding by or
in the right of the corporation except for reasonable expenses incurred if it is
determined that the director has met the relevant standard of conduct, or in
connection with any proceeding with respect to conduct under Section 14-2-851 of
the Georgia Business Corporation Code for which he was adjudged liable on the
basis that personal benefit was improperly received by him. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, pursuant to Section 14-2-854 of the Georgia Business Corporation
Code, a court may order a corporation to indemnify a director or advance
expenses if such court determines that the director is entitled to
indemnification under the Georgia Business Corporation Code or that the director
is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant
circumstances, whether or not such director met the standard of conduct set
forth in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business
Corporation Code, failed to comply with Section 14-2-853 of the Georgia Business
Corporation Code or was adjudged liable as described in paragraph (1) or (2) of
subsection (d) of Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code.

Section 14-2-852 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code provides that to the
extent that a director has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the
defense of any proceeding to which he was a party, because he or she is or was a
director of the corporation, the corporation shall indemnify the director
against reasonable expenses incurred by the director in connection therewith.

Section 14-2-857 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code provides that a
corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer of the corporation
who is a party to a proceeding because he or she is an officer of the
corporation to the same extent as a director and if he or she is not a director
to such further extent as may be provided in its articles of incorporation,
bylaws, action of its board of directors or contract except for liability
arising out of conduct specified in Section 14-2-857(a)(2) of the Georgia
Business Corporation Code. Section 14-2-857 of the Georgia Business Corporation
Code also provides that an officer of the corporation who is not a director is
entitled to mandatory indemnification under Section 14-2-852 and is entitled to
apply for court ordered indemnification or advances for expenses under Section
14-2-854, in each case to the same extent as a director. In addition, Section
14-2-857 provides that a corporation may also indemnify and advance expenses to
an employee or agent who is not a director to the extent, consistent with public
policy, that may be provided by its articles of incorporation, bylaws, action of
its board of directors or contract.

In accordance with Article VIII of the Company's Bylaws, every person who is or
was (and the heirs and personal representatives of such person) a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Company shall be indemnified and held harmless
by the Company from and against the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement,
penalty, fine (including an excise tax assessed with respect to an employee
benefits plan), and reasonable expenses (including attorneys' fees and
disbursements) that may be imposed upon or incurred by him or her in connection
with or resulting from any threatened, pending, or completed, action, suit, or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative, formal or
informal, in which he or she is, or is threatened to be made, a named defendant
or respondent: (a) because he or she is or was a director,

                                       3

officer, employee, or agent of the Company; (b) because he or she or is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, partner, trustee,
employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other enterprise; or (c) because he or she is or was
serving as an employee of the corporation who was employed to render
professional services as a lawyer or accountant to the corporation; regardless
of whether such person is acting in such a capacity at the time such obligation
shall have been imposed or incurred, if (i) such person acted in a manner he or
she believed in good faith to be in or not opposed to the best interest of such
corporation, and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, if such person had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful or (ii), with
respect to an employee benefit plan, such person believed in good faith that his
or her conduct was in the interests of the participants in and beneficiaries of
the plan.

Pursuant to Article VIII of the Bylaws of the Company, reasonable expenses
incurred in any proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final
disposition of such proceeding if authorized by the Board of Directors in the
specific case, or if authorized in accordance with procedures adopted by the
Board of Directors, upon receipt of a written undertaking executed personally by
or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount if
it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be
indemnified by the Company, and a written affirmation of his or her good faith
belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct required for
indemnification.

The foregoing rights of indemnification and advancement of expenses are not
intended to be exclusive of any other right to which those indemnified may be
entitled, and the Company has reserved the right to provide additional indemnity
and rights to its directors, officers, employees or agents to the extent they
are consistent with law.

The Company carries insurance for the purpose of providing indemnification to
its directors and officers. Such policy provides for indemnification of the
Company for losses and expenses it might incur to its directors and officers for
successful defense of claims alleging negligent acts, errors, omissions or
breach of duty while acting in their capacity as directors or officers and
indemnification of its directors and officers for losses and expense upon the
unsuccessful defense of such claims.

Item 7.     Exemption from Registration Claimed.
            -----------------------------------

Not applicable.

Item 8.     Exhibits.
            --------

Exhibit
Number
-------

4.1         Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended.

                                       4

4.2         Bylaws, as amended, of the Company, incorporated by reference to
            Exhibit 3.2 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
            fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, as filed with the Securities
            and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2003.

5           Legal opinion of Kathleen  Moates, Senior Deputy General Counsel of
            the Company, as to the legality of the  securities being offered.

23.1        Consent of KPMG LLP.

23.2        The consent of Kathleen Moates, Senior Deputy General Counsel of the
            Company, is contained in her opinion filed as Exhibit 5.

24          Powers of Attorney contained on the signature pages of this
            Registration Statement.

Item 9.     Undertakings.
            ------------

(a)   The Company 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
            Securities 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.

(b)   The Company hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
      liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Company's annual
      report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act
      (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual
      report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange 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)   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
      Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
      Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company
      has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
      Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in
      the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a
      claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment
      by the Company of

                                       5

      expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
      controlling person of the Company 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 Company
      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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final
      adjudication of such issue.

                                       6
SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all 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.

                                         TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES, INC.
                                         (Registrant)

March 31, 2003                           By:/s/Richard W. Ussery
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Richard W. Ussery,
                                            Chairman and
                                            Principal Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints James H. Blanchard, Richard W. Ussery and Philip
W. Tomlinson, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s), with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments
to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with all exhibits and
schedules thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s) full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) or their
substitute(s), may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

/s/James H. Blanchard                                   Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
James H. Blanchard,
Director and Chairman of the
Executive Committee

/s/Richard W. Ussery                                    Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Richard W. Ussery,
Chairman of the Board
and Principal Executive Officer

/s/Philip W. Tomlinson                                  Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Philip W. Tomlinson,
President
and Director

/s/James B. Lipham                                      Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
James B. Lipham,
Executive Vice President, Treasurer, Principal
Accounting and Financial Officer

/s/Richard Y. Bradley                                   Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Richard Y. Bradley,
Director

/s/G. Wayne Clough                                      Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
G. Wayne Clough,
Director

/s/Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr.                             Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr.,
Director

/s/Sidney E. Harris                                     Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Sidney E. Harris,
Director

/s/John P. Illges, III                                  Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
John P. Illges, III,
Director

/s/Alfred W Jones III                                   Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Alfred W. Jones III,
Director

/s/Mason H. Lampton                                     Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Mason H. Lampton,
Director

/s/H. Lynn Page                                         Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
H. Lynn Page,
Director

/s/W. Walter Miller, Jr.                                Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
W. Walter Miller, Jr.,
Director

/s/William B. Turner                                    Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
William B. Turner,
Director

/s/James D. Yancey                                      Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
James D. Yancey,
Director

/s/Rebecca K. Yarbrough                                 Date: March 31, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Rebecca K. Yarbrough,
Director

                                                        Date: ___ __, 2003
-----------------------------------------
Walter W. Driver, Jr.,
Director