Note 3 - Option Agreement	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Other Income and Other Expense Disclosure [Text Block]	3. OPTION AGREEMENT On March 20, 2012, Intelligent Systems Corporation entered into an Option Agreement (the “Option Agreement”) with Central National Bank, a national banking association (“CNB”). The Option Agreement grants to CNB the option to acquire from ISC the number of shares of stock in the company’s CoreCard Software subsidiary equal to five percent (5%) of ISC’s equity ownership in CoreCard. Currently, ISC owns approximately 96% on a fully diluted basis of the equity of CoreCard. The number of shares covered by the option may be increased, up to ten percent (10%), based on achievement of certain volumes of prepaid cards issued by CNB and processed by CoreCard, as defined in the Option Agreement. The option has an exercise price of one million dollars, expires on December 31, 2017 and can be exercised at any time before it expires. Further, at any time between September 30, 2014 and June 30, 2017, subject to certain earlier termination provisions, CNB may elect to require ISC to repurchase the option at a purchase price equal to the fair market value of the option less one million dollars. We entered into the Option Agreement in recognition of CNB’s ongoing cooperation and contribution to building CoreCard’s card processing business. During the year ended December 31, 2012, we recorded an expense of $18,000 in the marketing category and have recorded a long-term liability of $18,000 at December 31, 2012 to recognize the financial impact of the Option Agreement.

Note 3 - Option Agreement

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Other Income and Other Expense Disclosure [Text Block]

3. OPTION AGREEMENT

On March 20, 2012, Intelligent Systems Corporation entered into an Option Agreement (the “Option Agreement”) with Central National Bank, a national banking association (“CNB”). The Option Agreement grants to CNB the option to acquire from ISC the number of shares of stock in the company’s CoreCard Software subsidiary equal to five percent (5%) of ISC’s equity ownership in CoreCard. Currently, ISC owns approximately 96% on a fully diluted basis of the equity of CoreCard. The number of shares covered by the option may be increased, up to ten percent (10%), based on achievement of certain volumes of prepaid cards issued by CNB and processed by CoreCard, as defined in the Option Agreement. The option has an exercise price of one million dollars, expires on December 31, 2017 and can be exercised at any time before it expires. Further, at any time between September 30, 2014 and June 30, 2017, subject to certain earlier termination provisions, CNB may elect to require ISC to repurchase the option at a purchase price equal to the fair market value of the option less one million dollars. We entered into the Option Agreement in recognition of CNB’s ongoing cooperation and contribution to building CoreCard’s card processing business. During the year ended December 31, 2012, we recorded an expense of $18,000 in the marketing category and have recorded a long-term liability of $18,000 at December 31, 2012 to recognize the financial impact of the Option Agreement.