A card-flipping device for a card printing apparatus is provided. The card-flipping device comprises a card-carrier unit for transporting the card in a vertical direction, a motor drive means for moving the unit in the vertical direction, and an actuator assembly including a rotatable cam arm for flipping the card over. The card-flipping device is particularly suitable for use in thermal dye printers that print images on card substrates such as driver's licenses, employee badges, student cards, and the like. After one surface of the card has been printed, the card is conveyed to the card-flipping device, where the card is flipped over so that the reverse, unprinted side of the card can be printed thereon.