A method and apparatus are provided for efficiently encoding source data in radio frequency identification (RFID) systems. The encoded source data may also provide additional functionality such as data error detection and correction. A source data encoding and decoding method for a RFID system having a RFID transponder comprises the steps of obtaining the source data, encoding to provide more efficient data encodation that may also include data error detection and error correction, writing the encoded source data to a RFID transponder, reading the encoded source data from the RFID transponder, and decoding the encoded source data to recover the original source data. The encoding may utilize bar code symbology algorithms or a non-Full ASCII enhanced functionality character set. A source data encoding device and a decoding device for a RFID system may comprise a memory, a processor for running a program stored in the memory, a bar code printer for printing a bar code, a RFID transponder programmer for writing the data to the RFID transponder, a RFID interrogator for interrogating the RFID transponder, and a bar code reader to read a bar code. The data may be provided encoded or the device may encode/decode the data using coding algorithms. The RFID transponder stores the encoded source data, that may utilize a non-Full ASCII enhanced functionality character set, and the encoded data may be retrieved to recover the original source data.