To operate an image engraving apparatus only when authentication by the input of a license code is performed in the image engraving apparatus which performs engraving on special synthetic paper or thin sheet made of plastics in a scanning system by the relative movement of an engraving needle and an engraved plate.

The image engraving apparatus is provided with: a license code input section which inputs the license code to the image engraving apparatus; a license code authentication section which performs authentication as to whether the input license code is correct or not; and a control part which permits the operation of the image engraving apparatus only when the authentication in the license code authentication section is performed. Also, both of an engraving needle driving section, and the engraved plate driving section are provided with the authentication sections in order to make the authentication firmer and the operations thereof are hard-coded to prevent the operation by illegal authentication. Only the image engraving apparatus authenticated by this system can be operated and as the result thereof. the enhancement of reliability of the engraved plate prepared by the image engraving apparatus is made possible.