PURPOSE: To make a thermal transfer film economical without waste by preventing the film with an unprinted part from being fed.

CONSTITUTION: A recording sheet 3 is fed by driving a transport roller 4 in A direction. A thermal head 6 is normally pressed against a plate roller 12. A thermal transfer film 15, sandwiched between the thermal head 6 and the platen roller 12 which press the film 15, follows the recording sheet 3 in B direction. In addition, one end of an arm-like plate member 7 supported by a shaft 8 in freely rotatable manner is installed on the thermal head 6, and also a cam 9 supported by a shaft 10 in freely rotatable manner is in contact with the lower end of the arm-like plate member 7. Unless print information is supplied to the thermal head 6, a cam 9 is activated in D direction, and the thermal head 6 is separated from the platen roller 12, thus stopping the transport of the thermal transfer film 15.