Apply for an identity card

As a person with German citizenship, you can have an identity card issued.

If you are 16 years or older and do not have a valid passport, you must apply for an ID card.

You can submit the application to the identity card authority in the town or municipality where you have your main residence. This is usually the town hall or citizens' office.
If there is an important reason, you can also apply for an ID card at an authority in any other town or municipality. This may incur additional costs.

All ID cards issued from July 2017 onwards automatically have an activated online ID function. This allows you to identify yourself to authorities and companies online. You can use the online ID card after your 16th birthday. When you apply for an ID card, you will receive a one-time PIN so that you can set a six-digit PIN of your choice. You can then use the online ID card.

When you apply for your ID card, the prints of your two index fingers are stored on a chip in the card. Children under the age of 6 are excluded from this regulation.

Your ID card becomes invalid before the period of validity expires if

• entries no longer apply or
• your photo is no longer clearly suitable for identification purposes. This may be the case in particular with ID cards for infants or very young children

Exception: If only your address or height changes, this does not invalidate your ID card.

You can enter all countries of the European Union (EU) as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland with your valid ID card. A passport is not mandatory.

• You must apply for an ID card in person at the relevant ID card authority.
• You must provide a formally valid signature and complete the declaration of German citizenship. A signature is required for children aged 10 and over.
• When applying, you can either have your photo taken on site - depending on the facilities at the authority - or you can have the photo taken in advance by a certified service provider (e.g. a photographer or the photo service of a drugstore). The service provider will send you a printout of a data matrix code (similar to a QR code), which the authority can use to retrieve your photo from the cloud.
• Since August 2, 2021, fingerprinting has been mandatory for people aged 6 and over. They are stored on the ID chip. If an ID document without fingerprints is expressly requested for children from the age of 6 until the age of 12, only a provisional ID card can be issued. If an index finger is missing, the quality of the fingerprint is insufficient or the fingertip is damaged, another fingerprint will be taken instead. Fingerprints are only not taken if this is impossible for medical, permanent reasons.
• Since February 17, 2025, you will receive a PIN letter when you apply for your ID card - regardless of your age. This contains a secret number (five-digit one-time PIN) and an unlock number (PUK) for using the online ID function. You can use the online ID card from the age of 16 as soon as you have set your own six-digit PIN. When the new ID card is issued, you will receive a letter with the blocking password so that you can block the online ID card if necessary (e.g. if you lose the document).
• The ID card is produced centrally by Bundesdruckerei in Berlin.
• You can collect the finished ID card from the authorities in due course. Depending on the municipality, you will be notified as soon as you can collect your ID card. The notification information from the ID card authority usually also contains a form for authorization to collect your ID card. This allows you to collect your ID card yourself or have it collected by an authorized person. The authorized person must identify themselves to the ID card authority beforehand and present the authorization form.
• You must hand in your old ID card when you receive the new document. If you wish, you can take your old ID card back with you as a souvenir.
• From May 1, 2025, you can also select the "Direct delivery" option in the application process, which is subject to a charge, and receive the document at your home address where it can be delivered. The prerequisites are that you are at least 16 years old and that you submit the ID card application within Germany to the authority at your place of residence. In addition, you must personally identify yourself to the postal delivery service at your front door with a valid ID document (e.g. passport) and have the old ID card validated when you apply for the new ID card.

Note: Young people aged 16 and over can apply for an ID card themselves. If young people aged 16 and under do not fulfill their obligation, the legal representative must submit the application. Legal representatives are normally the parents. One parent can be represented by the other with a power of attorney when submitting the application. If the young person has reached the age of 16, the application must be submitted within six weeks.
For children and young people under the age of 16, both parents submit the application jointly if they have joint custody. The children and young people for whom the application is made must always appear in person, as the competent authority must check their identity

In the Free State of Thuringia, the (residential) municipalities are the responsible identity card authorities. If you have more than one residence, the main residence is the one to be considered. Please contact your city, municipality or administrative community.

• You or the child for whom the application is to be made have German citizenship
• for children under the age of 16:
  • You have parental authority.
  • Your child is present when the application is submitted.

If you are applying for an ID card outside the city or municipality in which you have your main residence:

• You provide an important reason why you are not applying for the ID card at the ID card authority in the town or city where you have your main residence.

• Proof of identity, for example
  • old identity card
  • valid passport or children's passport
• Biometric digital passport photo: taken on site at the authority or by a registered domestic photo service provider (photographer)
• Birth certificate, if applicable
• If applicable, document with current name, for example
  • Birth certificate, marriage certificate, marriage certificate
  • family register
  • Declaration on the use of name
• For applications for children under the age of 16:
  • Declaration of consent from the legal guardian if a parent with custody is not present
  • If there is only one legal guardian, additional proof of custody
  • Original or copy of the proof of identity of the legal guardian who is not present

Current civil status certificate, depending on marital status, a certificate of parentage/birth or marriage certificate and, if applicable, proof of name change.

A fee reduction or exemption is possible under certain conditions.

For applicants under the age of 24. Fee reductions or exemptions are possible for people in need. This is at the discretion of the identity card authority.

Fee: EUR 46,00

https://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.html

For the temporary identity card. Fee reductions or exemptions are possible for people in need. This is at the discretion of the identity card authority.

Fee: EUR 27,60

https://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichen

Additional fee for applications submitted outside office hours or not at the main place of residence. Fee reductions or exemptions are possible for people in need. This is at the discretion of the ID card authority.

Fee: EUR 6,00

https://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichen

For applicants aged 24 and over. Fee reductions or exemptions are possible for people in need. This is at the discretion of the identity card authority.

Fee: EUR 10,00

https://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichen

Fee for shipping to your home address

Fee: EUR 15,00

https://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichen

Surcharge on the fee for applications submitted outside office hours or not at the main place of residence

Fee: EUR 13,00

https://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichen

Surcharge on the fee for issuance by consular or diplomatic representation abroad

Fee: EUR 30,00

https://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichen

You must apply for a new ID card immediately if

• the validity of your old ID card has expired,
• you are over 16 years old and
• you do not have a valid passport document.

for applicants under the age of 24

Period of Validity: 6 JAHR

for applicants aged 24 and over

Period of Validity: 10 JAHR

It usually takes at least 2 weeks from the date of application before you can collect your ID card from the Citizens' Registration Office.

not specified

If your ID card is stolen or lost, you must report this to the police or an ID card authority. In these cases, the authorities will report the online ID card to the blocking hotline and arrange for it to be blocked.

The EU logo introduced on the front of the ID card from August 2, 2021 does not invalidate ID cards without this logo.

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI)

;

Thuringian Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs and Regional Development

13.02.2026;28.05.2026

As of 01.01.2013, the Federal Foreign Office and its designated foreign missions are the competent identity card authorities for identity card matters abroad.

With the consent of the foreign ID card authority, ID card applications from Germans living abroad can be accepted and processed by ID card authorities in Germany if an important reason is presented (for example, if the distance to the competent ID card authority is considerably longer than to the incompetent ID card authority).