Where to apply for your ID card?

You can apply for the ID card at your local ID issuing authority.

You can also apply for your ID card at any other ID issuing authority, or at many German consular or diplomatic missions abroad. In these cases, higher fees will be charged.

If you wish to apply outside your main residence, you must provide a valid reason for your application. By contacting your chosen ID issuing authority in advance, you can adequately prepare your application for an ID card and find out whether, and to what extent, the ID issuing authority recognises your reasons.

You can find authority responsibilities at servicesuche.bund.de.

Who will get the ID card?

The ID card is issued to German nationals.

If you have not yet reached the age of 16 when applying for the ID card, the eID function remains disabled.

After your 16th birthday, you can ask your local ID issuing authority to activate the eID free of charge.

Necessary documents

The documents you need to present when applying for your ID card are determined at the discretion of the local ID issuing authority.

In general, the following documents are necessary for the application

• valid identity document (an old ID card, if available, otherwise a passport);
• current biometric photograph

For young people under the age of 16 the application must be submitted by a parent or guardian and, as a rule, requires the consent of the other parent or guardian.

It may also be necessary to present a birth certificate/certificate of parentage, for example if

• you never had an ID card or passport before or
• if data of your ID card do not match the data in the population register.

Many local ID issuing authorities provide this information on their websites. There you will usually also find information on how to schedule an appointment to apply for your ID card. Increasingly, you can also book this appointment online.

It is recommended to get in touch with the responsible authority prior to the application to find out what documents must be provided. If you have recently moved, you should also find out what documents you need to bring for your registration.

Additional information and illustrative examples of photograph requirements can be found in the table of sample photographs (available in German).

What to consider when changing your ID card?

If your current ID card is no longer valid, has been stolen, or lost, you need to apply for a new one. This will result in a change of ID card.

Following a change of ID card, an online service you were using under a pseudonym may no longer "recognise" you.

To avoid this issue, it is advisable to inform the provider of the online service you are using under a pseudonym in advance about the upcoming change of ID card. The provider can then advise you on how to renew your pseudonym.

You can find information about the pseudonym here.