Has your ID card been lost or stolen? Then, for your own protection, please report the loss immediately to an identity card authority or to the police. You are obliged to do this in accordance with § 27 paragraph 1 number 3 of the Identity Card Act. If you do not report the loss, you are acting irregularly according to § 32 number 7 of the Identity Card Act.

If your eID function is switched on it must be blocked

If your eID function has been switched on, it must be blocked without delay if your ID card has been lost or stolen. Once it is blocked, any misuse will be detected immediately.

Please note: Without your PIN nobody can retrieve your data.

Blocking hotline

The easiest way to block your ID function is to call the blocking hotline. It can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week at +49 116 116 or, alternatively, +49 30 40 50 40 50 (fees apply). Please note that some countries use a different country code for Germany.

• Please have your blocking code ready, which was sent to you in the PIN letter.
• The eID function will be blocked without delay and cannot be used for the time being.
• If you block your eID function by calling the blocking hotline you also have to report the loss to an identity card authority.
  

You can report the loss or theft of your ID card either at a citizens' registration office or a police station. The staff of the respective authority will immediately arrange for the eID function to be blocked and inform each other (the police and the citizens' registration office) about the loss or theft of the ID document.

Blocking your signature function is only possible by the certification service provider of your signature certificate.

Neither the blocking hotline nor the identity card authority can block the signature function.

You recovered your ID card?

In the case, you found your ID card again and want to keep using it please report the retrieval to an identity card authority. Only when your ID card is registered as found an entry at the police will be deleted. Afterwards you can use your ID card again without any restrictions.

Please note: Germany has no influence on other national police information systems. Therefor it is possible that authorities abroad will not accept your ID card or maybe even withdraw it from you.

To avoid such inconveniences it is recommended to apply for a new ID card at an identity card authority.

Unblocking the eID function

If you find your ID card again, you can unblock the eID function at your identity card authority. Please note: To unblock the eID function you have to go there directly. Unblocking by call is not possible.