Administrative services A-Z

Forms available: No

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: Yes

Personal appearance required: Yes

Online services available: No

In Germany, people aged 16 and over are required to have a valid ID card. From the age of 16, you must therefore apply for a new ID card in good time before the validity of your old one expires. This applies if you are over 16 and do not have a valid passport document, i.e. passport, temporary passport.
The application can be made at the citizens' office at your main place of residence. If you submit the application to another citizens' office for an important reason, a surcharge of EUR 13.00 will be added to the fee.
The period of validity depends on your age:

• under 24 years: ID card is valid for 6 years.
• from 24 years of age: ID card is valid for 10 years.

It may not be possible to issue the new ID card within the remaining period of validity. In this case, it may also be necessary to apply for a temporary ID card for the transitional period. A temporary ID card is valid for a maximum of 3 months.

The obligation to apply for an identity card applies to you if you

• have German citizenship,
• have reached the age of 16,
• are registered in Germany and
• do not have a valid passport document, i.e. passport or temporary passport.

For applications outside your main place of residence:

• You must be able to provide an important reason why you are not applying for the ID card at the ID card authority that is responsible at your main place of residence.
• Exception: The temporary ID card cannot be applied for abroad.

• Biometric passport photo: The photo must be
  • be up-to-date and
  • meet the requirements for biometric photos.
• old identity card, valid passport or old (expired) passport
• birth certificate or family register, if applicable
• for children under the age of 16: both custodial parents or, if applicable, a declaration of consent from the custodial parent who is not present
  • in the case of sole custody, a negative certificate from the youth welfare office

User Charge: 37 EUR (fix)
for applicants aged 24 and over
Vorkasse: Nein

User Charge: 22.8 EUR (fix)
for applicants under the age of 24
Vorkasse: Nein

User Charge: 10 EUR (fix)
for the temporary identity card
Vorkasse: Nein

User Charge: 13 EUR (fix)
Supplement for applications submitted outside working hours or not at the main place of residence
Vorkasse: Nein

User Charge: 30 EUR (fix)
Surcharge for issue by consular or diplomatic representation abroad
Vorkasse: Nein

You must apply for an ID card in person at the Citizens' Registration Office. If you do not apply for your ID card at your main place of residence, you will need an important reason and a surcharge will be added to the fee. If you contact your chosen Citizens' Registration Office in advance, you can find out whether and to what extent the Citizens' Registration Office will accept your reason.

• You can make an appointment online, by e-mail or by telephone at many citizens' registration offices. You can find out what options your Citizens' Registration Office offers on its website, for example.
• When you apply, your Citizens' Registration Office will inform you when you can collect your ID card.
• Your ID card is produced centrally by Bundesdruckerei GmbH.

If the validity of your old ID card has expired and you are over 16 years old, you must apply for a new ID card immediately if you do not have a valid passport document.

local identity card authority

Service hotline for the ID card and the online ID function

Phone +49 1801 333333

E-mail eID_buergerservice@bmi.bund.de

Opening hours

Mon 08:00 - 17:00

Tue 08:00 - 17:00

Wed 08:00 - 17:00

Thu 08:00 - 17:00

Fri 08:00 - 17:00

• § Section 9 of the Identity Card Act (PAuswG)

• Information on the ID card on the ID card portal of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs (BMI)

Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (BMI)