Applying for an ID card for the first time or after expiry

Related forms and processes

Prerequisite

• You have German citizenship.
• There must be no grounds for refusing to issue an identity card.

Responsible department

The identity card authorities in Baden-Württemberg are

• the municipalities as local police authorities
• the administrative communities,which perform or fulfil the tasks of the registration authority.

As a rule, the citizens' offices or the citizens' offices fulfil the tasks of an identity card authority.

The identity card authority in whose district you are registered with your home, or your main residence if you have more than one home, is responsible for you.

Important:

Your application for an identity card must also be processed by an identity card authority in Germany that does not have local jurisdiction if you can provide an important reason. An identity card may only be issued with the authorisation of the locally competent identity card authority.

Procedure

You must apply for an identity card in person at the relevant identity card authority.

If you are a German national whose main residence is abroad (German national living abroad), you can apply for an identity card at the diplomatic mission or consular post in whose district you usually reside. The competent diplomatic mission abroad is determined by the Federal Foreign Office. You can also apply for an identity card at any identity card authority in Germany. This identity card authority will process your application as a non-competent authority if you can provide an important reason. Such an important reason exists, for example, if you claim that the journey to the competent foreign representation is considerably further than to the incompetent identity card authority. Please note that in these cases you must be authorised by the competent diplomatic mission abroad to process your application and that it is often necessary to make an appointment to submit the application.

Young people aged 16 and over can apply for an ID card themselves. If young people aged 16 and under do not fulfil this obligation, their 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. They must also sign if they are ten years or older at the time of application.

The taking of fingerprints has been mandatory since 2 August 2021. They are stored on the ID chip. Children under the age of six are not fingerprinted.

The ID card is produced centrally by the Bundesdruckerei in Berlin.

As the applicant, you will receive a "PIN letter" from the ID card manufacturer, which contains a five-digit "transport PIN" for using the eID function.

You will also be provided with

• an unblocking number (PUK) for cancelling the block after entering the wrong PIN three times,
• the blocking password for the eID function and on-site reading and
• further information on blocking the eID function.

The eID function of the ID card is switched off for children and young people under the age of 16.

Deadlines

Period of validity

The period of validity depends on your age:

• under 24 years of age: ID card is valid for six years.
• from the age of 24: ID card is valid for ten years.

It is not possible to extend the period of validity of the ID card.

Obligation of custodial persons or carers to apply for young people aged 16 and under: within six weeks after the young person has turned 16 and has not submitted an application himself/herself and the identification requirement cannot be fulfilled by a valid German passport.

Required documents

• Identity card, passport or , if applicable, birth certificate
• a current biometric photograph in passport format 35 mm x 45 mm. Only frontal photos are permitted, no half profiles.
  The face must be recognisable in the centre of the photo. The eyes must be open and clearly visible.
• for children and young people under the age of 16:
  • If both custodial parents submit the application: Parents' identity cards or passports. If only one parent with custody is making the application: additionally
    • written declaration of consent from the other custodial parent
    • Copy of the identity card or passport of the other legal guardian
  • for a custodial parent with sole custody: additionally
    • Declaration of custody or, if none is available, a written declaration of sole custody.
      Some municipalities require negative certificates in this regard.
    • If applicable, legally binding divorce decree with custody order or subsequent order of the family court regarding sole custody or provisional custody order of the local court (if both parents live in Germany).
  • in the case of guardianship: additionally
    • Certificate of appointment as guardian

Note: The biometric photographs must comply with the relevant formal requirements. The sample photo table for identity documents provides assistance in this regard.

Please note:

• Further documents may be required for the first issue (in some municipalities also for the first issue after immigration), such as civil status certificates.
• When applying for the first time for a child born abroad, the original birth certificate and the German translation must be submitted.
• When applying for an identity card at an identity card authority in Germany (non-competent authority), further documents may need to be submitted.

Tip: Enquire in advance at the identity card authority about the documents required in your individual case.

Costs

• applicant aged 24 or over:
  • since 1 January 2021: EUR 37.00
• applicant under 24 years of age: EUR 22.80
• Switching on the online ID function is free of charge in the following cases
  • switching on for the first time when the card is issued
  • switching on for the first time from the age of 16
  • Blocking the online ID function in the event of loss
  • Changing the transport PIN to a personal PIN
  • subsequent activation of the online ID function
  • Changing the PIN at the Citizens' Registration Office (e.g. forgotten PIN)
  • Unblocking the online ID function
• Costs for an electronic signature certificate: determined by the respective provider

Note: For some of these services, a surcharge of 13 euros is levied for processing outside office hours or when visiting an office without jurisdiction.

The fee is increased by 30 euros for issuing for Germans living abroad in Germany.

Processing time

about three to six weeks

Miscellaneous

Even if ID cards are issued for specific persons, they are the property of the Federal Republic of Germany. Old ID cards must therefore be handed in or cancelled when you receive a new ID card.

If entries in the ID card have become incorrect, you must present the ID card to the relevant authority. If you move house or move abroad, your address will be changed(change of address on the ID card). It is not possible to change the name on the ID card. In this case, you must apply for a new ID card:

• Identity card - applying for a new identity card due to a change of name on marriage
• Identity card - applying for a change of name on divorce

Please note: You are obliged to report the loss of your ID card to the local authority immediately. If you use the electronic proof of identity or the signature function, you must have these functions blocked immediately. You can find details on this in the text"ID card - applying for issue due to loss".

Appeal

• Opposition
• Action for annulment
• Compulsory action

Legal basis

Personalausweisgesetz (PAuswG):

• § 1 Ausweispflicht; Ausweisrecht
• § 6 Gültigkeitsdauer des Ausweises; vorzeitige Beantragung; räumliche Beschränkungen
• § 7 Sachliche Zuständigkeit
• § 8 Örtliche Zuständigkeit; Tätigwerden bei örtlicher Unzuständigkeit
• § 9 Ausstellung des Ausweises
• § 10 Einschaltung, Sperrung und Entsperrung der Funktion des elektronischen Identitätsnachweises mit dem Personalausweis
• § 27 Pflichten des Ausweisinhabers

Personalausweis- und eID- Karten-Gebührenverordnung (PAuswGebV)

Release note

machine generated, based on the German release by: Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg, 23.01.2025