Applying for an identity card for the first time or after it has expired

• You must apply for your identity card in person at the relevant identity card office.
• You must provide a valid signature and complete the declaration of German citizenship.
  A signature is required for children aged 10 and over.
• When applying, you can have your photograph taken on the spot – depending on the facilities available at the office – or have it taken in advance by a certified service provider (such as a photographer or the photo service at a chemist’s). The service provider will give you a printout of a data matrix code (similar to a QR code), which the authority can use to retrieve your photograph from the cloud.
• Since 2 August 2021, the taking of fingerprints has been mandatory for people aged 6 and over. These are stored on the ID card’s chip. If, for children aged between 6 and 12, an identity document is expressly applied for without the taking of fingerprints, then only a provisional identity card can be issued. If an index finger is missing, the fingerprint is of insufficient quality or there are injuries to the fingertip, an alternative fingerprint will be taken instead. Fingerprints will only be omitted if this is impossible for permanent medical reasons.
• When you apply for your identity card , you will be given a PIN letter . Children under the age of 10 do not receive a PIN letter. This contains a secret code (five-digit one-off PIN) and an unlock code (PUK) for using the online ID function. You can use the online ID from the age of 16, as soon as you have set your own six-digit PIN. When you are issued with your new identity card, you will receive a letter containing the blocking password, which you can use to block the online ID function if necessary (for example, if you lose the document).
• The identity card is produced centrally by the Bundesdruckerei in Berlin.
• You can collect your finished identity card from the relevant authority in due course. Depending on your local authority, you will be notified as soon as your identity card is ready for collection. The notification from the identity card authority usually also includes a pre-printed form for authorising someone else to collect it on your behalf. This means you can collect your identity card yourself or have it collected by an authorised person. The authorised person must first prove their identity to the identity card office and present the collection authorisation form.
• You must hand in your old identity card when you receive the new document. If you wish, you can take your old identity card home with you, once it has been invalidated, as a keepsake.
• Since 1 May 2025, you have also been able to select the ‘direct delivery’ option (subject to a fee) during the application process, and the document will be delivered to your registered address. To be eligible, you must be at least 16 years old and submit your ID card application within Germany to the relevant authority in your place of residence. In addition, you must present yourself in person at your front door to the ‘ ’ postal delivery service with a valid identity document (e.g. a passport) and have your old identity card invalidated when applying for the new one. Residents of Büsingen (Hochrhein) and Heligoland cannot use the direct delivery service.

Please note: Young people aged 16 and over can apply for an identity card themselves. If young people aged 16 or over but under 18 fail to fulfil this obligation, their legal representative must submit the application. Legal representatives are normally the parents. One parent may be represented by the other when submitting the application, provided they have a power of attorney. Once 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 must submit the application jointly if they have joint custody. The children and young people for whom the application is being made must always appear in person, as the relevant authority must verify their identity.