Identity card: report loss and apply for a new identity card
Full text
You can report the loss of your identity card:
- at any ID card office, usually the town hall or the local citizens’ advice bureau, or
- the police.
You must also apply for a new identity card if you
- are over 16 years of age, are registered as residents in Germany and
- do not hold a valid travel document, i.e. neither a passport nor a provisional passport.
You can apply for a new identity card at the Citizens’ Office in your main place of residence. You may submit your application at any other Citizens’ Office if you have a valid reason for doing so. This may incur additional costs.
All ID cards automatically have the online ID function. This function is generally activated on ID cards issued from July 2017. This allows you to identify yourself to authorities and companies for online services with a high level of trust as soon as you have set a six-digit PIN of your choice. You can use the online ID card after your 16th birthday.
When you apply for your identity card, the fingerprints of both your index fingers are usually stored on the card’s chip. Children under the age of 6 are exempt from this rule.
If you do find your identity card, you must report this in person to the authority that issued it. Only then will the record be deleted from the police records.
Unless you have applied for a new identity card, you may continue to use your identity card – which has been reported as recovered – without restriction within Germany until it expires.
Basis for action(s)
Required documents
- Biometric digital passport photo: taken on site at the authority or by a registered domestic photo service provider, e.g. a photographer
- Passport, regardless of whether it is valid or has already expired
- if you do not have a passport:
- Birth certificate
- if available: a police report of the loss
- for children under 16:
- parents with custody:
- a valid identity document (identity card or passport) for each parent
- if only one parent with parental responsibility is present: a declaration of consent from the parent with parental responsibility who is not present, as well as a copy of their identity document
- where there is only one parent with custody:
- valid identity document (identity card or passport)
- Proof of custody
- parents with custody:
From 1 May 2025, only digitally created biometric photographs will be accepted in the application process.
The photograph can be taken by external service providers (e.g. photographers) who make it available to the passport or ID card authority in a cloud for retrieval.
Alternatively, digital photographs can usually also be taken at the passport or ID card authority.
If necessary, find out before your appointment whether the photo can be taken at the authority.
Printed passport photos that you have brought with you can only be processed in exceptional cases.Prerequisites
- You have lost your identity card and have reported this as required.
Costs (fees, expenses, etc.)
A fee reduction or exemption is possible under certain conditions.
Fee: 46,00 €Prepayment: Yeshttps://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlFor applicants aged 24 and over.Fee: 27,60 €Prepayment: Yeshttps://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichenFor applicants under the age of 24.Fee: 10,00 €Prepayment: Yeshttps://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlFor the temporary identity card.Fee: 13,00 €Prepayment: Yeshttps://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichenSupplement for applications submitted outside working hours or not at the main place of residence.Fee: 30,00 €Prepayment: Nohttps://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichenSurcharge for issue by consular or diplomatic representation abroad.Fee: €43.00Prepayment: Yeshttps://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichenSurcharge for issue by consular or diplomatic representation abroad.Fee: 6,00 €Prepayment: Yeshttps://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichenFee for passport photo if the authority uses the PointID photo system from Bundesdruckerei GmbH. If the authority uses photo systems from other manufacturers, the fee may differ.Fee: 15,00 €Prepayment: Yeshttps://www.personalausweisportal.de/Webs/PA/DE/buergerinnen-und-buerger/der-personalausweis/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit/gebuehren-und-gueltigkeit-node.htmlKassenzeichenFee for delivery to your home address, if the applicant is aged 16 or over.Deadlines
You must report the loss as soon as possible.
Period of validity of your ID card if you apply for an ID card under the age of 24.
Period of validity: 6 years
The validity period of your identity card if you apply for it at the age of 24 or over.
Period of validity: 10 years
Further information
- Information on identity cards on the Federal Ministry of the Interior’s (BMI) identity card portal)
- Questions and answers on the subject of "biometrics" and passport photos on the ID card portal
- Information on blocking the ID card in the event of loss on the ID card portal of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI)
Notes (special features)
If your identity card is lost, you can also call the blocking helpline to have its online function blocked yourself.
Author
Redirection service: Deep link to the original portal Redirection service: Deep link to the original portal- Identity card: report loss and apply for a new identity card in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Display of performance in the source portal
- Identity card: report loss and apply for a new identity card
Display of performance in the source portal
- Identity card: report loss and apply for a new identity card in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern