Renew identity card (Personalausweis) 2026

Costs€46.00Under 24: €27.60

Processing time2–4 weeksSometimes up to 6 weeks

MethodIn personBiometric data capture

Validity10 yearsUnder 24: 6 years

Required documents

What you need to bring

Previous identity card

Bring your old identity card with you, even if it has already expired. It is used to establish your identity and is invalidated by punching holes in it when the new document is handed over – under § 4 PAuswG, the identity card itself remains in the ownership of the Federal Republic of Germany, but you may keep the invalidated card on request. If the identity card has been lost or stolen, present your valid passport and the police report of loss (Verlustanzeige) instead; without any other document, you must prove your identity using your registration data and, where applicable, witnesses, which makes the appointment considerably longer.

Digital biometric photograph

Since 1 May 2025, only digital biometric photographs have been accepted for identity cards and passports; passport photos brought along on paper are no longer accepted. There are two permitted options: having the photo taken directly at the self-service terminal in the Bürgeramt, or having it taken at a photo studio, drugstore or photographer, who transmits the image in encrypted form to the authority via a secure cloud – in this case you receive a retrieval code, which you bring to your appointment. The photo must be taken from the front, with a neutral facial expression and an evenly lit background, and must not be more than six months old at the time of submission of the application.

Civil status document if your name has changed

If your name has changed since your last identity card – through marriage, divorce, establishing a registered life partnership or an official change of name – present the marriage certificate (Eheurkunde), the final divorce decree (Scheidungsurteil) with a name declaration (Namenserklärung) or the current birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde) in the original. These certificates are issued by the Standesamt (registry office) that registered the event; depending on the Standesamt, expect it to take from a few days to around two weeks for them to be issued, so order them before your appointment. Without this proof, the new identity card is issued in the name previously stored in the population register (Melderegister).

For minors: approval of the persons with parental custody

For persons under 16, the parents with parental custody submit the application; in principle, both must give their approval. If one parent has sole parental custody, proof is required – for example the court decision on parental custody from the family court (Familiengericht) or the certificate confirming that no joint custody declaration exists (Negativbescheinigung) from the Jugendamt (youth welfare office). You must also bring the child’s Geburtsurkunde and the identity documents of the persons with parental custody. Under § 9 PAuswG, fingerprints are only taken once the child has reached the age of six.

Fee (girocard or cash)

The fee of €46.00, or €27.60 for persons under 24, is due on submission of the application, not only at collection. Most Bürgeramt offices accept the girocard or EC card, while some local authorities accept cash only – check this before your appointment, because without payment the application is not forwarded to the Bundesdruckerei (Germany’s federal printing company). If you can prove that you are in need, the authority can reduce the fee or waive it entirely under § 1 Abs. 6 of the Identity Card Fees Ordinance (Personalausweisgebührenverordnung, PAuswGebV).

Meldebescheinigung if you apply elsewhere

Under § 8 PAuswG, the locally competent authority is the identity card authority for your principal residence. If you submit the application to another authority for a good reason – for example at your place of work or during a longer stay elsewhere – that authority usually requires a current registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) and also charges a surcharge of €13.00 (§ 1 Abs. 3 PAuswGebV). The same additional fee applies if the official act is carried out outside regular office hours.

Step by step

How to proceed

1
Check the expiry date and plan for issuing a new document
The expiry date is on the front of the identity card in the field “Gültig bis” (valid until). Count backwards from there: experience shows that getting an appointment and production together take four to six weeks, and longer in very busy cities. Under § 6 PAuswG, issuing a new document early is permitted if you show a legitimate interest – in practice, the upcoming expiry, a change of name, a damaged document or an upcoming trip abroad are usually sufficient for this.
2
Book an appointment at the Bürgeramt
Almost all local authorities allocate appointments exclusively online via their citizen service portal; available appointments often appear there only a few weeks in advance and in many cities are released early in the morning. The competent authority is the identity card authority for your principal residence (§ 8 PAuswG), which in cities is often one of several branch offices – check all locations, as waiting times sometimes differ considerably. In large cities, allow several weeks of lead time and keep a note of the booking confirmation, without which you will usually not be admitted on the day of your appointment.
3
Have a digital biometric photograph taken
Since 1 May 2025, the authorities have only processed digital passport photos. Either you use the self-service terminal in the Bürgeramt and have the photo taken immediately before your appointment – this costs €6.00, uniformly nationwide, under § 1 PAuswGebV – or you have it taken by a photo service provider who transmits it in encrypted form to the authority. In the second case, bring the code you received, which the staff member uses to retrieve the photo. Taking the photo takes a few minutes, and the service provider usually transmits it immediately.
4
Attend in person and have your biometric data captured
You attend the appointment in person (§ 9 PAuswG); bring your old identity card, the certificate documenting the change of name if applicable, and the photo code. Your photograph, your signature and two fingerprints are recorded; fingerprints have been mandatory throughout Europe since 2 August 2021 (Regulation (EU) 2019/1157) and are stored only on the chip of the identity card, not in a central database. The appointment itself usually takes ten to fifteen minutes. Check the printed application character by character before you sign it: a misspelt name or place of birth can only be corrected after production by issuing the card again, for a fee.
5
Pay the fee and choose the delivery method
The fee of €46.00 for persons aged 24 and over, or €27.60 for those under 24, must be paid immediately on submission of the application. In the same step, you decide whether to collect the document later or to have it sent to your home for a delivery fee of €15.00 – this option has been available since 1 May 2025. You receive a receipt and usually information on how to check the processing status online or by telephone.
6
Receive your new identity card, set the PIN, hand in the old one
After two to four weeks, or up to six weeks in very busy local authority areas, the identity card is ready. When collecting it, bring your old identity card and the collection notice; the old card is punched and must no longer be used as proof of identity after that – you may keep it as a keepsake. The online ID function is switched on by default in every new identity card: set a six-digit PIN of your choice, either directly at the office or later using the transport PIN from the PIN letter, which since 17 February 2025 you have already received from the authority on submission of the application – otherwise the eID cannot be used for online official procedures or the BundID.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Fees

Identity card, aged 24 and over€46.00

Identity card, under 24€27.60

Direct delivery to your home+ €15.00

Photograph taken by the authority+ €6.00

Temporary identity card (vorläufiger Personalausweis)€10.00

Authority not locally competent or appointment outside office hours+ €13.00

Reduction if need is provenPossible in individual cases

Place of paymentAt the Bürgeramt (on submission of the application)

Means of paymentEC card or cash (depending on the office)

The fees are set uniformly nationwide in § 1 of the Identity Card Fees Ordinance (Personalausweisgebührenverordnung, PAuswGebV); the current amounts have applied since 7 February 2026 (previously €37.00 and €22.80 respectively). What determines the reduced rate is your age at the time of submission of the application, not at collection – if you submit the application shortly before your 24th birthday, you still pay €27.60, but you then receive an identity card that is valid for only six years. If you can prove that you are in need, the authority can reduce the fee or waive it (§ 1 Abs. 6 PAuswGebV); merely receiving Bürgergeld (citizen’s benefit) or social assistance (Sozialhilfe) does not automatically establish need – the decision is made in each individual case. The temporary identity card (vorläufiger Personalausweis) is a paper document without a chip and without the online ID function, and under § 6 PAuswG it is valid for a maximum of three months. The delivery fee of €15.00 for direct delivery to your home has existed since 1 May 2025 and replaces the second official procedure, collecting the card in person.

Good to know

Important notes

Apply in good time: Because of appointment shortages and the two to four weeks of production, allow about four to six weeks before expiry. Under § 6 PAuswG, issuing a new document early requires a legitimate interest – the approaching expiry is sufficient for this, but an application years in advance is not.

Temporary identity card for the interim period: If you need valid proof of identity immediately, the office issues a vorläufiger Personalausweis for €10.00. It is handed over on the spot and, under § 6 PAuswG, is valid for a maximum of three months. It contains no chip, so it has neither the online ID function nor stored fingerprints, and it is not recognised as a travel document by every country – before travelling, check the entry requirements of your destination country.

Note the new serial number: Because this involves issuing a new document, the identity card number changes completely. Update the identity card details you have stored with banks, insurance companies, mobile phone providers and online services as soon as you have the new document – otherwise identity checks will fail, for example when concluding contracts or opening accounts.

Activate the eID straight away: The online ID function is switched on by default in every new identity card. To use it, you need a six-digit PIN of your choice, which you set either directly at the Bürgeramt or later using the transport PIN from the PIN letter that, since 17 February 2025, the authority has already handed to you on submission of the application. Keep this letter until activation – if it is lost, the PIN must be reset, which requires another official procedure.

Jurisdiction and surcharge: Under § 8 PAuswG, the competent authority is the identity card authority for your principal residence. If, for a good reason, you apply for the identity card at another authority or outside regular office hours, the fee increases by €13.00 (§ 1 Abs. 3 PAuswGebV).

Obligation to possess, not to carry: § 1 PAuswG requires you, from the age of 16, to possess a valid identity document and to present it on request to an authority entitled to establish your identity. There is, however, no obligation to carry the identity card with you at all times. A valid passport also fulfils the obligation to hold an identity document – so if you have a current passport, an expired identity card does not automatically put you in breach of this obligation.

Six-week deadline after the 16th birthday: The obligation to hold an identity document begins when a person turns 16, and young people may submit the application themselves. If they fail to do so, the persons with parental custody must make up for this by submitting the application within six weeks of the 16th birthday under § 9 PAuswG. Children under 16 are not subject to the obligation to hold an identity document, but they need their own document for travel.

A different route applies to non-Germans: Only Germans within the meaning of Article 116 Abs. 1 of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz, GG) receive an identity card. EU citizens and nationals of the European Economic Area can instead apply to the Bürgeramt for an eID card, which serves exclusively as electronic proof of identity and for which a separate fee is charged. Third-country nationals identify themselves with their electronic residence title, which is extended by the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners authority) – the Bürgeramt is not competent for this.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Waiting too long with an expired identity card. Anyone who does not comply with the obligation to hold an identity document under § 1 PAuswG commits a regulatory offence. Under § 32 PAuswG, this can be punished with a regulatory fine of up to €3,000; the actual amount is set by the competent public order authority in the individual case and, for a first failure, is usually considerably lower. The infringement typically comes to light during a police check or another official procedure.

Expecting an extension at the counter. § 6 Abs. 5 PAuswG expressly states that an extension of the period of validity is not permitted – a completely new document is always produced. Anyone who only goes to the office on the expiry date, expecting a short note in the old identity card, is then left without a valid document for two to four weeks and must additionally obtain the temporary identity card for €10.00.

Bringing a passport photo on paper. Since 1 May 2025, only digital biometric photographs have been accepted; printed passport photos are no longer accepted, nor are images that are more than six months old or not suitable for biometric use. The usual consequence is that the application cannot be taken at the appointment and you have to book a new appointment – in large cities, a loss of several weeks.

Travelling with an expired identity card. The border authorities require a valid document for entry and departure; in the worst case, an expired identity card leads to rejection at the airport or the border, with no refund of your travel costs. For the interim period, obtain a vorläufiger Personalausweis and check beforehand whether your destination country recognises this paper document.

Sending someone else to the appointment. The photograph, signature and fingerprints must be taken from the applicant in person. A power of attorney does not help with the submission of the application: the appointment is forfeited without replacement and the waiting time starts again from the beginning. Only for collection do some local authorities allow an authorised person – whether and under what conditions depends on the competent authority.

Reporting a change of name without a certificate. Without an Eheurkunde, a Scheidungsurteil with a Namenserklärung or a current Geburtsurkunde, the identity card is issued in the name previously stored. This is often only noticed at collection – the correction then means issuing the card again, a new appointment and another fee of €46.00 or €27.60.

Losing the PIN letter. Since 17 February 2025, the letter with the five-digit transport PIN has been handed to you on submission of the application – that is, weeks before the identity card is ready. If it is lost during this time, you can no longer activate the online ID function yourself; the PIN must then be reset in person at the Bürgeramt, which costs an additional appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Can an identity card be extended?

No. An identity card can no more be extended than a passport can. By law, an extension of the period of validity is not permitted (§ 6 Abs. 5 PAuswG; for the passport, § 5 Abs. 4 PassG). If the identity card has expired or is about to expire, you must always apply for a new identity card – technically, therefore, this means issuing a new document.

How much does a new identity card cost in 2026?

Since 7 February 2026, the identity card has cost €46.00 for persons aged 24 and over and €27.60 for persons under 24; what counts is your age on submission of the application (§ 1 PAuswGebV). If the identity card is sent to your home by direct delivery, an additional €15.00 is charged; a vorläufiger Personalausweis costs €10.00. If you apply for the identity card at an authority that is not competent or outside office hours, the fee increases by a further €13.00.

How long is the new identity card valid?

The identity card is valid for ten years for persons aged 24 and over, and for six years for persons under 24 (§ 6 PAuswG). What counts is your age on submission of the application. An extension of the validity, once it has been set, is not possible.

Can I travel with an expired identity card?

No, a valid identity document is required for entry and departure; with an expired identity card, you risk rejection at the border. Within Germany, there is also the obligation to hold an identity document from the age of 16 (§ 1 PAuswG); under § 32 PAuswG, a breach of it can be punished as a regulatory offence with a regulatory fine of up to €3,000. For the interim period, the Bürgeramt immediately issues a vorläufiger Personalausweis, which is valid for a maximum of three months – however, it is not recognised as a travel document by every country.

How long does it take to issue the new identity card?

Production at the Bundesdruckerei usually takes two to four weeks, and up to six weeks in some local authority areas. If you need valid proof of identity more quickly, you can obtain a temporary identity card (vorläufiger Personalausweis) on the spot for €10.00, which is handed over immediately.

Will I get a new identity card number?

Yes. Because this involves issuing a new document, the new identity card receives a completely new serial number. You should update any stored direct debits, online accounts or contracts that are based on the old identity card number accordingly.

Do I have to attend in person?

Yes. Because your photograph, your signature and – mandatory since 2 August 2021 – two fingerprints are recorded (Regulation (EU) 2019/1157), § 9 PAuswG requires you to attend the identity card authority in person. Applying by post or through an authorised person is therefore not possible. For children, fingerprints are only taken once they have reached the age of six.

What happens to my old identity card?

The old identity card is invalidated when the new document is handed over, usually by punching holes in it. Under § 4 PAuswG, the identity card remains in the ownership of the Federal Republic of Germany, but you may take the invalidated card with you as a keepsake on request. After that, it must no longer be used as proof of identity, for travel or for the online ID function.

Can someone else collect the new identity card for me?

Attending in person is mandatory for the submission of the application; for collection, some local authorities allow a person authorised in writing, who presents their own identity card and the old identity card. Whether this applies and under what requirements depends on the competent authority. If you want to save yourself the second official procedure, choose direct delivery to your home for €15.00 on submission of the application.

Is there a reduction if you receive Bürgergeld or have a low income?

Under § 1 Abs. 6 PAuswGebV, the authority can reduce the fee or waive it if the person liable to pay the fee is in need. However, receiving benefits under Book Two of the Social Code (SGB II) – basic income support for jobseekers – or Book Twelve of the Social Code (SGB XII) – social assistance – does not automatically lead to the assumption of need: the competent identity card authority decides in each individual case. Therefore apply for the reduction before or on submission of the application, and bring current official notices (Bescheid) with you.

Renew your identity card

What you need to bring

How to proceed

Check the expiry date and plan for issuing a new document

Book an appointment at the Bürgeramt

Have a digital biometric photograph taken

Attend in person and have your biometric data captured

Pay the fee and choose the delivery method

Receive your new identity card, set the PIN, hand in the old one

Costs and payment

Fees

Important notes

Common mistakes

Questions and answers

Cannot find the official procedure you are looking for?

Renew your identity card

What you need to bring

How to proceed

Check the expiry date and plan for issuing a new document

Book an appointment at the Bürgeramt

Have a digital biometric photograph taken

Attend in person and have your biometric data captured

Pay the fee and choose the delivery method

Receive your new identity card, set the PIN, hand in the old one

Costs and payment

Fees

Important notes

Common mistakes

Questions and answers

Related official procedures

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