Reporting the loss of your identity card

If you lose your identity card, you must report this.

As a German citizen, you are obliged to have an identity card from the age of 16 if you are registered as having your main place of residence in Germany and do not have a valid passport, passport or temporary passport.

You must report the loss of your identity card immediately to a citizens' office or the police. If you do not do this, you are committing an offense. Once you have reported the loss to a citizens' office, the police will automatically be informed of the loss.

You can apply for a new ID card at the same time as reporting the loss to the Citizens' Registration Office. If you have a valid passport, you do not need to apply for a new ID card. If you report the loss to the police first, you must also visit an ID card office to apply for a new ID card.

If you report the loss (to the police or citizens' office), the online ID card function will also be automatically blocked. This ensures that any attempt to misuse the online ID function is detected immediately. After blocking, it is not possible to use the online ID function of your ID card. You can also block the online ID card yourself by telephone.

You can only have the signature function blocked by the provider of your signature certificate.

Please contact your local identity card office (Bürgeramt).

You do not need to submit any documentation.

Your identity card has been lost.

As a rule, you must report the loss of your ID card in person. If the relevant ID card authority offers a corresponding online service, you can also report the loss via this service. The ID card authority will block your online ID card function after receiving your report.

Report the loss to the Citizens' Registration Office:

• Make an appointment at the Citizens' Registration Office. Please find out about the regional options.
• Your online ID function will be blocked immediately upon receipt of your report.
• If you do not receive a prompt appointment to report the loss at the Citizens' Registration Office, report the loss to a police station as soon as possible.

Block the online ID function yourself via the hotline:

• Dial the blocking hotline 116 116, which is available around the clock, 7 days a week.
• Enter the blocking password that you received with the PIN letter using the telephone keys as soon as you are prompted to do so.
• Your online ID card will be blocked immediately.

You must report the loss immediately.

Your message will be recorded without delay.

Fee free of charge

Please note: Germany cannot influence whether and how other countries set up their national police information systems or whether and how often they are updated. Therefore, in individual cases, foreign authorities may not recognize your recovered ID card for use abroad or may even confiscate it. If you want to avoid such potential inconveniences, for example on vacation or on a business trip abroad, it is advisable to apply for a new document from your competent authority if your ID card is lost or stolen. You can also waive any further use of the ID card from the outset once it has been found. It is a criminal offence to give someone else an identity document in order to deceive them in legal transactions.