ID card expired: How to get a new ID card

If your ID card has expired or is about to expire, you should have it renewed immediately. We will show you where and how you can get your new ID card and what penalties you may face.

Identity card expired: How to apply for a new one

From the age of 16, every German citizen must have a valid official ID. This can be an identity card and / or a passport. The ID does not have to be carried daily, but the police can request that you present it for identification. If the ID expires, you can expect a fine.

• You can apply for a new identity card at your local registration office. You will need your old ID and a biometric photo. You can also take the photo directly at many residents' registration offices.
• A new ID card costs 22.80 euros for under 24 year olds and is valid for 6 years. From the age of 24, the new ID card costs EUR 28.80 and is valid for 10 years.

Possible problems with an expired ID document

If you want to fly on vacation, this is only possible with an ID card or passport.

• If your trip goes to a European country, expired identity cards are often tolerated. Alternatively, you can get the "travel document as a substitute for a passport" from the airport at the airport for 8 euros.
• Problems can also arise during traffic controls or other encounters with the police. In many cases, the police are tolerant of an expired ID card.
• If the ID has expired for several months or years, you will have to expect a fine.

Identity card expired: these penalties are in bloom

Each municipality can decide how to proceed with expired identity cards.

• Penalties of up to 3, 000 euros are permitted by law. This is regulated in Section 32 Paragraph 1 of the Personal Identity Act (PAuswG). As a rule, however, this is far from reality.
• A warning is first issued in many municipalities. You will only be asked to checkout after a few weeks or months. The warning will then become a fine. However, the police can also issue a notice of fine directly.
• The fines are usually between 10 and 40 euros. Some municipalities even completely refrain from reporting administrative offenses.

Stolen ID card on vacation: How to make a secure copy

On the next page we show how secure the online ID function of the ID card is.