German identity card

Specimen of a German identity card issued since 01 November 2010

Specimen of a German identity card issued between 01 April 1987 and 31 October 2010, valid until 30 October 2020. The holographic eagle - part of the Identigram feature added in 2001 - can be seen on the right.

West German identity card issued between 01 January 1951 and 31 March 1987, valid until 30 March 1997

East German identity card issued between 01 November 1951 and 02 October 1990, valid until 31 December 1995

The German Identity Card (German: Personalausweis) is issued to German citizens by the local registration offices (although today they are produced centrally at the Bundesdruckerei in Berlin).

It is compulsory for all German citizens age 16 or older to possess either an identity card or a passport but not to carry one. While police officers and some other officials have a right to demand to see one of those documents, the law does not state that one is obliged to submit the document at that very moment.

As everyone in Germany must possess an ID card or a passport, acceptance of other official documents (like driving licences) as proof of identity is not guaranteed.

Germans travelling inside the European Union or the Schengen Area can use their ID card, which is a machine-readable travel document, instead of a passport.

Just like German passports, German identity cards are valid for ten years (six years if the holder is under 24 at the day of issue).

The current ID card costs 28.80 € (22.80 € if the holder is under 24 at the day of issue).

History

In 1951 both the West German and the East German authorities began issuing booklet identity cards in the ID-2 format.

In West Germany an improved identity card was developed in the 1980s and issued from April 1987 on: It consisted of a single laminated sheet of paper with a machine-readable zone. To prevent counterfeiting, it contained watermarks, guillochés, microprinting, fluorescent dyes and multi-colour fluorescent fibres. In addition, the holder's name was laser engraved into the plastic film and the holder's picture was printed on the document, so it could not be removed and replaced by a different one (unlike the older ID cards, where the picture was just glued to the document).

When East Germany joined West Germany on 03 October 1990, the West German identity was introduced in the former East German territory. However, unexpired East German identity cards could still be used until 31 December 1995.

In November 2001, the so-called Identigram feature was added - a number of holographic security elements, including a three-dimensional German Eagle, a holographic copy of the holder's picture (the so-called Holographic Shadow Picture), a holographic copy of the machine-readable zone, holographic microprinting and kinematic elements.

The current ID-1 type has been issued since November 2010. It contains an RFID chip similar to that in biometric passports: The chip stores the information given on the ID card (like name or date of birth), the holder's picture (which, unlike the picture on older ID cards, has to be a biometric one) and, if the holder wishes so, also his/her fingerprints. In addition, the new ID card can be used for online authentification (such as for age verification or for e-government applications). An electronic signature, provided by a private company, can also be stored on the chip.

Physical appearance

Front and back side of the current ID card (specimen). The red strip reads TEST TEST TEST in microprinting.

The current ID card is an ID-1 (credit card size) plastic card with an embedded RFID chip. It is covered with multi-colour guillochés and appears green-brown from the distance. All the information on it is given in German, English and French.

Front side

The front side shows the German Eagle and the words "BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND / FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY / REPUBLIQUE FEDERALE D'ALLEMAGNE" and "PERSONALAUSWEIS / IDENTITY CARD / CARTE D'IDENTITE". It contains the following information:

• Photo of ID card holder (biometric photo)
• Document number (9 alphanumeric digits)
• Access number for RFID chip (6 decimal digits)
• Surname
  • Doctorate (only if holder holds this degree)
  • Birthname (only if differing from current surname)
• Given name(s)
• Date of birth (dd.mm.yyyy)
• Nationality
• Place of birth
• Date of expiry (dd.mm.yyyy)
• Signature of holder

Back side

The back side shows the Brandenburg Gate. It contains the following information:

• Colour of eyes
• Height in cm
• Date of issue (dd.mm.yy)
• Issuing authority
• Residence (postal code, town, street, house number)
• Religious name or Pseudonym (only if holder has one)
• Machine-readable zone

Machine-readable zone

The three-line machine-readable zone on the back side contains the following information:

First line

positions	text	meaning
1-2	ID	identity document
3	D	issuing country: Germany (Deutschland)
6-14	alphanumeric digits	document number
15	decimal digit	check digit over 6-14

Second line

positions	text	meaning
1-6	decimal digits	date of birth (YYMMDD)
7	decimal digit	check digit over 1-6
9-14	decimal digits	date of expire (YYMMDD)
15	decimal digit	check digit over 9-14
16	D	nationality of holder: German (Deutsch)
30	decimal digit	check digit over 6-30 (upper line), 1-7, 9-15, 19-29 (middle line)

Third line

positions	text	meaning
1-30	alphabetic digits<<alphabetic digits<alphabetic digits	SURNAME<<GIVEN<NAMES

Empty spaces are represented by "<".

Chip

The ID card contains an ISO 18000-3 and ISO 14443-A compatible 13.56 MHz RFID chip that uses the ISO 7816 protocols. The chip stores the information given on the ID card (like name or date of birth), the holder's picture and, if the holder wishes so, also his/her fingerprints. In addition, the new ID card can be used for online authentification (e.g. for age verification or for e-government applications). An electronic signature, provided by a private company, can also be stored on the chip.

The document number, the photo and the fingerprints can be read only by law enforcement agencies and some other authorities.

To use the online authentification function, the holder needs a six-digit decimal PIN. If the holder types in the wrong PIN, he has to type in the six-digit decimal access code given on the ID card to prove he/she really possesses the ID card. If the wrong PIN is used three times, a PUK must be used to unlock the chip. The data on the chip are protected by Basic Access Control and Extended Access Control.

Security features

The identity card contains the following security features:

• multicoloured guillochés
• microprinting: BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND
• fluorescent elements which luminesce in various colors under UV light:
  • UV overprint:
    • eagles and BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND (in macroprinting): red-orange
    • BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND (in microprinting): yellow
    • guillochés: turquoise
  • randomly distributed fluorescent fibres: red, yellow, turquoise
• tactile features:
  • access number for RFID chip and date of expire are tactile
  • surface embossing: map of Germany and microlettering BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND
• security thread: colour changes when viewed under different angles; is personalized: NNNNNNNNNN<<SURNAME<<GIVEN<NAMES<<<<<<<<<< (NNNNNNNNNN is the document number including a check digit; a total of 42 digits can be found on the thread))
• changeable laser image: shows either the date of expire or the holder's portrait depending on angle
• color-changing ink: the colour of the text BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND changes from black to green to blue
• 2D and 3D holographic security elements:
  • colour-changing holograms: colour changes depending on angle (violet-blue-turquoise-green-yellow-orange-red)
    • holographic portrait: holographic reproduction of the holder's picture
    • four eagles at the left side of the holographic portrait: change their colour under a different angle than the portrait itself
    • document number: NNNNNNNNN, 9 digits
    • holder's name: SURNAME<<GIVEN<NAMES<<<<<<<<<<, 30 digits
  • green kinematic structures above the conventional picture:
    • eagle: bright eagle on dark hexagon changes to dark eagle on bright hexagon to letter D in hexagon when document is tilted
    • hexagon: moves across the picture when document is tilted
    • stars: change their size when document is tilted
    • letter D: moves across the picture and turns into a star
    • text on the left side of the picture; visible only under a certain angle
      • macrolettering: BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND
      • microlettering: BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND
  • machine-verifiable structure: a red spot which can be checked by machines
  • 3D eagle: a red-gold eagle visible only under a certain angle

Gallery: East German ID card

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External links

• General information about the new German ID card on personalausweisportal.de (German)
• General information about the new German ID card on bundesdruckerei.de (English)

• Security features of the new German ID card on bundesdruckerei.de (English)

• Security features of the 1987-2001 ID card on PRADO (English)
• Security features of the 2001-2010 ID card on PRADO (English)
• Security features of the current ID card on PRADO (English)

Related articles

• German passport
• German residence permit (identity document for non-EU citizens living in Germany)
• Kennkarte (identity document used in Nazi Germany)