Has your ID card been lost or stolen? Then, for your own protection, please report the loss immediately to an ID issuing authority or to the police. You are obliged to do this in accordance with § 27 paragraph 1 number 3 of the Identity Card Act. If you do not report the loss, you are acting irregularly according to § 32 number 7 of the Identity Card Act.

How to block the eID

You can report the loss or theft of your ID card at either an ID issuing authority or a police station. The staff at the respective authority will immediately arrange for the eID to be blocked and inform each other (the police and the ID issuing authority) about the loss or theft of the ID document. 

If you wish to block your eID for any other reason, you can also arrange for it to be blocked by calling the blocking hotline.

Once the eID is blocked, any misuse will be detected immediately. After blocking, electronic identification and on-site reading will no longer be possible.

Blocking hotline

The easiest way to block your eID is to call the blocking hotline. It can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week at +49 116 116 or, alternatively, +49 30 40 50 40 50 (fees apply). Please note that some countries use a different country code for Germany.

• Please have your blocking code ready, which was provided to you in the PIN letter.
• The eID will be blocked without delay and cannot be used for the time being.
• Blocking your signature function is only possible by the certification service provider of your signature certificate.

You recovered your ID card?

In the case you found your ID card again and want to keep using it, please report the retrieval in person to an ID issuing authority. Only when your ID card is registered as found an entry at the police will be deleted. Afterwards you can continue to use your recovered ID card in Germany without any restrictions until its expiry date.

Please note: Germany has no influence on other national police information systems. Therefore, it is possible that authorities abroad will not accept your ID card or maybe even withdraw it from you.

To prevent any inconvenience during your holiday or business trip abroad, it is advisable to apply for a new ID card at your local ID issuing authority if your original ID card has been lost or stolen, and to avoid using the original card even if it is found later.

Unblocking the eID

If you find your ID card again, you can unblock the eID at your ID issuing authority.

Please note: To unblock the eID, you must go there in person. Unblocking over the phone is not possible. The local ID issuing authority will then arrange for the eID to be unblocked and, if necessary, inform the police that the ID card has been found.