Identity card; notification of loss and recovery
If your German identity card is untraceable or lost, you must report the loss. If you find the document again later, you must also report this.
Description
If you lose your ID card or temporary ID card, you are obliged to notify the ID card authority of your (place of residence) municipality immediately. An identity check is required there.
The identity card authority must also be notified if your identity card is found again and the previously lost identity card must be presented. Since a new document is usually issued, this is essential, also to prevent problems when using these identity documents.
If a criminal offense is involved, contact the local police station (see "Reporting a Criminal Offense to the Police; Reimbursement" under "Related Topics").
Special notes
If a report is not made to the ID card authority or is not made in time, an administrative offense is committed that can be punished with a fine.
To prevent misuse, the ID card holder must immediately report the loss or theft of the ID card to the revocation hotline (116 116) or to the ID card authority for revocation of the online ID card function (see "Related topics").
If you have also applied an electronic signature to the ID card, you must have the signature function blocked separately. In this regard, please contact the provider from whom you purchased the signature certificate and report the loss to them. Neither the blocking hotline nor the ID card authority can block the signature function.
Links to more information
Status:28.06.2023
Responsible for editing:Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern, für Sport und Integration
- Online transactions, Bavaria-wide
- Online transactions, locally limited
- Form, Bavaria-wide
- Form, locally limited
- Prefillable Form, Bavaria-wide
- Legal bases, Bavaria-wide
- Legal bases, locally limited
- Fees, Bavaria-wide
- Fees, locally limited
If you select a location under "Localization" the contact details of the responsible authority and, if applicable, locally valid information will be displayed.