24 percent increase: ID cards will soon cost 46 euros

The German government wants to increase the fee for issuing an ID card: Applicants are soon to pay 46 euros instead of the current 37 euros. In addition, there will still be a photo fee of 6 euros if you have your passport photo taken by the authorities. This is according to a draft bill published by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (Bundesministerium des Innern, BMI).

The BMI justifies the planned fee increase with increased "general administrative costs" as well as cost increases in the production of the ID card. To cover these costs, the planned fee increase is "absolutely necessary", writes the ministry in the explanatory memorandum (PDF) of the draft regulation. The increase is also in line with the general rate of inflation. The fee was last increased in 2021 – when it rose from 28.80 euros to 37 euros.

The planned increase to 46 euros has not yet been finalised by the federal government. Associations and organisations can currently submit comments on the BMI's draft.

Dispute over cross-financing of passport photo recording systems

Opposition is likely to come from private providers of passport photo capture systems, among others. They accuse the Federal Ministry of the Interior of cross-financing the development of state photo capture systems by the Federal Printing Office by increasing the ID card fee and thus forcing private providers out of the market.

"Competition is being eliminated and our affected members will have to close their companies in the medium term," Detlef Sander, Managing Director of the Databund association, told c't. "There is a very concrete and direct destruction of IT SMEs taking place here."

The dispute over the recording systems has a long history and is linked to the introduction of digital passport photos. In principle, local authorities are free to choose whether to use devices from private providers or the systems of the state-run Federal Printing Office ("PointID"). Many local authorities initially opted for private providers.

However, in spring 2025, the BMI decided that the municipalities would not have to pay the photo fee of 6 euros for the use of the state systems ("PointID") to the Federal Printing Office as originally announced. They would have to retain it to cover administrative costs. This means that the PointID systems are now unrivalled in their affordability for local authorities.

Refinancing "according to the solidarity principle"

Nevertheless, the BMI rejects the accusation of discrimination against private providers. The Ministry argues that the free offer serves the provision of public services and the creation of equal living conditions throughout Germany. Unlike private providers, Bundesdruckerei is not free to decide which local authority it offers its solution to and under what conditions.

In 2020, the BMI estimated the costs for the development, production, and support of the state PointID systems at 171 million euros over a period of five years. According to the BMI, refinancing is to take place "according to the solidarity principle via the general passport or ID card fee". However, this would have a "rather minor" effect on the planned fee increase, said a BMI spokesperson.

(cwo)