German eID verification: the 2026 guide for businesses
Which German eID to accept: the Online-Ausweis (LoA High, GwG § 12), BundID, Smart-eID and the d-you wallet due in early 2027, the AML and sector rules, a use-case guide, fallbacks and a launch checklist.
In short
The German eID that businesses should accept first is the Online-Ausweis, the eID function of the Personalausweis, the electronic residence permit and the eID card for EU and EEA citizens. It is notified under eIDAS at level of assurance High,[3] and under German law the Anti-Money Laundering Act (GwG) lists it as a valid way to verify identity.[4]
- 25% of people in Germany currently use it and 42% have it ready to use (2025).[9]
- d-you, the state EUDI Wallet, is due in early 2027: 2 January 2027 is a BMDS announcement, and the law behind it is not yet passed.[13][14][15] The EU deadline for each Member State to offer a wallet is 24 December 2026.[17]
- BundID is a login for public services, not a private-sector eID.[10]
German eID verification today means one scheme: the Online-Ausweis. The law calls it the elektronischer Identitätsnachweis (electronic proof of identity), and it lives on the chip of the national ID card.[1] A user taps the card on an NFC phone, types a six-digit PIN in the AusweisApp, and your service receives the fields its authorisation allows.[1][20]
German eID schemes at a glance
Germany has one eID private businesses can accept today, one wallet due in early 2027, and two names that are not private-sector options.
| Scheme | Operator | Users | Credential | Assurance and EU status | Data returned | Private-sector access | Didit status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online-Ausweis (ID card, residence permit, eID card) | Federal government; authorisations from the VfB at the Federal Office of Administration (BVA)[6] | 25% currently use it, 42% have it ready (2025)[9] | Chip card plus six-digit PIN, read by an NFC phone or a card reader[20] | High; notified 26 September 2017[3] | Only the categories in your certificate: names, birth data, address, nationality, age check, pseudonym[1] | Yes, with a state authorisation or through an identification service[2][8] | Coming soon |
| d-you (state EUDI Wallet) | Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs (BMDS), built by SPRIND[12] | No end users yet; due early 2027[15] | Phone app, Android and iOS[15] | Described in the bill as level "hoch" (high) for mobile devices[14] | Person identification data; the ID function comes first[15] | Yes, after registration as a relying party[15] | No separate d-you status. EUDI Wallet acceptance: Coming soon |
| BundID | BMDS[10] | 7,449,232 accounts (August 2026)[10] | Password, ELSTER certificate, eID or a foreign eIDAS eID[10] | Not a separate notified scheme; a login that uses notified eIDs[3][10] | Not offered to businesses | No: public administrations only, according to Biometric Update | Not a scheme (public-service login) |
| Smart-eID (eID on the phone) | Federal government | None: the pilot was halted on 15 December 2023, according to heise | eID stored in a mobile device, allowed by PAuswG § 18(2)[1] | Not on the EU list[3] | None | Not launched | Not EU-notified |
Accept the Online-Ausweis first: businesses can use it today, it carries the highest assurance level, and the AML law names it. "Coming soon" means on Didit's roadmap, not usable through Didit today. Integration details: our German eID integration guide.
Source: eGovernment MONITOR 2025, a survey by Initiative D21 and TU München.[9]
From the 2010 ID card to d-you in 2027
ID cards with the eID chip have been issued since 2010, according to Wirtschaftsdienst. The AusweisApp, the official reader app, dropped the name AusweisApp2 in November 2023.[22] Separately, December 2023 brought two setbacks: the federal online PIN reset service was suspended on 29 December for an indefinite period,[11] and the phone-only Smart-eID was halted, according to heise.
- 26 September 2017NotifiedGerman eID at LoA High on the EU list.
- 20 May 2026DIdG draftCabinet approves the draft Digitale-Identitäten-Gesetz.
- 2 January 2027 (announced)d-youLaunch day announced by the BMDS for the state EUDI Wallet.
- 10 July 2027AMLREU AML rules name eID means.
- 24 December 2027Acceptance dutyRegulated private services accept EUDI Wallets.
The German eID from notification to the EUDI Wallet duty.[3][12][13][17][18]
The Bundestag held the first reading of the Digitale-Identitäten-Gesetz (DIdG) on 23 September 2026 and referred it to committee, so the law is not yet passed; the bill targets nationwide availability "ab Januar 2027" (from January 2027), with voluntary use.[14] The BMDS press release of 9 September 2026 announces 2 January 2027 as launch day, with about 40 partners offering age checks, legally binding contracts and bank account opening, and describes the wallet as free and voluntary.[13]
The EU frame: under Article 5a(1) of eIDAS, each Member State offers at least one EUDI Wallet within 24 months of the first wallet implementing acts entering into force (24 December 2024), so by 24 December 2026.[17] Private services required by law or contract to use strong user authentication for online identification accept EUDI Wallets at the user's request by 24 December 2027; micro and small enterprises are exempt.[17] Our EUDI Wallet page, the eIDAS 2 page and the Germany EUDI Wallet guide cover registration.
German eID rules: the law, AML and sector regulators
Five texts decide how a business may use the eID.
| Rule | What it says | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| PAuswG § 18 | Defines the eID; usable from age 16; data only after a valid certificate and the PIN[1] | Every relying party |
| PAuswG § 21 | A state authorisation is needed, valid for at most three years[2] | Businesses with their own certificate |
| GwG § 12(1) sentence 1 no. 2 | The eID is a valid way to verify identity[4] | AML obliged entities |
| TKG § 172 | Applies GwG § 8(2) sentence 5 to eID identification[5] | Prepaid SIM providers |
| AMLR Art. 22(6) | An identity document (a) or eID at substantial or high (b), from 10 July 2027[18] | AML obliged entities across the EU |
§ 12(1) sentence 1 no. 2Geldwäschegesetz (GwG)
"eines elektronischen Identitätsnachweises nach § 18 des Personalausweisgesetzes, nach § 12 des eID-Karte-Gesetzes oder nach § 78 Absatz 5 des Aufenthaltsgesetzes"
Source: Gesetze im Internet, GwG § 12[4]
In English: an electronic proof of identity under the ID card law, the eID card law or the Residence Act.[4] From 10 July 2027, Article 22(6) of the EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR) gives two ways to verify identity: (a) an identity document, or (b) eID. It does not require eID.[18]
Article 22(6)(b)Regulation (EU) 2024/1624
"the use of electronic identification means which meet the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 with regard to the assurance levels 'substantial' or 'high' and relevant qualified trust services as set out in that Regulation"
Source: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2024/1624[18]
The Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) final draft standards of 30 September 2026, sent to the Commission and not yet law, treat eID as the default and document-based remote checks as an alternative the entity must justify. AMLA's feedback in the same report adds that obliged entities "may continue using existing remote onboarding tools" that meet the minimum requirements.[19]
Regulator positions, checked 5 October 2026:
- Financial supervisor (BaFin): no verified statement on eID; the binding text is GwG § 12.[4]
- Gambling: the State Treaty on Gambling 2021 § 6a requires player accounts with a verified name, birth name, date and place of birth and residence, according to the Bavarian law portal. Which methods the gambling regulator (GGL) accepts was not confirmed.
- Telecom: TKG § 172 treats eID identification for prepaid SIM cards under the GwG rule.[5]
- Age verification: the Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM) lists the eID function among the face-to-face-equivalent checks for adult closed user groups under the JMStV.[16]
What the user sees with the Online-Ausweis
On a phone, the site redirects to the AusweisApp, as heise describes for the Federal Employment Agency site. Before any PIN, the law requires the app to show who is asking and which data.[1]
Choose how to verify
Opens the AusweisApp on this phone.
Online-Ausweis
Use an ID document instead
1The user picks the Online-Ausweis and the site redirects to the AusweisApp.
Who is asking
Provider name, address and email.
Data requested: name, date of birth.
Data-protection authority, certificate expiry.
Continue
2The app shows the provider, the requested data and the certificate details.[1]
Hold your card
Place the card flat against the back of your phone.
3The phone reads the card over NFC.[20]
Enter your PIN
Your six-digit PIN.
4The user types the PIN in the AusweisApp.[1]
You are verified
- Full nameShared
- Date of birthShared
- ID numberNever sent
- PortraitNever sent
5The eID server returns the data and the browser returns to your site.[7]
Example screens: only fields your authorisation certificate permits are returned.[1]
The eID never sends the card number, a national ID number or a portrait: none is in the § 18(3) list. You get a service- and card-specific pseudonym instead.[1] The one-time PIN from the PIN letter must be replaced with the holder's own, according to the Personalausweisportal. Whether the suspended online PIN reset service has resumed is not confirmed as of 5 October 2026, so plan for a citizens' office visit after a forgotten PIN.[11]
Choosing a route by use case
Where only age matters, ask for the age check alone.
| Use case | Rule found | Suggested German route |
|---|---|---|
| Fintech and payments | GwG § 12 for obliged entities[4] | Online-Ausweis, or a document check |
| Crypto services | GwG § 12 where the service is an obliged entity[4] | Online-Ausweis, or a document check |
| Online gambling | GlüStV 2021 § 6a, according to the Bavarian law portal | Online-Ausweis returns every field § 6a lists; confirm methods with the regulator |
| Prepaid SIM and telecom | TKG § 172[5] | Online-Ausweis, or a document check |
| Marketplaces and adult content | KJM criteria under the JMStV for adult content[16] | Age-over check from the eID, or a document check |
| Mobility and car sharing | No eID-specific rule found | Document check today; the wallet adds the driving licence after the ID function[15] |
Default today
Online-Ausweis
- LoA High, named in GwG § 12
- Age check without birth date
- Needs card, PIN and NFC
PAuswG § 18
From early 2027
d-you wallet
- Phone app, Android and iOS
- Bank account and age use cases
- Relying-party registration first
DIdG and eIDAS 2
Also valid
Document check
- Passport or ID card, chip read
- Liveness and face match
- Valid under AMLR; AMLA draft asks why
AMLR Art. 22(6)(a)
Three routes for a German sign-up.[1][4][13][18][19]
People without a German eID
- Minors under 16: the eID is not usable before that age.[1]
- Foreign residents: only with a German electronic residence permit or the eID card for EU and EEA citizens, issued for ten years.[4][21]
- Holders without a set PIN or an NFC phone or card reader.[20]
- Cross-border customers who live in another Member State.
The AMLA draft standards, not yet law, propose that eID means at substantial or high qualify "regardless of whether they are notified", including EUDI Wallets.[19] Notified schemes in neighbouring countries:
| Country | Scheme on the EU list | Level | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | ID Austria | High | 27 April 2022[3] |
| France | France Identité | High | 3 December 2024[3] |
| Netherlands | DigiD | Substantial, High | 21 August 2020[3] |
| Belgium | Belgian eCards | High | 27 December 2018[3] |
| Denmark | MitID | Substantial, High | 24 October 2022[3] |
Switzerland sits outside the EU eIDAS regime;[3] see the Swiss eID guide. Everyone else takes the document route; see our post on NFC chip security.
1Ask where the user lives
Offer the eIDs of that country first.
The user has an eID-ready card, a PIN and NFC
Online-Ausweis
Fields from the chip.
Home-country eID
Substantial or high.
Document check
Chip, liveness, face match.
2Screen and decide
AML screening; the decision stays with you.
Launch checklist for Germany
Before an eID Germany launch, work through each item.
- Map each German flow to its rule: GwG, TKG, GlüStV or JMStV.[4][5][16]
- List the exact eID fields you need, because the certificate limits what you receive.[1]
- Choose an identification service, an eID-Service or your own eID server.[8]
- Apply to the VfB through the Bundesportal if you hold your own authorisation.[6]
- Diary the renewal, since an authorisation lasts at most three years.[2]
- Build the document route for minors, foreign residents and users without a PIN.
- Record why each customer took the document route, as the AMLA draft expects.[19]
- Plan d-you acceptance before 24 December 2027 if the duty applies.[17]
How Didit helps with German eID verification
The German eID card (Personalausweis) is on Didit's roadmap. What works in Germany today is the document route: NFC chip reading ($0.15) of the passport or ID card, liveness and face match, with a full KYC check at $0.33 and AML screening at $0.20, in one workflow.
For cross-border customers, Didit runs five national eIDs live today across seven countries: MitID, BankID Sweden, Finnish Trust Network, Smart-ID and Mobile-ID. The German eID card is not in that list yet. EUDI Wallet acceptance is coming soon.
Didit provides
- Document checks with NFC chip reading, liveness and face match
- AML screening against sanctions, PEP and watchlists
- The evidence of every check
Stays with you
- The risk assessment and the AML policies
- The onboarding decision
- Which eIDs and routes to accept
Bring the Online-Ausweis to your German sign-up
Tell us where your users sign in, and start with the document route today.
Talk to us about German eID card (Personalausweis)Start freeRead the docs
Key takeaways
- The Online-Ausweis is the one German eID a business can accept today, at LoA High.
- GwG § 12 names it for AML identity checks; AMLR Art. 22(6) accepts a document or eID from 10 July 2027.
- Only 42% have it ready, so the document route carries most sign-ups.
- d-you is due in early 2027; BundID is for public services only.
Frequently asked questions
Can a German bank open an account with the eID?
Yes. GwG § 12(1) sentence 1 no. 2 lists the eID as a valid way to verify identity. From 10 July 2027, AMLR Article 22(6) allows two routes: (a) an identity document, or (b) eID means that meet the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 at assurance level substantial or high, and relevant qualified trust services.[4][18]
Is the German eID recognised across the EU?
Yes. The German eID based on Extended Access Control was notified under eIDAS at level of assurance High on 26 September 2017.[3]
What data does a business receive?
Only the categories in its authorisation certificate, such as names, date and place of birth, address, nationality, an age check and a pseudonym. No ID number and no portrait.[1]
Can businesses use BundID?
No. BundID is the federal account for public services, run by the BMDS.[10] Its relying parties are public administrations, according to Biometric Update.
What is d-you?
d-you is Germany's state EUDI Wallet. It is due in early 2027, with the law still in the Bundestag.[14][15] Unlike the Online-Ausweis, which needs a state authorisation certificate, a business accepts d-you by registering in the EUDI ecosystem and receiving an access and registration certificate for its use case.[15]
Is there a German eID on the phone without the card?
Not today. The law allows an eID stored in a mobile device,[1] but the Smart-eID pilot was halted in December 2023, according to heise. The Online-Ausweis still needs the card. The state wallet d-you, a separate app due in early 2027, is the next phone option.[13][14]
Can foreigners use the German eID?
Only with a German electronic residence permit or the eID card for EU and EEA citizens. Everyone else needs a document check or their own country's eID.[4][21]
From what age can people use the German eID?
From 16. Under PAuswG § 18(1), a card holder aged at least 16 may use the eID.[1]
Can the eID prove a user is over 18 without the birth date?
Yes. PAuswG § 18(3) includes a check of whether a given age is reached, so you receive a yes or no.[1]
Sources
- Personalausweisgesetz § 18, Elektronischer Identitätsnachweis, Gesetze im Internet.
- Personalausweisgesetz § 21, Berechtigung für Diensteanbieter, Gesetze im Internet.
- Overview of pre-notified and notified eID schemes under eIDAS, European Commission, read 5 October 2026.
- Geldwäschegesetz § 12, Identitätsüberprüfung, Gesetze im Internet.
- Telekommunikationsgesetz § 172, Gesetze im Internet.
- Vergabestelle für Berechtigungszertifikate, Bundesverwaltungsamt.
- eID-Service, Personalausweisportal, Federal Ministry of the Interior.
- Become a service provider, AusweisApp.
- eGovernment MONITOR 2025, Initiative D21 and TU München.
- Nutzung: Identifizierung, Dashboard Digitale Verwaltung.
- Suspension of the PIN reset and activation service, Personalausweisportal.
- EUDI-Wallet, Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation (BMDS), with press release 24/2026 of 20 May 2026.
- d-you: Deutschland startet digitale Identität für alle, BMDS, press release 53/2026 of 9 September 2026.
- Digitale-Identitäten-Gesetz, first reading, Deutscher Bundestag, 23 September 2026.
- EUDI Wallet FAQ, German federal EUDI Wallet project.
- KJM rates four more age verification systems positively, Kommission für Jugendmedienschutz.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 (eIDAS 2), EUR-Lex, Articles 5a, 5b and 5f.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 (AMLR), EUR-Lex, Articles 22(6) and 90.
- Final Report, draft RTS under Article 28(1) AMLR, AMLA, 30 September 2026.
- PIN-Rücksetzbrief, federal PIN reset letter site.
- eID-Karte der EU und des EWR, Personalausweisportal.
- Redesign der AusweisApp2-Website, Governikus.
New to the topic: start with what eID verification is, compare the eID schemes by country, and see every scheme on the eID verification page.
One workflow for every German sign-up
Verify with documents, chip reading and liveness today, and add national eIDs as they arrive.
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