ID check for a German SIM card
Why every SIM card in Germany must be activated with an ID, which documents count, and how Video-Ident, Postident and the online ID function work.
All prices in this guide come from our comparison of 274 German mobile tariffs and are average prices per month over 24 months, one-time costs included. As of .
Why every SIM card is checked
Under Section 172 of the German Telecommunications Act (TKG), every provider must check your name, address and date of birth against an identity document before activating a SIM card. Since July 2017 this applies to prepaid cards too. A SIM card from the supermarket therefore only works once you have identified yourself.
Which documents count
- a passport or national ID card, foreign ones included, as long as it is valid
- other photo ID documents recognised in Germany
- a residence permit (the card with a chip)
- for asylum seekers: the arrival certificate (Ankunftsnachweis)
Each provider decides which methods work with which document. A passport shows no address, so some providers also ask for a registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung).
The methods at a glance
- Video-Ident: a video call with an agent; you hold your document up to the camera. Takes about 10 minutes, often around the clock. Not every passport is accepted.
- Automatic check in an app: you photograph the document and yourself; some apps read the passport’s chip by NFC.
- Postident: take the provider’s coupon and your document to a post office. Takes a few days longer but works with most documents.
- Online ID function (eID): with a German ID card or electronic residence permit and its PIN, in a few minutes.
- In a shop: the providers’ shops and many retailers check the document on the spot.
Getting it right the first time
- Enter your name exactly as in the document, with all first names and the same spelling.
- For Video-Ident: good light, a quiet place, a stable internet connection and the original document, not a copy.
- If one method fails, use another: Postident or a shop almost always work.
Where to get the SIM card: New in Germany: how to get a SIM card. Cheap tariffs without a contract: prepaid tariffs compared.
Legal basis: Section 172 of the German Telecommunications Act. This guide is not legal advice.
Quick answers
Why do I need to show ID for a SIM card in Germany?
Section 172 of the Telecommunications Act (TKG) requires it: since July 2017, every provider must check your name, address and date of birth against an identity document before activating a SIM card, prepaid included.
Which documents are accepted?
A valid passport, national ID card or other photo ID recognised in Germany, a residence permit, or for asylum seekers the arrival certificate (Ankunftsnachweis). Each provider decides which methods work with which document.
What if Video-Ident does not work with my passport?
Use another method: Postident at a post office, the check in one of the provider’s shops, or the online ID function of a German ID card or residence permit.