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German passport and ID card fees: what each costs, and the 2026 rise

A German passport costs 70 Euro for applicants aged 24 or over and 37.50 Euro for younger applicants, with extra charges for 48 pages, the express service, embassy applications and delivery. The ID card fee rose on 7 February 2026 from 37 Euro to 46 Euro, and from 22.80 Euro to 27.60 Euro for under-24s. In July 2026 the federal government told the Bundesrat it also plans to adjust the passport fee to cover higher production prices.

DevelopingBy Last changed Verified · Confidence: highVersion 1 · See all changesTravel and borders · German passport fees · Personalausweis Gebühr · Reisepass Gebühr · Germany · Passport fees

A generic dark blue passport with a globe symbol and the word Passport, lying on a colourful world mapIllustration
A generic passport on a world map, used to illustrate passport fees. It is not a German passport. Illustration, not a photo/footage of the event. Credit: Storyblocks.
Current rule

A German ID card now costs 46 Euro after a February 2026 rise. The passport stays at 70 Euro for now, but the government plans to change it.

Last changed:

Work out your passport or ID card fee

Passport fee change: announced, not yet in force. On 3 July 2026 the federal government told the Bundesrat it plans to adjust the passport fee. No new passport fee had been published when this record was last verified on 10 October 2026, so the passport amounts here are the ones in force now.

How the fee adds up
ItemEuro

    The ID card fee rose on 7 February 2026, from €37 (€22.80 under 24), and the embassy surcharge from €41. Fees from § 27 of the Passport Regulation and § 1 of the ID Card Fees Regulation cited on this page; values from version 1 of this record, last verified 10 October 2026. The office decides the fee. Information, not legal advice.

    Latest update

    First version: German passport fees under the Passport Regulation, ID card fees under the ID card fee regulation, the February 2026 ID card fee rise and the planned passport fee change.

    What changed in this version

    Version 1, : Record created.

    Key facts

    • A standard German passport (Reisepass, 32 pages) costs 70 Euro for applicants who are 24 or older. [1] [2]
    • A federal regulation published on 6 February 2026 raised the ID card fee from 37 Euro to 46 Euro, and from 22.80 Euro to 27.60 Euro for younger applicants. The government says the new fee applies from 7 February 2026. [2] [4]
    • In July 2026 the federal government told the Bundesrat it plans to adjust the passport fee as well, mainly to cover the Bundesdruckerei's August 2025 rise in production prices. No new passport fee had been published when this record was checked. [4]
    Chart of German passport and ID card fees in 2026. Passport: age 24 or over, 32 pages, 70 euros; under 24, 37.50 euros; 48 pages plus 22; express plus 32; at a German embassy or consulate plus 36; photo taken by the office plus 6; delivery plus 15; provisional passport 26. Worked totals for age 24 or over: standard 70; 48 pages plus express 124; at an embassy 106. ID card, before and from 7 February 2026: age 24 or over 37 before, 46 now; under 24 22.80 before, 27.60 now. Where the 46 euros goes, per the federal government: card production 17.42, infrastructure 7.46, VAT 4.73, passport office's work 16.39. Both documents are valid for 10 years from age 24, so the passport costs 7 euros per year of validity and the ID card 4.60 euros.
    Graphic by Stories of Record, from the sources below. German passport and ID card fees, with worked totals and the government's breakdown of the ID card fee, by Stories of Record from federal law and a July 2026 federal government statement. Credit: Stories of Record (all rights reserved).
    Table of total fees by situation, worked out from the law, before photo (6 euros) and delivery (15 euros). Passport, age 24 or over then under 24: standard 32 pages 70 and 37.50; 48 pages 92 and 59.50; express 102 and 69.50; 48 pages plus express 124 and 91.50; at an embassy or consulate 106 and 73.50; at an office not responsible for you, doubled, 140 and 75; outside office hours, not doubled, 70 and 37.50; provisional passport 26; provisional out of hours or at the wrong office, doubled once, 52; provisional at an embassy 75; at an embassy or consulate not responsible for you, doubled plus 36, 176 and 111, marked unclear because the law does not say whether the 36 is doubled too, which would make it 212 and 147. ID card, 24 or over then under 24: 46 and 27.60; out of hours or wrong office plus 13, 59 and 40.60; living abroad at a wrong office in Germany plus 30, 76 and 57.60, marked unclear because the law does not say whether the 13 also applies, which would make it 89 and 70.60; at an embassy or consulate plus 43, 89 and 70.60; provisional or replacement ID card 10; provisional out of hours or wrong office 23; at an embassy not responsible for you, 89 and 70.60 or more, marked unclear because the 13 or 30 wrong-office surcharge may be added. Validity: passport and ID card 10 years, 6 if under 24; provisional ID at most 3 months, provisional passport at most 1 year.
    Graphic by Stories of Record, from the sources below. Total German passport and ID card fees by situation, worked out by Stories of Record from § 27 Passverordnung and § 1 PAuswGebV. Where the law is unclear, the office decides. Not legal advice. Credit: Stories of Record (all rights reserved).
    Timeline of German passport and ID card fee changes. 1 January 2024: passport for age 24 or over rose from 60 to 70 euros. 7 February 2026: ID card for age 24 or over rose from 37 to 46 euros, and for under 24 from 22.80 to 27.60 euros; the surcharge at an embassy or consulate rose from 41 to 43 euros. 3 July 2026: the federal government announced a passport fee change, not yet in force.
    Graphic by Stories of Record, from the sources below. Dated history of German passport and ID card fees, by Stories of Record from the Federal Law Gazette and a July 2026 federal government statement. Credit: Stories of Record (all rights reserved).

    Record history (timeline)

    1. In July 2026 the federal government told the Bundesrat it plans to adjust the passport fee as well, mainly to cover the Bundesdruckerei's August 2025 rise in production prices. No new passport fee had been published when this record was checked. [4]
    2. A federal regulation published on 6 February 2026 raised the ID card fee from 37 Euro to 46 Euro, and from 22.80 Euro to 27.60 Euro for younger applicants. The government says the new fee applies from 7 February 2026. [2] [4]
    3. The standard passport fee for applicants aged 24 or over rose from 60 Euro to 70 Euro on 1 January 2024, under a federal regulation published on 31 October 2023. [5] [1]

    View full history

    What is confirmed

    • Applicants under 24 pay 37.50 Euro for the same passport. [1]
    • A passport with 48 pages costs 22 Euro on top of the age-based fee. [1]
    • The express service adds 32 Euro to the passport fee, whichever passport is ordered. [1]
    • A provisional passport (vorläufiger Reisepass) costs 26 Euro. [1]
    • Changing a passport costs 6 Euro, having it delivered costs 15 Euro, and a photo taken by the passport office adds 6 Euro. [1]
    • Some passport fees double: the provisional passport and changes when done outside office hours at the applicant's request, and the standard passport, provisional passport and changes when the applicant asks an office that is not responsible for them. [1]
    • At a German embassy or consulate, the standard passport fee rises by 36 Euro, the provisional passport fee by 49 Euro and the fee for changes by 20 Euro. [1]
    • No fee is charged for an official passport, for a passport issued or changed on the authority's own initiative, or for correcting the place of residence. [1]
    • A German ID card (Personalausweis) costs 46 Euro, or 27.60 Euro for applicants under 24 when they apply. A provisional or replacement ID card costs 10 Euro. [3]
    • The same regulation raised the extra charge for an ID card applied for at an embassy or consulate from 41 Euro to 43 Euro. [2] [3]
    • ID card fees rise by 13 Euro outside office hours or at an office that is not responsible, including for a provisional or replacement ID card. The standard ID card fee also rises by 30 Euro when someone living abroad applies at such an office in Germany, by 15 Euro for delivery and by 6 Euro for a photo taken by the office. [3]
    • Under the wording set by the February 2026 regulation, which replaced the earlier hardship paragraph, the ID card fee can be reduced or waived for people in need; receiving basic income support (SGB II or SGB XII) does not on its own count as need. [2]
    • The federal government says the 46 Euro fee is made up of 29.61 Euro paid to the Bundesdruckerei (17.42 Euro production, 7.46 Euro infrastructure and 4.73 Euro VAT) and 16.39 Euro of administrative cost per application. [4] [3]
    • The standard passport fee for applicants aged 24 or over rose from 60 Euro to 70 Euro on 1 January 2024, under a federal regulation published on 31 October 2023. [5] [1]
    • The same regulation moved the passport fee rule to section 27 of the Passport Regulation and rewrote its embassy surcharge paragraph; its listed changes to the fee table did not include the 70 Euro or 37.50 Euro amounts. [2] [1]
    • The Bundesrat had asked the government to review the ID card and photo fees, include the passport fee in the review, and raise fees quickly because of the Bundesdruckerei's price rises. [4]
    • A German passport is valid for ten years, or six years if the holder is under 24 when it is issued. A provisional passport is valid for at most one year, and a passport's validity cannot be extended. [6]
    • An ID card is valid for ten years, or six years for people under 24. A provisional ID card is valid for at most three months and a replacement ID card for at most three years; validity cannot be extended. [7] [8]
    • Apply at the passport or ID card office where your main home is registered. Abroad, apply at the German embassy or consulate for the place where you usually live. Another office must take your application if you give an important reason, but it may issue the document only with the responsible office's authorisation. [9] [10]
    • You must apply yourself, normally in person; you cannot send someone with a power of attorney, except in narrow cases. You must prove your identity and that you are German. The photo is taken electronically, either by a service provider who sends it securely to the office or by the office itself if it has the equipment. Both documents need your fingerprints, but none are taken from children under six. If you cannot go in person, you can only get a provisional passport. [11] [12] [13] [14]

    What remains unconfirmed

    No open questions are being tracked.

    Why it matters

    Fees are set in two separate federal regulations, and many guides still quote the ID card fee from before February 2026. The extras (express, 48 pages, embassy surcharges, doubling outside office hours) change the total a lot, and a passport fee change is planned but not yet published.

    What happens next?

    No upcoming events are known.

    Questions

    How much does a German passport cost in 2026?

    70 Euro if you are 24 or older and 37.50 Euro if you are younger, for the standard 32-page passport. A 48-page passport adds 22 Euro and the express service adds 32 Euro.

    How much does a German ID card cost now?

    46 Euro, or 27.60 Euro for applicants under 24, since 7 February 2026. Before that it was 37 Euro and 22.80 Euro.

    Where and how do I apply?

    At the passport or ID card office where your main home is registered, or abroad at the German embassy or consulate for where you usually live. Go yourself, bring proof of identity and German citizenship, and have your photo taken electronically by a service provider or the office. Both documents need your fingerprints, except for children under six. If you cannot go in person, you can only get a provisional passport.

    How long is a German passport valid?

    Ten years, or six years if you are under 24 when it is issued. The ID card has the same split. A provisional passport is valid for at most one year and a provisional ID card for at most three months. Neither document can be extended, so you apply for a new one.

    When did German passport and ID card fees last change?

    The passport fee for people aged 24 or over rose from 60 Euro to 70 Euro on 1 January 2024. The ID card fee rose from 37 Euro to 46 Euro, and from 22.80 Euro to 27.60 Euro for under-24s, on 7 February 2026.

    Is the German passport fee going up?

    The federal government told the Bundesrat in July 2026 that it plans to adjust the passport fee, mainly to cover higher production prices. No new fee had been published when this record was checked, so the current amounts still apply.

    Does it cost more to apply at a German embassy or consulate?

    Yes. The standard passport fee rises by 36 Euro, the provisional passport by 49 Euro and changes by 20 Euro. For an ID card the surcharge is 43 Euro.

    Can the fee be reduced or waived?

    For the ID card, the office can reduce or waive the fee for people in need, under wording the February 2026 regulation put in place; receiving basic income support does not on its own count as need. For passports, no fee is charged for official passports, for changes the authority makes on its own initiative, or for correcting the place of residence.

    Why does the ID card cost 46 Euro?

    The federal government says 29.61 Euro goes to the Bundesdruckerei for making the card and its infrastructure, including VAT, and 16.39 Euro covers the passport office's work on each application.

    What does it cost if I apply at the wrong office or outside office hours?

    At an office that is not responsible for you, the standard passport fee is doubled. Outside office hours only the provisional passport and changes are doubled, not the standard passport. For the ID card both cases add 13 Euro. The totals table on this page adds these up.

    What if I apply at an embassy that is not responsible for me?

    For a passport, the fee is doubled and the 36 Euro embassy surcharge is added. The law does not say whether the surcharge is doubled too, so the totals table shows both results. The office decides.

    Sources

    1. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    2. Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    3. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    4. Deutscher Bundestag Official (government)
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    5. Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    6. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    7. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    8. Deutscher Bundestag Official (government)
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    9. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    10. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    11. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    12. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    13. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026
    14. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice) Original document
      Retrieved: 10 October 2026

    People, places and organizations

    organization
    Federal Ministry of the Interior
    organization
    Bundesdruckerei
    organization
    Bundesrat