How do I sign with the German national ID card (eID)?

The online ID function of the German national ID card is an electronic identification means notified at the eIDAS assurance level "high". It can serve as the identity source for issuing a qualified certificate, so users can sign at qualified level without first completing a video identification.

What is needed is an activated ID card, the six-digit self-chosen PIN and an NFC-capable smartphone running the AusweisApp, or alternatively an approved card reader. Proving identity therefore takes seconds rather than minutes.

Here's how signing with the German ID card works:

• Check the prerequisites: The online ID function must be activated; on cards issued since July 2017 it is active by default.
• Have the PIN ready: The six-digit self-chosen PIN is required. The five-digit transport PIN from the letter is not sufficient.
• Read the card: The card is held against the smartphone via NFC and read through the AusweisApp.
• Transmit the identity: The verified ID data is transmitted to the trust service provider and used for certificate issuance.
• Trigger the signature: After successful authentication the qualified signature is created for the specific request.
• Receive the document: The signed PDF contains a timestamp and validation data and is immediately verifiable in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Why this matters for customer journeys:

• Regulated industries: In financial services, insurance and telecommunications, eID replaces the video session and its waiting time.
• Own KYC steps removed: Because the identity is state-verified, the identification effort attached to the signing step disappears.
• One integration for DACH: German and Austrian user groups can be served through the same connection.

With primesign, documents can be signed with the German national ID card immediately and without prior user registration. The capability is available in the online service, through the primesign SIGNATURE SERVER and via the signing APIs — the same integration also covers ID Austria and future EUDI Wallets.