Checking the MRZ strip of a French electronic identity card

The MRZ stripe is an important element in the security of an electronic identity card: it contains the most critical information, and enables in-depth control of the authenticity of this information, preventing it from being falsified.

In this article, we’ll look at the most common cases of fraud involving electronic ID cards, and how to avoid them.
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We have written a comprehensive article on the information contained in the MRZ strip of a 1995 version of a French identity card, which you can find at Check the MRZ strip of an electronic identity card.

Enjoy your reading!

The first 5 characters are always the same: IDFRA.

They are followed by the card number on 9 characters: we can therefore check that there are 9 characters precisely.

Finally, the document number control key, which can be checked with our service.

The second line begins with the holder’s 6-digit date of birth, in YYMMDD format: you can check that this corresponds to the date of birth shown on the front of the document.

Then the date of birth control key, which can be checked with our service.

Then the holder’s gender, which is either “M” for a man, or “F” for a woman.

You’ll then find the document’s 6-digit expiry date, in YYMMDD format: you can check that this corresponds to the expiry date indicated on the document.

Then the expiration date control key, verifiable with our service.

Then the 3-character country code, using the ISO 3166 code (“FRA” logically for a French ID card).

Then chevrons to complete the line, 11 in all.

Finally, the control key for lines 1 and 2, again verifiable with our service.

The third line begins with the holder’s surname and first names, separated by two chevrons between the surname and first names, and a single chevron between the first names, completed by chevrons at the end of the line.

Can you detect the problem(s) on the map above?

Can you detect the problem(s) on the map above?

Can you detect the problem(s) on the map above?

You’ll now be able to identify the main changes on the MRZ strip of an electronic identity card!

We advise you to use our service, which will check your parts completely in just a few minutes!