How to verify the validity of a German identity card online?
Many business or personal processes require the presentation of identity proof: recruitment, rentals, KYC processes, etc.
Nowadays, documents are generally scanned or photographed before being sent by email: therefore, it becomes complex to ensure that these documents are authentic and have not been altered using image editing software such as Photoshop.
Our product addresses this issue and allows:
- extracting information from the MRZ band of identity documents directly online, analyzing them, and verifying the security keys that ensure their authenticity
- validating the document number format (Dokumentennummer)
All this in just a few seconds!
Which elements are checked during the validity verification of the German identity card at “Standard” level?
Full MRZ reading and validation
We automatically perform OCR reading of the MRZ zone, then verify and validate all extracted information along with the associated security check digits.
This makes it possible to confirm data consistency (document number, dates, identity) and quickly detect errors or attempted tampering.
Which elements are checked during the validity verification of the German identity card at “Plus” level?
The document number of the German identity card
The document number corresponds to an official pattern from the ministry: we check that this is indeed the case in order to validate it.
Enriched data with the “Id Plus” section
With the Plus analysis level, your identity verification is enriched with additional information grouped in a dedicated “Id Plus” section, available both in the web application and in PDF / JSON / XML reports.
This advanced analysis cross-checks MRZ data with the document’s personal information, providing a more complete view of the verified identity and strengthening the detection of inconsistencies.
Web app “Id Plus” section
PDF report “Id Plus” section
Advanced Forensic Analysis with the “Pro” level
With the Pro analysis level, verification goes beyond MRZ data: the system also analyzes the uploaded file itself to detect manipulations invisible to the naked eye.
This forensic analysis includes in particular:
– extraction and analysis of file metadata
– document integrity verification
– detection of modified documents or files generated from templates (Photoshop, recomposed scans, etc.)
Even if the MRZ is valid, altered or artificially created documents are identified thanks to these advanced checks.
Forensic analysis runs in parallel with MRZ reading, and results are available within seconds in the web application as well as in the detailed report.
All common formats are supported: images (JPG, PNG, WebP…) and PDF documents.
Results are grouped in a dedicated “Forensic” tab, with detection scenarios and integrity indicators, helping you quickly identify document fraud attempts.
The “Forensics” tab of the detailed Pro-level report
Video demonstration of the Forensic analysis for the “Pro” level
How does the validity verification of the German identity card work?
After your purchase is confirmed or after you sign up, you will receive an email with your login details to access our identity verification web app (please check your spam folder if needed).
In just a few simple steps, you can verify an ID card or any other official document directly online.
1. Access the web app
Log in to your secure workspace using the credentials you received by email.
From your dashboard, select “Verify an identity document”.
2. Upload your document
Upload the scan or photo of the identity document (front/back), in an image format (JPG, PNG, WebP…) or PDF.
No preparation is required: the system automatically detects the document orientation as well as the MRZ area.
3. Automatic document analysis
The platform instantly performs:
– OCR reading of the MRZ
– validation of security check digits
– data consistency checks (document number, dates, identity…)
– forensic file analysis (Pro level)
This step quickly detects inconsistencies, input errors, and potential document fraud attempts.
4. Instant results and detailed report
Results are displayed immediately as a status (passed / failed), along with a complete report available in PDF, JSON, or XML.
Each field is detailed: recognized data, check digits, information consistency, and integrity indicators.
Reports remain available in your history and can be deleted at any time (privacy-friendly).
5. Credits and account management
Credits are deducted only when the MRZ is successfully detected.
You can check your balance at any time and subscribe to a plan that matches your analysis volume.
Example: verifying an identity document
The front and back of the ID card are shown in the video example below, but please note that only the back (with the MRZ) is required to analyze a document.
Support and guidance
Have a question or a specific need? Our support team is available by email or via the built-in help interface.
Additional resources (guides, FAQ, documentation) are also available to help you.
For professionals
Do you want to integrate identity document verification into your business workflows (KYC, onboarding, recruitment, compliance)?
We offer subscription plans tailored to professional needs, as well as a complete solution to analyze identity documents and PDF files through our web app.
Common use cases
Recruitment & onboarding
Quickly validate a candidate’s identity before signing a contract and reduce fraud risks.
Real estate rental
Verify the authenticity of documents provided by a tenant and secure your application files.
KYC & compliance
Automate identity verification to meet regulatory requirements while speeding up your checks.
Signing up for an online service
Check users’ age and identity for sensitive platforms.
B2B relationships & partnerships
Secure your collaborations by validating the identity of legal representatives.
How are the results of the validity verification analysis of the German identity card (Personalausweis) presented?
In addition to the web application, analysis results are available for download in PDF / JSON / XML formats:
What document formats are accepted?
You can send your documents as jpg / jpeg / png images or as PDFs.
Scans/photos do not need to be cropped or retouched: they are detected automatically during the German identity card validity verification.
It is possible to send the front and back of the document in the same scan and in any order (front first and back below, or vice versa): they will be sorted and recognized without issue.
Am I charged if information is not extracted correctly during the German identity card validity verification?
No. You are never charged as long as the MRZ of the Romanian ID card has not been correctly detected and analyzed.
Billing applies only to successfully recognized documents — meaning when the data can be automatically extracted, validated, and verified.
If the photo quality is low or some characters are not properly detected, you can manually correct the fields to obtain a reliable analysis — with no credit loss.
👉 Result: zero risk of unnecessary charges, and a verification process you can always rely on.
Discover the full workflow in the video below:
What is the MRZ band of the German identity card (Machine Readable Zone)?
An automatic reading zone, or optical reading zone, is an area on an official document reserved for reading, identification, and validation of the document.
Thus, documents such as passports, national identity cards, residence permits, and driver’s licenses may or must contain, depending on countries and document versions, an optical reading zone.
It is located at the bottom of identity documents: it contains all the information present on the document with security keys that verify their authenticity and that they have not been altered.
The information contained varies depending on the document type.
How is it structured?
Cards issued from 2021 have three lines of text, each containing alphanumeric characters.
What data is extracted during the German identity card validity verification?
The data extracted from the MRZ band of the German identity card are as follows:
- First line:
- Document Type: 2 characters, code indicating the document type, represented by the letters “ID”.
- Issuing Country: 3 characters, the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code of the issuing country.
- Card Number: 9 characters, unique card number.
- Check Digit: 1 character, check digit of the unique card number.
- End of Line: 15 characters, “<” symbols to fill the line.
- Second line:
- Date of Birth: 6 characters, year, month, and day of birth in YYMMDD format.
- Check Digit: 1 character, check digit of the date of birth.
- Separator: 1 character, “<“.
- Expiration Date: 6 digits, expiration date of the card in YYMMDD format.
- Check Digit: 1 character, check digit of the expiration date.
- Country Code: 3 characters, ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code of the holder’s nationality.
- Issue Date: 4 characters in YYMM format.
- End of Line: 11 characters, “<” symbols to fill the line.
- Check Digit: 1 character, check digit of the concatenation of characters from line 1 positions 6-15, line 2 positions 1-7 and 9-15.
- Third line:
- Holder’s last and first names: holder’s last and first names, starting with the last name followed by the first name. The last name and first name are separated by two < characters. In case of compound last names, compound first names or multiple first names, they are separated by the < character. Spaces and apostrophes are replaced by the < character and the name is truncated to 30 characters if necessary, and any accents present on letters are removed. The line is then completed with the < character.
Personal data & privacy
Protecting your data is a top priority.
After downloading the report, you can immediately delete the analysis from your secure account history. This gives you full control over your documents and personal information.
By default, all data is automatically deleted after 3 months, in line with GDPR best practices.
Our platform is designed to ensure the confidentiality of uploaded documents and the security of all processing — whether for occasional or professional use.
👉 Find all details about personal data management on our dedicated page: Privacy Policy.
Terms and Conditions
Service usage terms, billing information, and your rights are detailed in our Terms and Conditions.
👉 View the full Terms and Conditions here: TrustDocHub T&C.
Leon B. (verified owner) –
Affordable and met all my expectations.
Isabell T. (verified owner) –
Fast results, but the website interface could be improved.
Emma D. (verified owner) –
I appreciate how fast and accurate the results were.
Mila W. (verified owner) –
I found this service to be reliable and easy to use.
Sofia M. (verified owner) –
Very efficient tool for verifying German biometric ID cards.
Jakob L. (verified owner) –
The biometric ID verification service was fast and accurate.
Elias P. (verified owner) –
Super helpful and straightforward process! Highly recommended.
Noah F. (verified owner) –
Good service, but the instructions could be clearer.
Charlotte R. (verified owner) –
Simple and effective, but I wish there were more language options.
Felix K. (verified owner) –
Very useful tool for professionals needing quick ID checks.
Greta C. (verified owner) –
I was pleased with the service, although it took slightly longer than I expected.
Lukas H. (verified owner) –
The service worked well, but the login process was a bit confusing.