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D-Trust eID Service and Authorisation Certificates

Securely identifying customers digitally with the online ID card

By integrating the online ID function into your digital offers, you can securely and unambiguously identify your customers in just a few minutes.

User-friendly identification process for your services

The use of online services has become a digital routine for many people. Many services offered by public authorities and companies require users to identify themselves. Certain providers – usually for legal reasons – need an identification procedure for their services that confirms the identity of the user at a high level of security. The procedure is mainly used for legally effective contracts, such as when opening bank accounts or taking out insurance policies and loans, and also when applying for public benefits.

The most secure means of identification is to integrate the online ID function into the digital services. According to the eIDAS Regulation, the highest level of trust is provided by the online ID function. With its eID service, D-Trust – a company of the Bundesdruckerei Group – offers you a secure and legally compliant identification procedure based on the online ID card that satisfies the requirements of the German ID Card Act and the technical guidelines of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).

 

Your benefits at a glance

  • Maximum security identification procedure – by using the online ID card with the highest level of confidence
  • eIDAS-compliant – identification also possible with recognised eIDs of European states
  • Versatile – for online, on-site and identification service providers with authorisation
  • Scalable and cost-effective – the 100% digital process saves personnel costs compared to alternative identification processes
  • Fast – user identification is completed within a few minutes

 

Product details

With the eID service by D-Trust, you are not only able to identify your customers securely on the Internet, but you can also read out ID card data electronically at customer counters and points of sale (POS) and transfer the information to your processing system without errors. Thanks to standardised interfaces, this is a straightforward procedure.

Use the D-Trust eID service to integrate the eID service just the way you need it for your business model or administrative service. The following options are available:

(Online) Service provider

You identify your customers for your own service on the Internet.

On-site service provider

You read out your customers’ ID data electronically on-site.

Identification service provider

You take over the task of digitally identifying your client’s customers.

All ID documents issued in Germany with on online ID card function can be used for this purpose. Besides identity cards, such documents also include electronic residence permits (eAT) and eID cards for citizens of the European Union and nationals in the European Economic Area, also known as the EU citizen card. Anyone with an eID from other European countries that is confirmed according to the eIDAS Regulation can also be securely identified using the eID service.

As an identification procedure based on the online ID card, the eID service has a high level of security. In addition to the identity of the person holding the ID card, it also checks the authenticity and the revocation status of the ID document. The ID card data read out during the authentication process is encrypted and signed and then transmitted to the service provider via a secure SSL connection in adherence to the technical guidelines and laws. Service providers must have authorisation to access the ID card data.

To use the eID service, service providers need authorisation to read out data from the online ID card. This authorisation consists of a notice from the Issuing Authority for Authorisation Certificates (VfB) and a technical authorisation certificate for the requested service. Once the notice has been issued by the VfB, service providers can order an authorisation certificate from an authorisation certificate provider (BerCA). D-Trust is currently the sole provider of authorisation certificates in Germany and thus the only company offering the authorisation certificate and eID service from a single source.

Service providers can use the eID service for different government or private sector web applications to securely identify their users. Sample applications include:

  • Public administration:
    Applying for services such as student grants and loans (BAföG), vehicle registration and re-registration or the submission of income tax returns
  • Healthcare:
    Registering for services such as electronic patient records
  • Banks:
    Online opening of accounts, conclusion of loans and consumer credits
  • Telecommunications:
    Online activation of prepaid SIM cards
  • Other identification processes based on legal provisions

Connecting the eID service to the eID infrastructure is easier than it might seem at first glance. Integrate the eID service in just a few simple steps:

  1. Apply for the authorisation certificate at the BVA, the awarding authority for authorisation certificates.
  2. Once you have received your notice from the VfB, you conclude a contract with D-Trust GmbH to purchase the technical authorisation certificate and connect to the eID service.
  3. Implement the D-Trust eID service in your web service via a SOAP or SAML interface. Our reference system provides you with testing options using test IDs or the simulator PersoSim.

The eID service is implemented via a SOAP or SAML interface. You will receive a detailed integration manual and the current Software Development Kit (SDK) from our service portal after concluding the contract.

To use the eID service in your web application, you will need an eID client – installed on the user’s smartphone – in addition to the eID service. The eID client is software that establishes a secure connection between your online service, your customers’ online ID card and their smartphone or card reader. The most common eID client is AusweisApp2. This is available as open source software and can be deeply integrated into your web service using the Software Development Kit (SDK) of AusweisApp2.

Prices and conditions for eID-Service

The prices for the D-Trust eID service consist of a one-time setup fee and an annual usage fee for a maximum of 8.000 read operations. Additional costs apply for every additional 8.000 read operations within a year. 

Product Overview
Price in EUR*

Onetime Setup

Setup of the first authorisation certificate
500,00 €

Configuration and activation of the service provider

Usage

For a max. of 100.000 transactions per year
6.800,00 €

Usage extension

For every additional 100.000 transactions per year
4.500,00 €

eIDAS function

Usage of eID-schemes of other EU member states that have been notified for at least a year
3.200,00 €

MDS-certificate necessary 

Prices in Euro (€), plus applicable VAT

Product Overview
Price in EUR*

Onetime Setup

Setup of the first authorisation certificate
500,00 €

Per authorisation certificate; eID test cards or card simulator needed

Usage

For a max. of 8.000 transactions per year
2.000,00 €

Usage extension

For every additional 8.000 transactions per year
350,00 €

Prices in Euro (€), plus applicable VAT

Frequently asked questions

An eID service is a service rendered by providers, such as D-Trust, that operate an eID server according to the specifications of the TR-03130 directive of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). Using the eID service, companies and organisations can integrate the online ID card function into their own website as a means of identification. It enables legally compliant online identification of users for all processes that require legally binding identification, such as for applying for public benefits and logging into administrative processes, for buying prepaid SIM cards online or for taking out loans or consumer credits online.

The eID server provides secure communication between the person going through the identification process and the service provider’s online service. This eID server reads out the data of the ID card in line with the service provider’s authorisation. The authorisation certificate issued to the service provider lists the data that the service provider is authorised to read out for its service.

Using the eID service, operators of eID servers, such as D-Trust, provide service providers with this identification procedure as a service. Service providers can thus integrate the online ID card into their websites without having to operate an eID server themselves.

Using the eID service, service providers integrate the online ID card as an identification procedure. The online ID card function is rated as being a means of identification with trust level “high” according to the eIDAS Regulation.

Authorities and companies that want to become service providers need authorisation to do so. This is issued by the Issuing Office for Authorisation Certificates (VfB) of the Federal Office of Administration (BVA). On the application, you specify which data fields you want to read out and which business purpose you want to use the data for. In addition, information on data protection and data security is required as well.

See the website of the ID card portal for more information on how to become a service provider.

You can apply for an authorisation certificate for service providers at the Issuing Office for Authorisation Certificates (VfB) of the Federal Office of Administration (BVA). To do this, you can submit the application online at the BVA. Once the Vfb has issued you the notice, you can then order the technical authorisation certificate from D-Trust.

The eGovernment Monitor 2022 shows that one person in ten in Germany uses the digital identification option with the online ID card. There are many applications and services that are already available today using the online ID card. You can find many examples of applications with the online ID card on the ID card portal of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs (BMI).

All public service providers that offer electronic identification at a “substantial” level of trust in the area of public administration must also provide this service for official forms of eID from other EU countries. The D-Trust eID service supports all notified forms of eID from other EU Member States. The European Commission maintains a list of all notified forms of eID from the EU member states.

No. Companies in the private sector that offer identification with the online ID card in their applications are not obliged to recognise forms of eID from other EU Member States. But they can if they want to. To do this, service providers in the private sector need to meet certain requirements. The European Commission has published these conditions for the non-public sector to access notified eID systems.

Your customers will be able to identify themselves using the online ID card as soon as you have integrated the D-Trust eID service into your web application. Your customers will need the following for this:

  • Anb NFC-enabled smartphone or card reader for the ID card
  • An ID card (or electronic residence permit or EU citizen card) with an activated online ID function and the PIN
  • AusweisApp2 on the smartphone or PC (only if this is not integrated in your web application)

Your customers only need to bring along their ID card (or electronic residence permit or EU citizen card) to identify themselves on-site. Your customers will not need to have activated the online ID card function or know their PIN for their ID card data to be read out.

More Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have any questions about the eID service?

Our sales team will be happy to assist you. Please feel free to contact us:

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D-Trust
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+49 (0)30 2598 - 0
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