ID Austria expiring soon? Check now and renew

Many users are unaware that their ID Austria certificate (formerly Handy-Signatur) has an expiration date. In fact, over 300,000 certificates will expire across Austria in the summer of 2026. If ID Austria is not renewed in time, important digital services may no longer be available.

Renewal is only possible before expiration. If the certificate has already expired, you must reapply for your ID Austria in person at a registration authority. To prevent this from happening to you, here's how to check your expiration date, find out which version you have, and how to renew your ID Austria in time.

How to check your expiration date

You can easily check the expiration date of your ID Austria:

• on our website
• in the A-Trust Signatur app: the expiration date of your certificate is displayed on the start page
• in the ID Austria app: in the Konto section in the navigation bar

Tip: If your activation or last renewal was more than five years ago, you should check your expiration date very carefully.

ID Austria with basic or full function - what does this mean for renewal?

Not every ID Austria can be renewed online. The decisive factor is which version you have:

ID Austria with basic function (not issued by the authorities):

• contains all previous functions of the Handy-Signatur
• cannot be renewed
• before the certificate expires, a new ID Austria with full functionality must be issued by a registration authority.

ID Austria with basic function (issued by authorities):

• issued by an authority (e.g., municipal authorities, FinanzOnline)
• includes all previous mobile signature functions
• can be upgraded online to a ID Austria with full function
• after upgrading, the new certificate is valid for up to 5 years

ID Austria with full function:

• offers additional functions (e.g., digital ID cards)
• certificate can be renewed online free of charge
• renewal takes place in the A-Trust account or at https://www.a-trust.at/meine-id-austria/verlaengerung/

People without Austrian citizenship cannot currently renew their ID Austria online. In this case, the ID Austria must be reissued at a registration authority.

If you are unsure which version you currently have, you can quickly find this information here.

What happens when your ID Austria expires?

Your ID Austria is based on a qualified certificate that is valid for up to five years. Once it expires, you will no longer be able to:

• create qualified electronic signatures
• carry out digital administrative procedures
• use digital proof of identity
• log in to many online services

As a particularly large number of certificates will expire at the same time, increased demand and possible appointment bottlenecks at registration offices are to be expected in the summer of 2026.

Further information on ID Austria can be found here.

Those who renew early:

• secure a further certificate validity of up to five years
• remain fully operational
• avoid waiting times

Stay digitally secure - check and renew your ID Austria now

Renewing your ID Austria only takes a few minutes if you act in good time:

1. Check the expiry date
2. Check the version (basic or full function)
3. If possible: renew online immediately

This ensures that you can continue to use all digital services without restriction in the coming years without interruption.