National Identification Number - Germany

Germany

In Germany, there was no national identification number until 2007. Only decentralized databases were kept by social insurance companies, which allocate a social insurance number to almost every person. This numbering concept is a national system.

Since 2008 new taxpayer identification numbers replace the former tax file number. Persons who are both employees and self-employed at the same time may receive two taxpayer identification numbers. The respective number for organizations, also issued by the tax administration, is named economy identification number. These numbering concepts are national systems, organized by the Bundesamt für Steuern.

For special purpose further value-added tax identification numbers are issued for persons and organizations that are subject to paying VAT as a deduct from their revenues. This is a Europe-wide unified concept.

Additionally for all persons joining the military service, a service number is issued.

None of these numbers are commonly used for other than their specific purpose, nor is such (ab)use legal.

For some time, the West German government intended to create a 12-digit personal identification number (Personenkennzeichen, PKZ) for all citizens, registered alien residents on its territory, as well as for all non-resident Nazi victims entitled to compensation payments. The system, which was to be implemented by the 1973 federal law on civil registry, was eventually rejected in 1976, when the Bundestag found the concept of an identification system for the entire population to be incompatible with the existing legal framework. In East Germany, a similar system named Personenkennzahl (PKZ) was set up in 1970 and remained in use until the state ceased to exist in 1990.