What to do if my ID card is lost or misused?

Quick overview

• Act now if you lose your ID card. Report the loss or theft to the municipal office of the municipality with extended jurisdiction, the Police of the Czech Republic or electronically.
• Once reported, the card will become invalid and you should apply for a new one within 15 days.
• If you suspect that someone has misused the card, check bank accounts, debtors’ registers and the Citizen’s Portal.
• If a loan, contract or other damage is fraudulent, file a criminal complaint and deal with a lawyer as soon as possible.

Do you suspect someone has used your information to make a loan, contract or other fraudulent transaction? Don’t wait for a demand for payment. An affordable attorney can help you prepare a criminal complaint, communicate with the bank, and defend against unauthorized claims.

Anyone can lose an ID card. The important thing is to stay calm and act quickly: report the loss, apply for a new card and follow up to see if it has been misused. If you suspect a problem, act now – the sooner the problem is dealt with, the less the consequences will be.

The procedures related to loss, misuse and the issue of a new ID card are regulated by the ID Card Act.

This law provides for:

• The obligation of the owner to protect his/her ID card.
• The obligation to report loss or theft.
• Penalties for failure to comply with these obligations.
• The procedure for issuing a new document.

Loss of an identity card – how to proceed

As soon as you discover that you have lost your ID card, act as quickly as possible. The law states that “a citizen of the Czech Republic who has reached the age of 15 and is a permanent resident of the Czech Republic is obliged to have an ID card.”

Your first duty is to report the loss. You can report the loss of your ID card in three ways:

1. In person at the municipal office of the municipality with extended jurisdiction: this may be at the place of permanent residence, but it is not necessary. Reporting the loss can be done anywhere in the Czech Republic.
2. At the Police of the Czech Republic: This is recommended especially if you suspect theft or misuse.
3. Electronically: If you have a data box or a qualified electronic signature, you can send the notification online.

Don’t wait to report the loss of your ID card and don’t put it off. The loss of your ID card should be reported immediately. Once notified, the authorities will register that the ID card is invalid. If someone finds it and wants to use it, it will no longer be recognised as a valid document. This significantly reduces the risk of its misuse.

In practice, we see that people often postpone the loss of an ID card for several days in the hope that they will still find it. However, this is particularly risky for documents lost on public transport, in a restaurant, hotel or shopping centre. The sooner the ID is registered as invalid, the better it will be later to prove that you did not make any contract or loan.

Remember that if you do not report the loss in time, you can be fined up to CZK 10,000 for breaching your legal obligation under the ID Card Act.

If you have reported your ID card as lost or stolen and later find it again, you must hand it in as soon as possible for destruction – either to the office that issues ID cards, to the Czech embassy abroad or to the police.

If you want to keep the found ID card, you can – but you must also show it to the authorities to have it devalued (e.g. the roll punched through). However, this only applies if it is not a forged or altered document.

How to apply for a new ID card

After reporting the loss, you have 15 days to apply for a new ID card. You will have to apply again at the local authority.

What you need to apply:

• A replacement identity document (e.g. passport, driving licence, birth certificate).
• The fee for a new ID card is 200 CZK.

If you need an ID card quickly, you can apply for an express issue. If the issue is within 5 working days, you will pay a fee of 500 CZK. If you need a new ID card really fast, within 24 hours, then prepare a fee of CZK 1,000. These options are available at the offices of municipalities with extended jurisdiction and at the Ministry of the Interior in Prague.

How to detect misuse of an ID card

Losing your ID card is unpleasant, but the real problem comes when it is misused. How do you know if this has happened?

The first step you can take is to check all your bank and non-bank accounts for unknown transactions or loans. If there are any suspicious movements, contact the institution that records the transaction.

Next, check the debtors’ register – this is the best way to detect ID misuse. Ask for an extract from these databases:

• SOLUS (Register of debtors)
• BRKI (Bank Customer Information Register)
• NRKI (Non-Bank Customer Information Register)

These registers will tell you if someone has entered into a contract in your name without you knowing it.

The most common problem arises with small non-bank loans, online orders and contracts that are concluded quickly and without personal contact. Simply saying “it wasn’t me” is usually not enough. A timeline, proof of loss, a statement from the registry and a copy of the communication with the institution collecting the debt from you will help.

If you find an unknown loan or contract on the statement, don’t just leave the communication to phone calls to the institution. We can help you draft a legally accurate notice, document the misuse of identity, and set up a course of action so that the problem doesn’t escalate unnecessarily.

In turn, you can track various government records, such as data accesses, changes or requests for new documents, on the Citizen Portal. If someone applies for a new document in your name, you’ll see it there.

Anyone who finds an identity card issued to another person shall immediately hand it over to the authorised authority, the authorised embassy or the police.

What should you do if you suspect misuse of the OP?

If you discover that your lost ID card has been misused (for example, someone has entered into a contract or borrowed money in your name), file a criminal complaint immediately. You can do so at any Police office.

It is worth preparing a criminal complaint specifically: describe the timeline, attach evidence and clearly indicate why you believe your identity has been misused. If you are unsure of the wording, we can help you draft the report so that the police have all the relevant information from the start.

When making the report, be clear about when the loss of ID occurred and prepare any suspicious transactions or contracts. Always keep a copy of the criminal complaint. If you need help with a criminal report, please contact us. Anyone who intentionally misuses an ID card commits an offence under the ID Act.

The next step is to contact the banks, mobile phone operators and other institutions where a contract may have been concluded using your data. Inform them of the situation and ask them to investigate.

Many institutions have an internal protocol for dealing with fraudulent behaviour and will block your accounts or transactions until everything is cleared up.

Every case of identity misuse is a little different. Sometimes all it takes is a quick documentation of a lost document and the institution will stop the claim, other times you need to file criminal charges, dispute the contract, and defend against subsequent collections as well. That’s why it’s important not to wait for a foreclosure or a negative registry entry and to take action at the first suspicious letter, email or phone call.

Checklist:

1. Try to quickly verify that the ID is not just filed at home, at work or in the car.
2. If you can’t find it, report the loss immediately to the office, police or electronically.
3. Keep the receipt for reporting it lost or stolen.
4. Apply for a new ID card within 15 days.
5. Check bank accounts, debtors’ registers and the Citizen’s Portal.
6. If a suspicious loan, contract or demand for payment is made, file a criminal complaint and contact the institution concerned.
7. If someone tells you that you have entered into a contract that you do not recognise, do not pay automatically and ask for supporting documents first.

How to prevent misuse of your ID card

The best way to avoid problems is to prevent them. Here are some tips on how you can protect your ID card:

• Don’t give your ID card out of your hand for no reason. When someone takes a photocopy of your ID card, for example at the authorities or banks, always check whether it is necessary. According to the ID card law, no one can take an ID card as collateral.
• Never send a copy of an ID card by email without encryption or a password.
• When copying an OP, consider anonymising it. Obfuscate the document number or photo if not necessary.
• Check your identity in the registersregularly.
• Use two-factor authentication for all services where possible.
• Use eDocuments. Starting in 2024, we can use eDocuments to verify our identity in many places. That way you can leave your physical ID at home so you don’t lose it.

Don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer if things get complicated. It is better to act preventively than to deal with the consequences of fraud. Most importantly, keep an eye on your documents.

Are you already dealing with a specific demand for payment, an unknown loan or a contract in your name? Send us your documents and we will assess the best way to defend yourself, who to contact and what steps to take first.

Summary

When you lose your ID card, the key is to act quickly: report the loss immediately to the local authority, the police or electronically (if you have a data box or electronic signature). Once reported, the card is registered as invalid, which significantly reduces the risk of misuse. If you find the card later, you must surrender it for destruction or at least present it to the authorities – otherwise you can be fined up to CZK 10,000. You must apply for a new licence within 15 days of reporting the loss; the fee is CZK 200, or up to CZK 1,000 for an express issue. At the same time, keep an eye out for misuse – check the debtors’ register (SOLUS, BRKI, NRKI) and the Citizen’s Portal. If you find fraudulent behaviour, file a criminal complaint and contact the relevant institutions (banks, operators). Prevention is prudent handling of the card – do not let it be copied without reason, do not send a copy unprotected and check your identity regularly.