A SIM card in Germany is not something you buy and use on the spot. Under section 172 of the German Telecommunications Act (TKG), operators must verify a prepaid customer's identity against an ID document before the SIM is activated. For most visitors, that document is a passport. The check happens either in a shop, where you show your ID, or online, where you hold your ID and face up to a smartphone camera. A SIM bought at a supermarket or kiosk stays inactive until you complete that online check yourself. This guide uses the law, the regulator's rules and the official pages of the three network operators to show what you need to get a German SIM working.
If you would rather not deal with identity checks after landing, you can set up a Germany eSIM before you leave. See the Coral eSIM plans for Germany and pick the data allowance that fits your stay.
A German SIM card needs a legal ID check before activation
What section 172 of the Telecommunications Act requires
Section 172(1) requires any provider that assigns phone numbers to collect and store the subscriber's name, address and date of birth before activation. Section 172(2) then requires prepaid mobile providers to check that this data is correct against an ID document before activation.
The key words are "before activation". You can walk away with a SIM card, but the line will not work until the check is complete. The ID check itself cannot be skipped.
The law lists which documents count
Section 172(2) lists the acceptable documents: German ID cards and passports, any other valid official photo ID that satisfies the passport requirement in Germany, including foreign passports recognised under immigration law, residence permits and similar papers. For a visitor from outside the EU, that effectively means your passport.
The law also says the data is checked only "insofar as it is contained in the documents presented". The data page of many passports, including Japanese ones, does not show a home address, so how the address is verified is left to each operator.
Four verification methods allowed for a German SIM card
Besides showing your ID at an operator's shop or a retailer, the law allows "other suitable procedures". The Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur, BNetzA) decides which ones qualify. Its current ruling, published in December 2021, allows four.
- In-person check by a third party: you present your ID at a counter separate from the SIM retailer, such as a post office, and staff check it by sight and touch for obvious forgery
- Video identification with an agent: a live video call in which an agent checks you and your ID on screen
- Automated video identification: an app matches a video of your ID and your face automatically
- Matching against an earlier verification: with your consent, data from a previous ID-based check, for example when you opened a bank account, is reused
For video identification, only documents with optical security features such as holograms and a machine-readable zone (MRZ) may be used. Which countries' passports, and which versions, are actually accepted depends on the list published by each verification service.
German law also treats the electronic ID function of German ID cards and residence permit cards (eID) as equivalent to showing the card. That option is for holders of those German cards. If all you have is a non-EU passport, your options are video identification (agent or automated) and in-person checks.
BNetzA has also said it is reviewing the rules because of security concerns around video identification, so details may change.
Activating a German SIM card with Telekom, Vodafone and O2
Here is what the three operators with their own networks say on their official pages.
| Operator | Verification methods (official pages) | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Telekom | Selfie-Ident in an app, Video-Ident by video call, Telekom shop | A passport may need additional proof of address (for example a German registration certificate) |
| Vodafone (prepaid brand CallYa) | Selfie-Ident, video call, online ID function, post office. In-store check at Vodafone shops and retailers | Video call and the POSTIDENT app accept an ID card or passport |
| O2 (Telefónica) | Automated OnlineIdent, VideoIdent by video chat, POSTIDENT at a post office. SIMs handed over in an O2 shop are already active | German documents plus "ID cards and passports from a wide range of other countries" |
POSTIDENT publishes which passports it accepts
POSTIDENT, one of the options offered by Vodafone and O2, is the identity service of Deutsche Post. Deutsche Post publishes lists of supported documents for its video chat, its automated app check and its post office counters. All three lists include, for example, Japanese passports of the types first issued in 2013 and 2020. If you hold another passport, check your country on these lists before you rely on this route.
We could not confirm from official information whether Telekom's Video-Ident or Selfie-Ident accepts a given foreign passport. Telekom does say that a passport may need to be combined with proof of address, such as a current German registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung), which a short-term visitor will not have.
How long activation takes
Vodafone says CallYa can be used within 24 hours at the latest after verification. O2 says it usually takes a few minutes and, in exceptional cases, up to 24 hours. Telekom finishes activation once you click a link in a confirmation email. Do not plan on the line working the moment you land.
If you would rather avoid the ID check and the wait, an eSIM set up at home is the simpler route. The Coral eSIM Germany plan can be installed before you fly, and you only need to switch on data after landing. For how online identity checks work, see what eKYC is; for setup, see how to set up an eSIM for travel.
Where you buy a German SIM card changes the process
Vodafone explains the process separately for each place of purchase.
- Vodafone shop: staff enter your details and check your ID on the spot
- Retailers (phone shops and similar): your ID is checked in store and the SIM is activated within 24 hours, confirmed by SMS
- Supermarket, kiosk or petrol station: you only buy the SIM. To activate it you register for CallYa yourself and verify your identity online or at a post office
Activating it yourself by video requires an internet connection and a device with a camera. Since the new SIM is not working yet, you will be doing this over hotel or airport Wi-Fi. For precautions when showing your ID over public Wi-Fi, see free Wi-Fi security.
Phone shops at Frankfurt Airport keep daytime hours
Frankfurt Airport's official site lists two mobile phone shops in Terminal 1: "Samsung / o2 Shop" (Area A, Level 0) and "FLC Airport Communications" (Area B, Level 1). Both open 9:00 to 19:00 on weekdays and close in the late afternoon or early evening at weekends, so they are closed for early-morning and late-evening arrivals. The official pages do not say whether either shop sells prepaid SIMs to visitors, and we could not confirm SIM outlets at Munich Airport from official airport information. For the trade-offs, see airport SIM vs eSIM.
German SIM card coverage differs by network
According to BNetzA (as of October 2025), about 98% of Germany's land area has 4G or 5G, and about 95% has 5G. That figure counts areas covered by at least one network. By operator, 5G area coverage is about 87% for Telekom, about 75% for Vodafone and about 76% for Telefónica (O2), a clear gap.
If your route takes you through rural areas or mountains, the network you choose matters. BNetzA publishes a coverage map based on operator data and checks it against measurements from its own app (the Funkloch-App), so it is worth looking up the places you will visit.
A German SIM card also works in other EU countries
Under the EU's "roam like at home" rules, a German SIM can be used on domestic terms in all EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, as well as Moldova and Ukraine. Switzerland and the UK are not on that list, so check your operator's terms if your trip includes them.
The rules assume you mainly use your SIM in the country where you bought it. According to the European Commission, operators look at usage over four months, and if both your time abroad and your roaming use exceed your domestic use, they may ask you to explain. If you cannot within 14 days, surcharges may apply. A German SIM is not a good fit if you will barely spend time in Germany. To compare ID rules across countries, see choosing a SIM for Europe.
Germany SIM card: frequently asked questions
Do I need a passport to buy a SIM card in Germany?
Yes. Section 172 of the Telecommunications Act requires operators to verify a prepaid customer's identity against an ID document before activation. For visitors from outside the EU, the passport is effectively the only document that works.
Can I activate a German SIM card with a non-EU passport?
Often, yes. Deutsche Post's POSTIDENT service, offered by Vodafone and O2, publishes lists of accepted documents that include many non-EU passports, for example Japanese passports of the types first issued in 2013 and 2020. Telekom says a passport may need extra proof of address, and we could not confirm from official information that a foreign passport alone is enough there.
Can I use a SIM card from a German supermarket or kiosk straight away?
No. According to Vodafone, a SIM bought at a supermarket, kiosk or petrol station must be registered for CallYa and verified by you, for example by video call. Activation can take up to 24 hours.
Does a German SIM card work in other European countries?
It works on domestic terms in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Moldova and Ukraine. Switzerland and the UK are not included. Long periods of use abroad can lead to surcharges.
Which German network has the best coverage?
BNetzA figures (October 2025) put 5G area coverage at about 87% for Telekom, about 75% for Vodafone and about 76% for Telefónica (O2). If you are heading to rural or mountain areas, check BNetzA's coverage map for the places you will visit.
Choose a German SIM card by what activation requires, not where it is sold
With a German SIM card, what matters is not finding a shop but meeting the conditions for activation. The ID check before activation is set by law, and for most visitors the only usable document is a passport. The German eID route is not open to visitors, and a SIM from a supermarket or kiosk stays inactive until you verify yourself. Carry your passport, pick a verification method that accepts it, and allow up to 24 hours for activation. That is the realistic way to use a local SIM in Germany.
To skip these steps entirely, set up an eSIM before you travel. See the Coral eSIM Germany plan, or browse all plans for other countries. To check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked, see how to check if your phone is unlocked.
