New Estonian ID Cards 2025: What You Need to Know?

Starting from November 14, the state will begin issuing new type ID cards, manufactured by Thales with an updated chip and new digital certificates.

This sounds technical and indeed, the bulk of the work will fall on IT specialists and service providers. But for regular users too, especially people working in offices, schools, and municipalities, it's worth knowing what this change means.

If your daily work involves signing documents, confirming employee contracts, or logging into systems that use an ID card, the new card may cause confusion for a while if systems are not updated on time.

The purpose of this article is to explain in simple terms what exactly is changing, why it's being done, and what you as a manager, HR professional, or school administrator should check already now to ensure everything works smoothly even after November 2025.

What Exactly Is Changing?

Starting from November 14, 2025, the Estonian state will begin issuing new generation ID cards. Behind this change is a manufacturer switch – instead of the previous French company IDEMIA, the cards will be manufactured by Thales DIS Finland Oy. In addition to the manufacturer, the certificate service provider is also changing to the Belgian company Zetes SA. It is through the collaboration of these two that the digital foundation of the new ID card is created – meaning a new chip, new certificates, and a slightly different technical structure.

For the regular user, the new card looks almost the same as the current one. The important difference is that the electronic side of the card works on a new technical platform, which requires systems to be updated so that the new card can correctly "introduce" itself.

The Information System Authority (RIA) has repeatedly emphasized that all service providers and information systems that use ID card authentication or signing must review their systems by that time and update them if necessary. Read more

If this is not done, it may happen that a person who receives a new ID card will no longer be able to log into some systems or sign documents with their card. According to RIA, test cards are already available and service providers can use them to check and test their systems before the official launch (id.ee).

The purpose of the change is not merely a technical update, but also ensuring security and sustainability. Every few years, Estonia updates its ID solutions to comply with the European Union's eIDAS regulation and new digital identity standards requirements. This step is part of a broader strategy aimed at keeping Estonia's digital state modern and secure.

Additionally, the new system creates an opportunity to offer new services in the future, such as using the ID card for non-official purposes – for example, as a loyalty card or access key in company internal environments, which is already being tested (ria.ee).

In summary, this means that if your work depends on confirming documents or managing employees using an ID card, it is sensible to investigate now whether your information systems are ready for this change. While the technical work is for developers to do, awareness and planning ahead help avoid situations where the workday stops because the new card doesn't work as expected.

Why This Change Is Being Made and How It Affects You

Estonia's ID card is part of our daily digital life and the country's security. Like any technology, it also needs updating from time to time to meet new security requirements and European Union standards. The 2025 change is part of a broader process that brings Estonia one step closer to the European Digital Identity Wallet or eIDAS 2.0 system. The introduction of the new chip and service provider helps ensure that the ID card remains trustworthy for the next decade as well.

Although the change sounds technical, it actually affects everyone who uses an ID card daily – both company managers, HR and school administrators, and regular employees. If your organization's systems are not updated on time, it may happen that you can no longer log in or sign documents with the new ID card. However, if everything is updated, nothing changes in your work life – everything continues smoothly.

Therefore, this is primarily a task for IT teams and service providers, but awareness of the change helps managers, secretaries, or HR specialists ask the right questions and be prepared for problems. More detailed information about the ID card update and timeline can be found on the Information System Authority's website ria.ee and portal id.ee.

What Can Happen If Not Prepared for the Change

If an organization does not update its systems before November 14, 2025, users of new ID cards may encounter unexpected situations. The most common problem is that a person can no longer log into a portal or sign a document with their card. The system simply doesn't recognize the new card because its digital signature certificates and backend services have changed.

RIA has already warned early on that to avoid such situations, all e-services using ID cards should be reviewed and updated if necessary (id.ee). Test cards are also available so that developers can try their systems before the change.

From a regular user's perspective, this means that the problem is not in their computer or card, but in the service itself. For example, if the HR department uses a system for signing that has not been updated, the owner of the new ID card may no longer be able to sign contracts. The same can happen in schools where teachers sign documents or parents give consent digitally.

Usually the solution is simple – a system update or configuration change – but if it's not done, the workday can stop at the most unexpected moment. That's why it's important for every organization, whether a small company or school, to check early on whether the e-services they use are updated and ready for the new ID card.

How to Prepare – Practical Steps

For the ID card update in November 2025 to go smoothly, a few simple preparations are enough. First, it's worth asking your software and service providers whether their systems are ready for the new ID card. This applies to all environments that use ID card-based login or signing.

It's also sensible to add a reminder to your calendar for mid-November – to check if everything is working as expected. RIA offers test cards and instructions on how to review system readiness for this purpose.

If someone on your team gets a new ID card and it doesn't work right away, the problem is not in the card, but in the service configuration. Therefore, awareness and timely communication help avoid work stoppages.

Agrello users can be confident that our platform is prepared for the update and will work flawlessly with the new ID card as well.

Summary and Recommendations

The new ID card that will come into use on November 14, 2025, is part of the natural development of Estonia's e-state. It's not something scary or complicated, but it shouldn't be ignored either. The card's technical solution and certificate backend service are changing, which means some information systems need a small update so that everything continues to work the same way as now.

For regular users, daily life remains the same and its use does not change. But for organizations, it's important to check that all systems where an ID card is used are up to date. This is especially true for those who manage documents, contracts, or employee data digitally.

The best thing you can do now is simple: talk to your service providers, plan a small check in early November, and inform your employees that a new card is coming. If everything is ready on time, nothing changes in your work life – and that's a good sign.

Agrello ensures that our signing and document management platform works flawlessly with the new ID card as well. If you want assurance that your organization's document workflows will continue without interruption, it's worth contacting us or following RIA's official announcements on the portal id.ee.

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