Romanian ID card after marriage: deadline, documents and cost
Changed your surname at your wedding? How to get a new Romanian ID card: the 15-day deadline, the fine, documents, online booking, electronic vs simple card and how long it takes.
- Apply for the new ID card within 15 days of the wedding; missing the deadline carries a fine of 500-1,000 lei.
- The electronic card (CEI) costs 70 lei and takes about 5 days; the simple card (CIS) costs 40 lei and takes about 30 days.
- The electronic card can be requested at any ID office in Romania and is an EU travel document; the simple card cannot.
- Bring your current card, original birth and marriage certificates, proof of address and a receipt paid at CEC Bank or SelfPay.
- Booking is online only, on hub.mai.gov.ro, and can be done before the wedding.
If you took a new surname when you married, Romanian law gives you 15 days to apply for a new ID card. Book online on hub.mai.gov.ro and bring your current card, original birth and marriage certificates, proof of address and the payment receipt: 70 lei (about €14) for the electronic card or 40 lei (about €8) for the simple one. The electronic card takes about 5 days.
This guide is for Romanian citizens who changed their name at marriage, and for partners and family helping them. It was checked on 24 October 2026 against Emergency Ordinance 97/2005 and the Ministry of Internal Affairs pages (carteadeidentitate.gov.ro and hub.mai.gov.ro). The ID card is only the first document; the full list, with passport, car and bank, is in our guide to changing your name after marriage in Romania.
The 15-day deadline and the fine
You must apply for a new ID card within 15 days of a name change (Article 19 of Emergency Ordinance 97/2005). For a wedding in Romania the name changes on the wedding day, so the clock starts then.
- The old card stays with you until the new one is issued. It is not taken away at the city hall.
- The fine for missing the deadline is 500-1,000 lei (€100-200). Older websites, including some city halls, still quote 40-80 lei.
- The deadline is for the application, not for collecting the card.
Wedding on Saturday 18 September 2027. Day 15 is Sunday 3 October, so apply by Friday 1 October at the latest. You can book the appointment before the wedding.
Electronic or simple card
Since 2025 Romania issues two kinds of ID card:
| Electronic (CEI) | Simple (CIS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 70 lei | 40 lei |
| Chip | yes | no |
| EU travel document | yes | no |
| Where to apply | any ID office in Romania | only the office where you are domiciled |
| Processing time | 5 days on average, 30 at most | 30 days on average, 45 at most |
Sources: official FAQ and Ministry service page. Fees apply since 1 August 2025.
For most people the electronic card is the right choice: six times faster on average, available in the city where you actually live, and valid for travel in the EU.
The first electronic card was free for anyone over 14, paid from EU recovery funds. The official page gives 30 June 2026 as the end date, and the Ministry lists 70 lei for a card replaced because of a name change. Budget 70 lei and ask when you book.
Documents to bring
The Ministry's list for a name change after marriage (hub.mai.gov.ro):
- Your current ID card.
- Your birth certificate, original.
- Your marriage certificate, original.
- Proof of address, for example a land registry extract no older than 30 days (free for owners), or another document for the home; if you do not own it, the owner's consent.
- The payment receipt, original.
If you moved in together after the wedding, say so at the counter: the new card shows the address you prove, so bring the documents for the new home.
Booking and paying
- Booking is online only and free, on hub.mai.gov.ro/cei/programari/harta. There is no booking by phone or email.
- Payment is at CEC Bank or a SelfPay machine. Ghișeul.ro is not listed for ID cards. Keep the original receipt.
- At the counter you go in person with all originals; the photo is taken there.
Slots fill quickly in some cities. Book as early as you can, even before the wedding, so you stay within the 15 days.
Collecting the card
The electronic card must be collected in person, because you set the chip PIN codes on collection, within 90 days of applying. Until then, use your old card; you hand it in when you collect the new one.
What comes next
With the new card you can update everything else: passport (the old one may not be used after a name change, a new one costs 265 lei), car registration within 30 days (76 lei), driving licence (recommended, 139 lei), then employer, bank and utilities. Details and sources are in our guide to changing your name after marriage in Romania.
Special cases
- Married abroad: you cannot change the ID card until the marriage is transcribed into the Romanian registers, because the office asks for the Romanian marriage certificate. See registering a foreign marriage in Romania, then apply for the card straight away.
- You both took the joined names: you both need new cards, with the same documents. Book back to back at the same office.
- You kept your name: no new card. Romanian ID cards do not show marital status.
Still planning? See what you need for civil marriage in Romania, where you choose your married name.
Frequently asked questions
You must apply within 15 days of the wedding, under Article 19 of Emergency Ordinance 97/2005. The deadline is for the application, not for collecting the card.
Your current ID card, original birth and marriage certificates, proof of address (for example a land registry extract no older than 30 days) and the payment receipt. If you do not own the home, you also need the owner's consent.
The electronic card costs 70 lei (about €14) and the simple card 40 lei (about €8), since August 2025. Pay at CEC Bank or a SelfPay machine and bring the original receipt.
Yes. The law says a valid ID card stays with the holder until the new one is issued. You hand it in when you collect the new card.
