Austrian e-card 2026: Photo, Service Fee and Exemptions

The e-card is Austria’s social insurance chip card. You use it at the doctor’s office to prove that you have health insurance. This guide explains what information is stored on the card, when you need to provide a photo, how much the annual service fee is in 2026 and who may be exempt.

What is the e-card used for?

The e-card is issued to every insured person and eligible dependent. It primarily proves that you have health insurance. It also works as a key card for accessing applications in the e-card system and the electronic health record (ELGA).

No medical data is stored on the card itself.

The front of the card contains:

• your name and title,
• your address,
• your social insurance number (Sozialversicherungsnummer),
• the card sequence number (Kartenfolgenummer),
• the e-card customer service number: 050 124 3311,
• the telephone health advice number: 1450 (“Wenn’s weh tut”).

The letters “SV” (Sozialversicherung) also appear in Braille. The back of the card contains the European Health Insurance Card (EKVK).

Do you need a photo for the e-card?

Yes, if you have reached the age of 14. Since 1 January 2020, every newly issued or replacement e-card has included a photo. Children under 14 receive a card without a photo.

The photo on the card is black and white, the same size as the photo on an identity card, and must show the cardholder recognisably.

When do you not need to do anything?

Most insured people do not need to take any action because the social insurance system obtains their photo from existing official registers. The photo may come from:

• an Austrian passport,
• an Austrian identity card,
• a bank-card-format driving licence (Scheckkartenführerschein),
• the foreigners register (Fremdenregister), for example a residence permit, identity card for foreign nationals, alien’s passport or refugee travel document.

When must you provide a photo?

If your photo is not available in any federal or provincial register, you must take a photo to the responsible registration office (Registrierungsstelle). It is best to do this three to four months before the expiry date. The expiry date appears on the back of the card.

If the expiry date has already passed, is after 31 December 2023, or is replaced by asterisks, you will be informed about the photo requirement at your next doctor’s visit or when contacting the social insurance provider. You then have a five-month grace period to register the photo.

Who is exempt from the photo requirement?

• Children under 14: no photo is required; they receive a card without a photo.
• People who will reach or have already reached the age of 70 in the year the card is issued, until 31 December 2031: no photo is required, although they may provide one voluntarily.
• People receiving Pflegegeld at level 4 or higher: no photo is required, although they may provide one voluntarily.

How much is the e-card fee in 2026?

An annual service fee (Serviceentgelt) is payable for the e-card. For employees, the employer collects the fee.

The fee is due on 15 November of the calendar year before the year to which it applies. The fee for 2026 is 25 euros, and it was collected in November 2025. The amount is adjusted upwards slightly each year.

No fee is payable for co-insured (mitversichert) dependants.

Pensioners: transitional rule

Pensioners covered under ASVG or GSVG are exempt through 2026. Under a transitional rule, their first payment is due on 15 November 2026 for the 2027 calendar year and is deducted from their pension.

Who is exempt from the service fee?

Anyone exempt from the prescription fee (Rezeptgebühr) is also exempt from the e-card fee. The exemption also applies to eligible dependants.

The following groups are exempt without submitting an application, among others:

• people receiving certain benefits because of financial hardship, such as the compensatory supplement (Ausgleichszulage),
• people performing civilian service (Zivildienst) and their dependants,
• participants in the voluntary social year,
• people with self-insurance because they care for a disabled child,
• asylum seekers receiving federal care.

Exemption based on income

You may apply for an exemption if your monthly net income does not exceed the following 2026 guideline amounts:

• Single person: 1,308.39 euros
• Single person with increased medication requirements: 1,504.65 euros
• Married couple or partners: 2,064.12 euros
• Married couple or partners with increased medication requirements: 2,373.74 euros
• Increase for each co-insured child: 201.88 euros

The income of a spouse or partner must be included. The income of other people living in the household is counted at 12.5 per cent. Submit the application to the responsible health insurance provider.

Frequently asked questions

Does the e-card store medical data?

No. The card only acts as a key to the e-card system and ELGA; it does not contain medical data itself.

Is the photo on the card in colour?

No. The photo is black and white and the same size as the photo on an identity card.

When will the 2027 fee be deducted?

The fee is always due on 15 November of the previous year. Therefore, the fee for 2027 is due on 15 November 2026.

Where can you ask questions about the e-card?

The e-card customer service (Serviceline) can be reached on 050 124 3311.

Practical steps

1. Check the back of your e-card for its expiry date.
2. Confirm whether your photo is already available in an eligible official register.
3. If you are required to provide a photo, visit the responsible Registrierungsstelle, preferably three to four months before the expiry date.
4. If you are notified of the requirement after the expiry date or because the card shows a date after 31 December 2023 or asterisks, register the photo within five months.
5. Check whether you qualify for an automatic or application-based service-fee exemption.
6. Contact the e-card Serviceline on 050 124 3311 if you need further information.

This article is based on information available online and does not constitute advice. Use of the information is at your own responsibility. For professional advice, contact a lawyer, legal professional, healthcare professional, employment-law or labour-market specialist, or another relevant professional.

Source: oesterreich.gv.at