New Estonian ID cards experiencing glitches as store loyalty cards
ID cards issued in Estonia from July may not be recognized by some retail and government systems using outdated software.
Starting July 2025, Estonia's card manufacturer IDEMIA began issuing ID cards with an updated chip platform, due to which some systems may fail to automatically read loyalty cards linked to the new IDs.
"No loyalty card should be invalid," said Silvia Lips, an expert at the Electronic Identity Department at the Information System Authority (RIA). "Service provider updates should restore full functionality."
The issue affects public and private providers using ID cards for identity verification and digital signatures, or as loyalty cards.
Lips noted that the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), ministries and other state agencies are among those that must update their systems to ensure all ID cards work seamlessly.
The RIA also said that in most cases, only software updates are needed, not new card readers.
Even newer ID cards will be issued by Thales starting November 16, with changes in both chip platform and software. Lips said the RIA is working with partners to make guides and updates available early.
Users experiencing loyalty card issues should contact service providers directly, while businesses are advised to follow RIA guidance and sign up for its ID software mailing list for updates.
Prisma stores report ID card glitches
Prisma told customers Friday that updating store software to read the new chips will take time.
Until the updates are in place, ID cards issued from July 2 onward cannot automatically verify account status or be used with handheld scanners.
Customers with affected cards should alert cashiers, who can enter the data manually. At self-checkout, staff can do the same. If items have already been scanned, however, they must be rescanned to complete the purchase.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
