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PhrasesItalian BureaucracyDevo rinnovare la carta d'identità.
A2

Devo rinnovare la carta d'identità.

I need to renew my identity card.

Pronunciation

i-den-ti-TÀ — four syllables; the accent on the final 'a' means strong stress there.

When to use it

Use this when your Italian identity card (CIE — Carta di Identità Elettronica) is expiring or has expired. The card is valid for 10 years for adults and must be renewed at your comune of residence.

What it means

The Carta di Identità Elettronica (CIE) is the electronic identity card issued by Italian municipalities. Since 2017 it contains a chip and serves as a travel document within the EU and many other countries. It is also a form of SPID-level authentication. Renewal requires an appointment at the anagrafe.

Variations

La mia carta d'identità è scaduta.

My identity card has expired.

Scaduta is the feminine past participle of scadere (to expire); carta d'identità is feminine.

Serve una foto tessera per la carta d'identità.

You need a passport photo for the identity card.

Foto tessera is the standard term for the small ID-format photo.

Con la carta d'identità posso viaggiare in Europa senza passaporto.

With the identity card I can travel in Europe without a passport.

Key benefit; the CIE is an EU travel document.

Mini Dialogue

— La mia carta d'identità scade il mese prossimo. Posso rinnovarla? — Sì, puoi rinnovarla fino a 180 giorni prima della scadenza. Prenota online all'anagrafe. — Quanto costa? — Sono circa 22 euro per la nuova carta elettronica. Porta una foto tessera e il documento vecchio.

— My identity card expires next month. Can I renew it? — Yes, you can renew it up to 180 days before expiry. Book online at the registry office. — How much does it cost? — It's about 22 euros for the new electronic card. Bring a passport photo and the old document.

Cultural Note

Italy's CIE (Carta di Identità Elettronica) is one of Europe's most advanced national ID cards, containing biometric data and a chip that enables electronic authentication. From 2026, it will fully integrate with the EU Digital Identity Wallet framework, allowing Italian citizens to use it for accessing services across all EU member states.