Kuwait Civil ID Fees 2026: Every PACI Charge in One Place
Civil ID Fee Calculator
Estimate what you will pay PACI for a new card, renewal or replacement, including fines and delivery.
Nothing you enter leaves this page. This is an estimate only; the PACI payment page shows the exact amount for each civil number.
Kuwait Civil ID charges are small, but they add up when you miss a deadline. The standard smart card is 5 KD, a replacement is 20 KD, and a late registration fine is another 20 KD. Add the envelope, delivery and SMS costs, and it is easy to lose track.
I compared the PACI fee listings on Kuwait Government Online, the PACI payment page, Kuwait Times reports and the most-read fee guides, then put every charge in one place. If you only want to know whether your card is ready, use our Civil ID status checker instead. This guide covers new cards, renewal, replacement, fines, newborns, domestic workers, delivery, certificates and payment by K-Net, for Kuwaiti citizens, GCC citizens and expats.
Table of Contents
Popular Civil ID guides
Quick answers to the most common Kuwait Civil ID and PACI questions.
Kuwait Civil ID Fees 2026: Full Table
Amounts are in Kuwaiti dinars (KD). The PACI payment page shows the exact amount for your civil number, so treat it as the final word.
| Service | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Smart card, new or renewal | 5 KD | PACI service pages |
| Envelope fee | 0.250 KD | PACI payment page, guides |
| Replacement, lost or damaged | 20 KD | PACI service pages |
| Domestic worker card | 2 KD plastic card (guides) or 5 KD (one official page) | Sources differ |
| Late registration fine | 20 KD | PACI service pages |
| Address not updated | Up to 100 KD | Law No. 32 of 1982 |
| Home delivery | About 2 KD, 0.250 KD per extra card | Kuwait Times 2020, guides |
| Certificate while waiting | 1 KD | PACI GCC page, guides |
| SMS service on 1889988 | 50 fils per message received | PACI and Zain |
Most people pay 5.250 KD for a normal card: 5 KD for the card and 0.250 KD for the envelope.
New Civil ID Fee (First Registration)
New expats register for a Civil ID after the residency is issued. The official PACI page for Articles 17, 18, 19, 23 and 24 lists a fixed fee of 5 KD, paid on the PACI website, and you apply online through paci.gov.kw or Sahel.
- Card fee: 5 KD.
- Envelope: 0.250 KD, shown on the payment page.
- Total: usually 5.250 KD.
Guides report that a first card takes about 10 days.
Civil ID Renewal Fees
Renewal costs the same as a new card. You pay 5 KD for the smart card plus the 0.250 KD envelope fee.
- Kuwaiti citizens: the official renewal page lists a fixed 5 KD fee, payable on the PACI website, and renewal through Sahel, the website, in person or by calling or texting 1889988.
- Expats: guides and the payment page show 5 KD plus the envelope. The official expat page still shows a 2 KD smart card fee next to a 5 KD variable fee, which looks like a figure from before 2016.
- GCC citizens: the official page lists 5 KD plus 0.250 KD.
For the full process, see our Kuwait Civil ID renewal guide.
Replacement Fees for a Lost or Damaged Card
A replacement card costs 20 KD whether the card was lost, stolen or damaged. The official expat page lists the 20 KD fee as fixed, paid on the PACI website, with no variable fee.
| Case | Fee |
|---|---|
| Lost card | 20 KD |
| Damaged card | 20 KD |
| Certificate while you wait (60 days) | 1 KD |
| Private office help near PACI | About 3 KD (optional) |
Some guides quote 2 KD, 10 KD or 15 KD. No official page supports those, and 10 KD was the fee before April 2016.
Late Registration, Renewal and Address Fines
PACI fines are fixed and short to list. The 20 KD late fine is the one most people meet.
| Fine | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Late registration (Articles 17, 23, 24) | 20 KD | More than 30 days after the residence permit |
| Late registration (Articles 18, 19) | 20 KD | More than 60 days after the work permit |
| Late domestic worker registration (Article 20) | 20 KD | More than 30 days after the residence |
| Late newborn registration | 20 KD | After the newborn deadline |
| Address not updated | Up to 100 KD | Under Article 33 of Law No. 32 of 1982 |
The PACI payment page shows any fine in a separate Fine line, and you pay it together with the card fee.
Late collection: in 2023, Gulf News reported that PACI was studying a 20 KD fine for cards collected more than three months after they are ready, and destroying cards after six months. That was a proposal. One guide now lists 20 KD for late collection, while another says there is no fine but an uncollected card is destroyed after six months and you pay the fees again. Collect your card quickly either way.
Newborn Civil ID Fees
A baby’s Civil ID costs the same as an adult card: 5 KD for the smart card and 0.250 KD for the envelope, so 5.250 KD in total. Parents pay with K-Net when they apply online.
If you miss the deadline, PACI adds the 20 KD late fine. For expat babies, MOI residency fees and residency fines are separate from the PACI card fee.
Domestic Worker Civil ID Fees
Domestic workers on Article 20 residence carry a Civil ID too. Here sources differ:
- Guides and PACI fee tables in guides: a plastic card for domestic staff costs 2 KD, plus the envelope.
- The official first-time registration page for domestic workers: lists a fixed fee of 5 KD.
- The official expat renewal page: lists a plastic card for domestic staff but shows no amount.
Pay the amount the PACI payment page shows for the worker’s civil number. Register within 30 days of the residence to avoid the 20 KD fine.
Fees for Kuwaiti Citizens, GCC Citizens and Expats
| Category | Card fee | Envelope | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuwaiti citizens | 5 KD | 0.250 KD | 20 KD |
| GCC citizens | 5 KD | 0.250 KD | 20 KD |
| Expats | 5 KD | 0.250 KD | 20 KD |
| Domestic workers | 2 KD or 5 KD (sources differ) | 0.250 KD | 20 KD |
Expats also pay MOI residency fees, which rose on 23 December 2025, but those are separate from the Civil ID.
Delivery and Envelope Fees
Envelope fee: 0.250 KD per card. It appears as Envelope Fees on the PACI payment page and is usually added automatically. You can check an envelope by SMS: send E followed by the receipt number to 1889988.
Home delivery: PACI launched card delivery in November 2020. Kuwait Times reported a fee of KD 2 per card and KD 0.250 for each extra card to the same address, with delivery within two working days. Guides from 2024 to 2026 still quote about 2 KD and describe a Temporary Delivery Card service on the PACI site. You hand your old card to the courier when you receive the new one.
Delivery is optional; collecting the card yourself has no delivery charge.
Certificate and SMS Charges
Certificate: if your card is lost or still being replaced, PACI can issue a certificate to prove your identity. The official GCC page lists a 1 KD certificate valid for 60 days, and guides list a 1 KD temporary certificate for others too.
SMS service on 1889988: subscribing is free, then each message you receive costs 50 fils.
- Renewal by SMS: send R followed by your civil number to 1889988.
- Inquiry by SMS: send I followed by your civil number to 1889988.
- Cost of SMS renewal: 5 KD, plus 0.250 KD, plus 50 fils for each message received.
Who Is Exempt from Civil ID Fees
The official Kuwaiti renewal page says people with moderate or severe disabilities are exempt from issuing and renewal fees. They need proof from the Public Authority for Disability Affairs, under Law No. 8 of 2010.
The guides I checked list no other general exemptions.
How to Check and Pay Civil ID Fees Online (Step by Step)
The PACI Card and Fine Payment page shows Card Fees, Envelope Fees, Fine and a Total for any civil number. You do not need a login.
Prefer to watch? This short video shows how to pay the Civil ID fee online:
- Step 1 Open the PACI e-services site and choose Card and Fine Payment (the page title reads Payment Inquiry).
- Step 2 Enter the civil number and click Submit.
- Step 3 Check the Card Fees, Envelope Fees, Fine and Total lines.
- Step 4 Click Pay and choose your bank on the K-Net page.
- Step 5 Enter your card number, expiry date and PIN, then click Submit.
- Step 6 Click Print or save the receipt and keep the reference number.
You can add several civil numbers and pay for the whole family at once; remove any civil number with errors first, as the page asks. To see fines on their own, use our Civil ID fine check guide.
Paying Through Sahel, SMS and Kiosks
- Sahel: go to Services, then Public Authority for Civil Information, then Card Services, then Card Renewal. Select the person, click Next and pay by K-Net.
- SMS: send R and your civil number to 1889988 to renew; you pay the card fee plus 50 fils per message.
- PACI kiosks: guides say kiosks take bank cards only and print a receipt; cash is not accepted.
Guides agree that bank branches and exchange houses do not take Civil ID fees.
Recent Civil ID Fee Changes (2016 to 2026)
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 1 April 2016 | Card fee rose from KD 2 to KD 5; replacement from KD 10 to KD 20 |
| November 2020 | Home delivery launched at KD 2 per card |
| August 2023 | PACI studied a 20 KD late collection fine (proposal) |
| 23 December 2025 | MOI residency fees rose (iqama KD 20, health insurance KD 100); PACI card fees unchanged |
The 2016 rise followed an Audit Bureau finding that a card costs PACI more than KD 4.5 to make, and the core card fees have not changed since. The December 2025 changes under Ministerial Resolution 2249 of 2025 affect residency, visit visas and dependents, not the Civil ID itself.
Common Civil ID Fee Problems and Fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Total shows 0 KD | Fees may not be due yet; check again after applying |
| Amount higher than 5.250 KD | A fine or replacement fee is included; read each line |
| Payment failed | Try again with a K-Net card and check your bank OTP |
| Money taken, no receipt | Wait, then check the payment page again or call 1889988 |
| Error on a civil number | Remove the number with errors, then pay the rest |
| Domestic worker amount differs | Pay the amount PACI shows for that civil number |
| Card not collected for months | Collect quickly; it may be destroyed and you pay again |
If a problem stays, call the PACI hotline on 1889988.
Tips to Save Money on Civil ID Fees
- Register within 30 days of residency to avoid the 20 KD fine.
- Update your address within 30 days of moving.
- Collect your card quickly so you do not pay twice.
- Keep your card safe; a replacement costs four times a renewal.
- Skip delivery if a PACI machine is near you.
- Pay only on official PACI pages or Sahel, never through agents.
- Save every receipt and reference number.
Residency fees are separate from card fees; see the residency renewal online guide. Some requests, such as a Civil ID cancellation, have their own charges.
More Civil ID and PACI guides
Every guide on the site, in one place.
FAQs About Kuwait Civil ID Fees
How much is a Kuwait Civil ID in 2026?
The smart card costs 5 KD, plus a 0.250 KD envelope fee, so most people pay 5.250 KD.
How much is the Civil ID renewal fee?
Renewal costs 5 KD plus 0.250 KD for the envelope, the same as a new card.
How much is a lost Civil ID replacement?
20 KD for a lost, stolen or damaged card. Lower figures in some guides are not supported by official pages.
What is the fine for late Civil ID registration?
20 KD, after 30 days from the residence permit for most expats, or 60 days from the work permit for Articles 18 and 19.
How much is the Civil ID for a domestic worker?
Sources differ: guides list a 2 KD plastic card, while one official page shows 5 KD. Pay the amount PACI shows.
How much does Civil ID home delivery cost?
About 2 KD for the first card and 0.250 KD for each extra card to the same address.
How much is a newborn Civil ID?
5.250 KD: 5 KD for the card and 0.250 KD for the envelope, plus 20 KD if you register late.
How can I pay Civil ID fees?
By K-Net on the PACI Card and Fine Payment page or in Sahel. Guides say kiosks take bank cards but not cash.
Can I pay Civil ID fees for my family?
Yes. Add each civil number on the PACI payment page and pay the total in one transaction.
Is there a fine for not collecting my Civil ID?
Sources differ. PACI studied a 20 KD fine in 2023, and guides say uncollected cards can be destroyed after six months.
Did Civil ID fees increase in 2025 or 2026?
No change to the PACI card fees was reported. The December 2025 increase covered MOI residency and visa fees.
Conclusion
Civil ID fees are simple once you know the four numbers that matter: 5 KD, 0.250 KD, 20 KD and 2 KD. Here is the short version:
| If you want to | Do this |
|---|---|
| Get or renew a card | Pay 5 KD plus 0.250 KD by K-Net |
| Replace a lost or damaged card | Pay 20 KD |
| Check what you owe | Use PACI Card and Fine Payment |
| Get the card at home | Add about 2 KD for delivery |
- Meet the 30-day deadline, because the 20 KD fine costs four times the card.
- Pay only on PACI or Sahel, and save each receipt.
- Check the payment page first, because it shows your exact total.
Fees can change by government decision, so confirm the amount on the PACI payment page before you pay. I based this guide on PACI and Kuwait Government Online listings plus news references, last checked in October 2026.
How much will you pay?
Add up the card fee, envelope, fines, delivery and certificate for one card or the whole family.
