Bike security marking: methods, costs and providers compared

Adhesive marking, stamping, laser or RFID chip — which method suits your frame, what it costs and where to get it. Plus: the marking you fit yourself, without an appointment.

compatible with ADFC marking valid EU-wide over 4,500 customers

What is bike security marking?

Bike security marking is a permanent, visible identification code on the frame that clearly links your bike to you — either as the classic German EIN (“Eigentümer-Identifizierungs-Nummer”, the owner identification number), which contains encoded details about your place of residence and ownership, or as a database ID with a QR code such as the BikePass ID.

The benefit is twofold: thieves see straight away that this bike is registered and that reselling it is risky. And if the police find your bike, they can identify you through the code — with 246,000 bikes stolen every year in Germany (PKS 2024, the German police crime statistics) and a clear-up rate below 10 %, that is a real advantage. But let us be clear: marking is not a lock and not an insurance policy, it is the additional layer of protection that makes reselling harder.

Which methods of bike security marking are there?

Adhesive marking, stamping, laser or chip — every method has strengths and limits. What matters is whether it suits your frame material and how quickly you can get it.

Adhesive marking (BikePass ID)

A tamper-proof special sticker with an individual ID and QR code is applied to the frame. Anyone who scans it sees immediately: registered — including the status and any theft report. You can fit it yourself straight away, without an appointment, and it suits every frame material — including carbon, which must not be stamped. The BikePass ID set of two stickers (30 × 30 mm, for frame and battery) costs €34.99 as a one-off and is linked to your digital BikePass.

Go to the BikePass ID

Stamped marking (ADFC / police)

A punch tool stamps the code directly into the frame — permanent, well established and valued by police and insurers alike. However: carbon frames must not be stamped, and thin-walled aluminium frames often cannot be either. Appointments at ADFC and police events are frequently booked out weeks in advance, and the meaning of the code is regionally limited.

Laser marking

A laser burns the characters into the surface of the paint — very precise and visually discreet, and possible on painted carbon frames (paint only, not the material). At €50–100, however, it is expensive and available only from a few specialist dealers.

RFID / chip marking

A tiny chip is fitted inside the frame and read out with a reader — invisible and hard to remove. The catch: police and buyers need an RFID reader, which is rarely available. Comparatively high cost, low take-up — as theft protection it is of little practical use.

What does bike security marking cost?

From the low-cost police event to laser engraving: the usual prices at a glance. ADFC and ADAC members often pay considerably less for stamping.

Provider / method	Price	Without an appointment?	For carbon?
ADFC stamped marking	approx. €15 (members approx. €10)	—	—
ADAC stamped marking	approx. €15 (members approx. €7.50)	—	—
Police marking days	€5–15 (often free at events)	—	—
Laser marking	€50–100	—	paint only
BikePass ID adhesive marking + digital registration	€34.99 one-off (set of 2 stickers)

Tip: when you buy a new bike, many dealers offer marking free of charge — it is worth asking. You will find ADFC appointments through the regional associations, and police marking days often run at town festivals or on the German road safety day, the “Tag der Verkehrssicherheit”.

The marking you fit yourself

BikePass ID: two tamper-proof stickers (30 × 30 mm) for frame and battery — weather- and UV-resistant, linked to your digital bike passport. €34.99 one-off, no subscription. Shipped from Germany within 1–3 working days.

View the BikePass ID

Does adhesive marking really work?

“Sticker” sounds like “can be scratched off”. In fact, adhesive marking is designed precisely for that attack — and if in doubt, it is the database that counts, not the sticker.

Weatherproof grip

The BikePass sticker is UV-, weather- and heat-resistant and protected against abrasion by a protective laminate. Under normal use it lasts for many years — including in rain, snow and intense sunlight.

It leaves traces

The sticker does not crumble — it simply holds extremely well. The special adhesive withstands several kilograms of pull, and any attempt to remove it always leaves visible adhesive edges or paint damage. That makes removal or replacement by thieves extremely difficult — and a visibly tampered bike looks suspicious to every buyer.

Digital connection

Even if the sticker is destroyed, your registration in the BikePass system remains — including frame number and proof of ownership. We replace a damaged sticker free of charge; you simply link the ID again in the app.

Verifiable for authorities

As a Europe-wide register, BikePass is also accessible to public authorities. Police and local authorities see immediately whether a bike is registered or reported stolen when they find or check it — via the search or the BikePass API.

Adhesive marking without digital registration would indeed be weak. The combination of a visible sticker plus EU-wide registration, on the other hand, works for every frame material — with no intervention in the frame at all.

Marking + registration = maximum protection

Marking alone only gets you halfway: without a database entry, the police cannot match a recovered bike to anyone and a buyer cannot check anything. Here is how you combine both layers in three steps.

Mark it

Stick the two BikePass ID stickers clearly visible on the frame and battery — weatherproof, scratch-resistant, UV-resistant. With no tools, appointment or waiting time.

Register it

Link the ID to your digital BikePass in a few clicks — registration takes less than 3 minutes.

Protect it

Finders, buyers and the police can scan your bike — the Europe-wide database helps in the event of theft and builds trust when you resell.

BIKEPASS ID

The BikePass ID is our form of bike security marking: a visible identifier with a QR code that links your bike to the digital passport.

Easy to fitat home too, incl. one year of free membership on BikePass.eu
Visible deterrentthanks to two ultra-grip stickers (weather- & UV-resistant)
Compatiblewith ADFC marking, serial number and EIN number
Easy identificationof the owner — supports investigations after a theft

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Delivery 1–3 working days · plus €3.80 shipping within Germany

€34.99 incl. VAT

More about the BikePass ID

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How long does a marking sticker last?

The BikePass ID stickers are UV-, weather- and heat-resistant and protected against abrasion by a protective laminate. In material tests over 30 days, salt spray and continuous UV exposure left no visible effect, and solvents and constant abrasion do them no harm either. Under normal use they last for many years – including in rain, snow and intense sunlight.

Can I security-mark my bike myself?

With an adhesive sticker, yes: wipe the frame clean, apply the sticker, press it down firmly and link the ID in the BikePass app – no tools, no appointment, no waiting. A stamped marking, on the other hand, should only be carried out by a trained marker, because incorrect stamping can damage the frame.

What do the numbers of a bike marking mean?

With the classic EIN marking (“Eigentümer-Identifizierungs-Nummer”, the German owner identification number) the code contains encoded details about your place of residence and ownership. The BikePass ID is a unique database number that is linked to the data you have stored.

Is an adhesive marking accepted by the police?

What counts is the verifiable registration behind it: as a Europe-wide register, BikePass is also accessible to public authorities – police and local authorities can quickly see whether a bike is registered or reported stolen when they find or check it.

Do I have to have my bike security-marked?

No, there is no obligation. But with e-bikes worth around €1,500 or more, some insurance policies require marking or registration – and in any case it makes proof of ownership easier. At the latest, that is when it pays off.

What is the difference between marking and registration?

Marking is the visible code on the frame, registration is the entry in a database. The two complement each other – on its own, each only delivers half the protection. You can also register your bike entirely digitally, without any sticker. For maximum protection we recommend combining the digital passport with physical marking.

Security-mark and register your bike now

Registered for free in less than 3 minutes — optionally with the BikePass ID as visible adhesive marking. Your proof of ownership for police and insurers, valid EU-wide.

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less than 3 minutes free valid EU-wide