Sending a Copy of Your ID? How to Do It Safely

September 26, 2026

Landlords, new employers, insurance agents, car rental companies: they all ask for a copy of your ID. Often there's no way around sending it, but you can send it in a way that greatly limits the damage if the copy ends up in the wrong hands.

Why an ID copy is sensitive

A photo of an ID card shows your full name, ID number, date of birth and photo. That's exactly the combination someone needs to impersonate you: open an account, order a service, or file a request in your name. And these copies end up stored in many places: an office inbox, a management company's WhatsApp group, an agency's shared folder. Any of them can leak.

Step 1: ask whether it's really needed

Sometimes a copy is requested out of habit. If it's only to verify your name, showing the ID in person may be enough, or a copy with some details hidden. It isn't always possible, but it's worth asking.

Step 2: a watermark that states the purpose

This is the most effective step. Add a diagonal line of text to the copy stating who it's for and why, for example:

• For the rental of 5 Herzl St. only
• For Company X employee onboarding, 09/2026

The copy still serves its original purpose, because every detail is readable. But if someone tries to use it elsewhere, the watermark immediately shows it was meant for something else, and careful systems and clerks will reject it.

How to do it

1. If your copy is a phone photo, turn it into a PDF first with JPG to PDF. Both sides, in one file.
2. Open Watermark PDF and upload the PDF.
3. Type the text with the purpose and the date.
4. Choose Strong, so the watermark is clearly intentional and doesn't look like a smudge.
5. Download and check that every detail the recipient needs is still readable.

The watermark works in English, Hebrew and mixed text.

Step 3: send it carefully

• Email is better than a group chat. Send to one person, not a group, when you can.
• Lock the file with Password protect PDF, and send the password through a different channel, like a text message.
• Once the matter is done, it's reasonable to politely ask them to delete the copy.

Extra pages with more details

Some ID documents come with an attached page listing extra details, such as your address or family members. If only the ID card was requested, don't include it. If it's required, consider hiding what isn't relevant with Redact PDF, or ask in advance what exactly is needed. The guide to hiding personal details goes into more depth.

In short

Ask whether it's needed, add a watermark with the purpose and date, send to one person rather than a group, and add a password when you can. Three minutes of work that can save a lot of trouble.