Starting November 15, 2026, millions of will be required to pay an annual service fee for the E-Card. The 2027 fee is set at 26.85 euros, up from 25 euros in 2026 and 13.80 euros in 2025. This payment will be deducted automatically.
The fee will be taken directly from the November 2026 pension payment, requiring no separate application or bank transfer. While pensioners were previously exempt, those receiving a or with social exemptions remain fee-exempt.
To offset costs, pensions up to 6,930 euros gross will increase by 2.95 percent in January 2027. Higher pensions will see a fixed 204.44 euro raise, while compensatory allowance rates will grow by 3.3 percent to support vulnerable residents in Austria.