---
title: "Art. 87 GDPR: Processing of the national identification number"
canonical: "https://dposchool.com/gdpr/article/87"
source: "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679#art_87"
source_note: "Source: Regulation (EU) 2016/679, Official Journal L 119, 4.5.2016, as corrected. Only the text published in the Official Journal is authentic. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu"
text_as_of: "2026-10-28"
last_reviewed: "2026-10-29"
language: "en"
publisher: "DPO School"
---

Art. 87 GDPR · Chapter IX: Provisions relating to specific processing situations

# Article 87 GDPR: Processing of the national identification number

Text as of 28 October 2026 · [Reviewed by Sergio Maldonado Elvira on 29 October 2026](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/about#review)

## Summary (not the official text)

Member States may further determine the specific conditions for processing a national identification number or any other identifier of general application, which may then be used only under appropriate safeguards for the rights and freedoms of the data subject.

## Official text

Member States may further determine the specific conditions for the processing of a national identification number or any other identifier of general application. In that case the national identification number or any other identifier of general application shall be used only under appropriate safeguards for the rights and freedoms of the data subject pursuant to this Regulation.

## Source

Source: Regulation (EU) 2016/679, Official Journal L 119, 4.5.2016, as corrected. Only the text published in the Official Journal is authentic. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu

[Article 87 on EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679#art_87)

Text as of 28 October 2026.

This is reference material, not legal advice.

## Related recitals

This list is under review.

- [Recital 164](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/recital/164)

## Navigation

[GDPR Navigator](https://dposchool.com/gdpr) / [Chapter IX](https://dposchool.com/gdpr/chapter/9) / Article 87

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