Replace a Lost or Stolen Driving Licence Complete Guide 2026
Last reviewed: September 2026. Fees and rules are taken from GOV.UK.
£20 gets you a replacement driving licence, and the online route is usually the quickest. If yours was stolen rather than simply lost, though, there is one extra step most people skip before they apply.
Below is exactly what to do, what you need, how long each method takes, and what happens if your old licence turns up later.
What Should You Do First If Your Licence Is Stolen?
If your driving licence was stolen, report it to the police before you apply for a replacement. A licence is a valuable document for identity fraud, so this protects you, and some situations, such as an insurance claim, may later ask for a crime reference number.
If your licence is simply lost, damaged or destroyed, you do not need to involve the police. Go straight to applying for a replacement.
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Driving Licence?
A replacement costs £20, whether it is a full or provisional licence, and whichever method you use to apply.
| Method | Fee | Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Online | £20 | Debit or credit card |
| Phone | £20 | Debit or credit card |
| Post | £20 | Cheque or postal order |
You do not need your paper counterpart to replace your licence. It was abolished in June 2015 and has no legal status if you still have one.
Which Replacement Method Should You Choose?
| Method | Best for | Speed | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Most people, fastest route | About 1 week | Requires internet access and card payment |
| Phone | Simple replacements, no detail changes | Similar to online | Only if details unchanged, licence not damaged, not expiring within 56–90 days |
| Post | Name changes, no card access | About 3 weeks | Slowest; needs original documents in some cases |
How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Driving Licence Online
What do you need to apply online?
- Your addresses for the last 3 years
- Your driving licence number, if you know it
- Your National Insurance number, if you know it
- Your passport number, if you have one
- £20, paid by debit or credit card
How do you apply step by step?
- Go to the GOV.UK page “Replace a lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed driving licence” and select “Start now”.
- Confirm you are a resident of Great Britain and not disqualified from driving.
- Enter your personal details and address history.
- Choose whether to keep your current photo or use your passport photo, if eligible.
- Pay the £20 fee.
- Check your confirmation email.
Can you use your passport photo instead of a new photo?
Yes, but only if all of these apply:
- your driving licence is due to expire within 2 years
- you have a valid UK passport
- you give DVLA permission to use your passport photo
If you do not meet these conditions, DVLA will tell you if they need a new photo and how to send it.
How to Replace a Driving Licence by Phone
You can call DVLA to replace your licence, but only if:
- you have a photocard licence
- none of your personal details have changed
- your licence is not damaged
- it does not expire in less than 56 days (90 days if it is expiring for medical reasons)
Call DVLA on 0300 790 6801, Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm. This route suits straightforward replacements where nothing about your record needs updating.
How to Replace a Driving Licence by Post
- Get form D1, “Application for a driving licence“, from most Post Office branches, or order one from DVLA. Use form D2 instead for a lorry or bus licence.
- Complete your personal details, exactly matching your current record.
- If your name has changed, include original documents proving this.
- Send the form with the correct fee, by cheque or postal order, to the address shown on the form.
Postal applications generally take the longest of the three methods, since DVLA has to check and return any original documents you send.
Which form do you need for a lorry or bus licence?
For a car or motorcycle licence, use form D1. For a lorry or bus licence, use form D2 instead, available from the DVLA form ordering service rather than the Post Office. The fee and documents required can differ slightly from a standard car and motorcycle replacement, so check the guidance that comes with the form.
What if you lose your licence while abroad?
If your GB licence is lost or stolen while you are outside the UK, you can still apply for a replacement using the same online service, since it does not require you to be physically present in the UK. If your passport is also affected, prioritise contacting your embassy or consulate first, since travel documents are usually more urgent than your driving licence while abroad.
How Long Does a Replacement Driving Licence Take?
| Method | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Online | About 1 week |
| Phone | Similar to online, once processed |
| Post | About 3 weeks |
Online applications can take longer at busy periods, or if DVLA needs to carry out extra identity checks. You will get a confirmation email as soon as you apply, which is not the same as the licence arriving.
Can you drive while you wait for a replacement?
If you are a full licence holder, you can usually continue driving while your replacement is processed, since your entitlement does not depend on holding the physical card. If you are a learner, keep insurance and any required documents in mind, and check with your instructor, since some will want to have seen your licence before lessons continue.
You must still bring your provisional licence to your theory test to confirm you are entitled to take it. If it has not arrived in time, you may need to rearrange your test.
Does a Lost or Stolen Licence Affect Your Insurance?
Most standard car insurance does not require you to physically hold your licence to stay covered, since your entitlement is recorded with DVLA, not on the card itself. However:
- Tell your insurer if your licence was stolen as part of a wider theft, such as your bag, wallet or car being broken into, since this can be relevant to a related claim.
- Some insurers ask new or young drivers to confirm their licence number when setting up a policy, so keep a note of it somewhere safe, separate from the card itself.
- If you are hiring a car or driving for work in the meantime, check whether the company needs to see the physical card, or whether a licence check code will do instead.
A lost or stolen licence, on its own, does not usually affect your insurance premium or your no-claims record.
Replacing a Licence If You Are Disqualified or Have a Medical Revocation
If your licence was taken away by a court, or revoked by DVLA on medical grounds, you cannot simply apply for a standard replacement. You need to wait until your disqualification period ends, or your medical condition is reassessed, before applying to have your licence reinstated, which follows a different process from a routine lost or stolen replacement.
If in doubt, check your specific situation on GOV.UK, since applying for an ordinary replacement while disqualified will not succeed.
Contacting DVLA Directly
If your situation does not fit the standard online, phone or postal process, for example a name that has since changed, or documents you cannot access, contact DVLA directly:
- By phone: 0300 790 6801, Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm, Saturday 8am to 2pm.
- By post: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AB, for general correspondence, or SA99 1BX for a formal subject access request.
Have your date of birth, National Insurance number and any previous licence details ready before you call, since this speeds up identity verification considerably.
What If You Find Your Old Licence After Replacing It?
You must return it to DVLA and explain that you have already received a replacement. You are not allowed to hold two valid licences at the same time. Send it to:
DVLA Swansea SA99 1AB
Common Problems When Replacing a Licence
- Do not know your driving licence number: you can still apply. It is helpful, not required, since DVLA can look up your record from your other details.
- Licence stolen, not lost: report it to the police first, then apply for a replacement in the usual way.
- Applied by phone but details have changed: phone applications only work if nothing has changed. Apply online or by post instead.
- Replacement has not arrived after a week: online delays usually mean extra identity checks. Wait slightly longer before contacting DVLA, since a week is typical, not guaranteed.
- Need it urgently for a test or job check: consider whether the online “View or share your driving licence information” service, using a check code, can prove your entitlement in the meantime, since it does not require the physical card.
Replacing a Lost or Stolen Licence in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland runs a separate system through the DVA, and both the fee and some options differ from GB. NI licences also have a paper counterpart alongside the photocard, since NI did not remove this when GB did in 2015. If both parts are lost or stolen, mention this when you apply, since replacing just the photocard may not be enough if you also need the counterpart reissued.
How much does it cost in Northern Ireland?
Replacing a lost or stolen licence costs £30 in Northern Ireland, compared with £20 in Great Britain. If there are no other changes to your licence, you apply for a duplicate.
Can you get urgent proof of entitlement in Northern Ireland?
Yes. If you need evidence of your driving entitlement urgently, for example for a job or a hire company, you can apply for a Certificate of Entitlement (CoE) for £7.50. To request one, phone or write to the DVA with your driver number, date of birth, and the address you want the certificate sent to, along with a cheque or postal order made out to the Driver & Vehicle Agency.
Can you drive while your Northern Ireland replacement is processed?
Yes, once DVA has received a valid application, as long as you previously held a valid Northern Ireland or Great Britain licence (issued since 1 January 1976), are not disqualified, and have not been refused a licence for medical reasons.
Using a Check Code as Temporary Proof of Entitlement
While you wait for a replacement, you may still need to prove your entitlement to an employer, car hire firm or insurer. In Great Britain, you can generate a check code through GOV.UK’s “View or share your driving licence information” service, without needing the physical card. The recipient needs both the code and the last 8 characters of your driving licence number.
This is often faster than waiting for the replacement card to arrive, and is worth using for any short-notice checks in the meantime.
Protecting Yourself After a Stolen Licence
A stolen driving licence can be used for identity fraud, since it carries your name, address, date of birth and photo. Beyond reporting it to the police, consider:
- Watching your credit file for accounts or applications you do not recognise, since a licence is sometimes used as ID for opening credit.
- Telling your bank if you have any concern the licence was stolen alongside cards or other ID.
- Keeping your police crime reference number, since some organisations, including insurers, may ask for it later.
Why does reporting theft to the police matter beyond getting a replacement?
Reporting matters for two separate reasons. First, it creates an official record that can support you if the licence is later misused, for example if someone uses it to open credit or pass as you. Second, some insurers and employers specifically ask whether a lost document was reported as stolen, so having a crime reference number ready can speed up related checks later, even if you never end up needing it.
Conclusion
Replacing a lost or stolen driving licence costs £20 everywhere, but the method changes how fast it arrives. Apply online for the quickest route, at around a week, and report a stolen licence to the police before you do.
Next, if you are unsure what your driving licence number is, check how to read it or recover it without your card.
