Driving licence: what to do if it is lost or stolen
What do you do if you lose your driving licence?
If your driving licence is stolen, you should contact the police. You then need to contact the DVLA. To replace your licence, you need to be a resident of Great Britain (there is a different service in Northern Ireland). You must not be disqualified from driving for any reason, and it will cost £20 to get a replacement licence. You need to provide addresses where you have lived for the last 3 years. If you know them, provide your driving licence number, National Insurance number and passport number.
Can I drive without my licence on me?
Providing you have applied for a replacement driving licence and you are not disqualified from driving for any reason, you can continue to drive while you wait for your new licence to be issued.
What if I find my old driving licence?
If you panicked and applied for a new licence but then find your old one, you will need to send your old one back to the DVLA as it will no longer be valid when the new one has been issued.
Lost licence abroad: what to do
If you plan to drive abroad, then you need to take your driving licence with you, check whether it is valid and get it renewed before you go if it is about to expire.
If your licence is stolen while you are temporarily abroad, you will need to contact the local police to get a report and then possibly talk to the embassy or consulate, depending on where you are.
Always make a note of your driving licence number, postcode, National Insurance number and passport number to speed up the process of applying for a replacement licence.
There are no changes to the rights and status of European nationals in the UK or UK nationals in the EU as a result of the referendum for the UK to leave the EU.
How do I replace a lost or stolen provisional driving licence?
First of all, confirm that you have lost the document by retracing your steps and conducting a thorough search. If it’s definitely missing, then in case of theft, contact the police as you would for a full licence. Once all this has been established, you can apply for a replacement online from the DVLA.
However, you can’t take your theory or practical driving test without your provisional driving licence, so make sure you have it on you when you go to your test.
Tip: take a picture of your licence so that you have all the relevant information saved in case of loss or theft.
Can I replace a licence over the phone?
The DVLA replacement service offers options to apply online, by post, or by phone. By phone, you can apply for a new licence if none of your details has changed from those on your previous licence.
If you apply by post, you might wait a little longer to receive your replacement licence -up to three weeks. Forms are available from the Post Office and can be completed with a pen.
What about photos?
If you have a valid UK passport, then the DVLA can use the same photo on your driving licence. If you don’t have a passport or there is some other issue with your photo, then you can update your photo when you apply for a new licence.
Whether it has been lost or stolen, your driving licence is an essential document. ViaMichelin strongly advises you to take the necessary steps to renew it as soon as possible!
