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Lost driving licence: replace it through DVLA in Great Britain

Use GOV.UK to replace a lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed full or provisional driving licence if you live in Great Britain and are not disqualified. Northern Ireland has a separate service; a saved scan is not a replacement licence.

Dokus teamReviewed on · 2 min read · 2 sources

Losing the card requires an issuer replacement. DVLA’s online guidance covers residents of England, Scotland and Wales. If the licence was stolen, contact the police. Use the linked Northern Ireland service if that is your licensing authority.

Start the replacement

  1. Check that you are using the DVLA route for your full or provisional licence and that you are not disqualified.
  2. Open the replacement service from GOV.UK and sign in or create the sign-in details it requests.
  3. Follow any identity-verification instructions. The service tells you whether verification is necessary.
  4. Review the application and pay the stated replacement fee.
  5. Keep DVLA’s confirmation email and any application reference.

A paper counterpart is not needed for the online replacement. If the online route does not fit, consult the official phone and postal alternatives, rather than repeatedly submitting applications.

If the missing card turns up

DVLA instructs you to return the old licence if you find it after applying for or receiving the replacement. Open the current guidance for the return address and include the requested explanation. Do not keep both cards in use.

Replace the reference copy too

When the new card arrives, check its details. A clearly named personal scan can help you find information later, but it does not establish your current entitlement to drive or replace the issuer’s checks.

Use the UK licence-to-PDF guide for that separate storage task. If you prepare a permitted reference PDF through the conversion tool, open the output and check both sides before keeping it. The result remains an image-based personal copy.

Questions about a lost licence

Does DVLA handle Northern Ireland replacements?

Northern Ireland uses a separate service. Follow the official link from GOV.UK for that jurisdiction.

Can I use a photo instead of ordering a replacement?

A saved photograph is a personal record, not a replacement licence. Use the issuer’s replacement procedure.

What if I find the old licence after applying?

Follow DVLA’s instruction to return the old licence with an explanation. The current official page provides the address.

Sources

  1. GOV.UK: Replace a driving licence online
  2. GOV.UK: Replacement licence by phone or post

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