What to do if your driving licence is either lost or stolen

The Guardian

16-07-2025

Mislaying your driving licence, or having it stolen, can be a real hassle and leave you vulnerable to fraud, so it is important to act quickly to protect your personal information.
Contact your local police station or call 101 to report a stolen full or provisional licence. They will then give you a crime reference number. This can be important if your licence is used for fraudulent activity later on. If you've misplaced it, this isn't a necessary step, but can be a good idea if you think there's a chance it might have been stolen.
Apply for a replacement licence through the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website if you are in England, Scotland and Wales (or the DVA in Northern Ireland), or by phone and post. If you are applying by post, you will need to complete and send the D1 application for a driving licence form, which is available from most post offices. You can also apply by phone, but only if you have a photocard driving licence and none of your details have changed. A new licence costs £20.
Keep an eye on your bank accounts for any suspicious activity, just in case your licence is being used for identity theft. It is a good idea to notify your bank, too, so they can flag any suspicious activity.
Consider getting identity theft protection if you are worried about fraud. These services monitor your credit for any unusual activity. You can apply for protective registration with Cifas, the UK's fraud prevention service – this costs £30 for two years. Experian's Identity Plus offers a similar service – it's free for 30 days and £10.99 a month after.
In the UK you are allowed to drive while you wait for a new licence to arrive.
Once you have reported the theft or loss, and completed an application for a replacement licence, you should receive a new one within a week. Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself in future:
Make a record of your new driving licence number – it's the unique 16-character code that can be found underneath the licence's expiry date.
Keep it in a secure place, to avoid losing it, or having it stolen again. If the police pull you over while driving, you're allowed up to a week to take your licence into your local police station, so you don't need to carry it on you at all times.
Set up alerts for your bank accounts to stay ahead of any large or unusual transactions, and be extra cautious with your personal details in the future.
If you find your old licence after you've applied for, or received, a new one, you need to return it to the DVLA with a note explaining what has happened. You can find the address on the Gov.uk website.