Lost or damaged driving licence: how to get a duplicate

Losing the card does not cancel your licence. The record stays with the transport department, and a duplicate is a copy of that record with the same expiry date.

First, the same day

Report a lost or stolen licence to the police. The Delhi Transport Department asks for the FIR or the non-cognizable report (NCR) of the lost licence with the duplicate application. Many states let you file a lost article report online.
Note your licence number. It is on any old photocopy and on earlier receipts from the transport office, and in DigiLocker if you ever fetched the licence there. Without the number, Parivahan says you will have to ask the RTO.
Keep the digital copy handy. A licence issued through Sarathi can be pulled into DigiLocker. If it does not appear there, Parivahan says the RTO has not yet moved your record to the Sarathi system, and only the RTO can fix that.

Applying for the duplicate

Go to sarathi.parivahan.gov.in and choose your state.
Under the Driving Licence menu choose "Services on Driving Licence (Renewal, Duplicate, AEDL, Others)".
Enter your licence number and date of birth, and press the button to fetch your details.
Tick "Duplicate" in the list of services. You can tick change of address or renewal at the same time if you need them.
Fill in the form, upload the papers and pay the fee shown.
If your state asks, visit the RTO on the booked date with the originals and the fee slip.

Which RTO to choose

Parivahan says to select the RTO where your last transaction was completed, for example the office that last renewed the licence or changed the address. The Delhi Transport Department explains why: the duplicate is issued by the authority that holds the record, after checking the particulars against it.

Papers

The Delhi Transport Department lists these for a duplicate:

Application in Form LLD.
FIR or NCR of the lost licence.
Form 1, the self declaration of fitness.
An attested copy of a valid address proof.
The fee.
For a commercial licence: a challan clearance report from the traffic police.

For a torn, faded or broken card, hand in the damaged original instead of a police report. Your acknowledgement slip on Sarathi lists what your own state wants.

What the duplicate looks like

It carries the same licence number, the same classes of vehicle and the same expiry date as the one you lost. The Delhi Transport Department states that the validity of a duplicate is the same as the previous licence. If the lost licence was close to expiry, apply for renewal along with the duplicate so that you do not pay and visit twice.

Delhi adds one special case: if the licence is lost and has also been expired for more than six months, the case needs permission from the department's headquarters. Other states have their own rule for this, so ask before you apply.

Fee

The fee for a duplicate is shown on Sarathi before you pay, with your state's charges included. We have not printed a figure here because the central fee table we read on Parivahan does not list the duplicate as a separate line. Change of address or other particulars, if you add it, is Rs 200 in that table.

Related cases

Moved to another state. A driving licence is valid throughout India, and Parivahan says a no objection certificate is not required for a driving licence. You can ask the local RTO about applying there.
Lost the learner's licence. Print it again from Sarathi where your state allows, or contact the RTO.
Two licences for different vehicles. Some states offer a "DL Club" service on Sarathi that joins them into one record.
Wrong details printed. That is a correction, not a duplicate. Go to the RTO with the originals.
Licence approved but never delivered. Ask the RTO for the dispatch tracking number and follow it with the post office.

Driving in the meantime

Carry the acknowledgement of your duplicate application and keep the licence available in DigiLocker or mParivahan. How a digital copy or a receipt is treated at a roadside check is for the enforcing officer and your state's rules; if in doubt, ask the RTO when you apply.

Questions people ask

How do I apply for a duplicate driving licence?

On sarathi.parivahan.gov.in choose your state, then "Services on Driving Licence" under the Driving Licence menu, enter your licence number and date of birth, and select Duplicate.

Is an FIR needed for a lost driving licence?

The Delhi Transport Department asks for the FIR or NCR of the lost licence. Other states ask for a police report or a lost article report; your acknowledgement slip shows which.

Does a duplicate licence get a new expiry date?

No. It has the same validity as the licence it replaces. Apply for renewal as well if the expiry is near.

Which RTO issues the duplicate?

The one that holds your record. Parivahan says to select the RTO where your last transaction was completed.

I have moved to another state. Do I need an NOC for my licence?

Parivahan says an NOC is not required for a driving licence, and that the licence is valid throughout India.

Check before you go. These facts were read on the official Parivahan website and the Delhi Transport Department website on 11 November 2026. Rules and fees change, and states add their own charges and steps. Your state's page on sarathi.parivahan.gov.in is the final word. This is not a government site.

Next step

Renewal rules Documents and forms