Driver’s license is missing: What to do? Do I need to report it to the police?

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A driver's license is an important document used to verify the identity of the driver and is proof of legal driving. If your license is lost, there may be concerns about its use and legal requirements.

Therefore, taking action to apply for a new license is necessary. In this article, Motorist will explain the steps and things you should know about applying for a new driving license if your license is lost.

Do I need to file a police report?

In the past, filing a police report was a necessary step when a driver’s license was lost. However, the Department of Land Transport has now adjusted the process to facilitate the public. When a driver’s license is lost, it is no longer necessary to file a police report. Drivers can immediately apply for a new license at the Department of Land Transport.

Steps to apply for a new driver's license if your license is lost
  • Prepare documents
    • Original ID card (with a copy if necessary)
    • Copy of your old driver's license (if applicable)
    • If you do not have a copy of your driver's license, provide your personal information and the type of driver's license you have for the officer to check.
  • Go to the transport office
    • Choose the transport office that is close to your home or convenient to travel to. It does not have to be the office that issued your first driver's license.

  • Submit the application and pay the fee
    • Inform the officer about the loss of your driver's license.
    • Pay the fee for issuing a new driver's license (approximately 100-200 baht, depending on the type of driver's license).

  • Take photo and print your new driver's license
    • After paying the fee, the officer will have you take a photo and issue a new driver's license immediately.
Additional information
  • If you are still using a paper driver’s license, you can change to a smart card driver’s license at this stage.
  • To prevent future loss, you should use the DLT QR License application from the Department of Land Transport, which can display digital driving license information and can be used in place of a real driving license in some cases.
  • If your driving license is about to expire, you can renew it at the same time as issuing a new one in one step.

The process when losing a driver's license is now more convenient. There is no need to report to the police like before. Just prepare the documents and go to the transport office. Then you will receive a new driving license to use.

Read More:  Did you know? Now we can check our driving license points by ourselves!


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