How to Replace a Lost Driver's License

When you need a new driver's license, you typically have to forfeit your current one to the DMV. Once your license has been lost or stolen, however, this is simply impossible. The good news: So long as you have the right paperwork, replacing you license is fairly easy. The bad news: You will have to wait in line, pay the fees, and hitch a ride with someone who can legally drive. Here's how to replace a lost driver's license:

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Find your passport or U.S. birth certificate (hospital issued versions are not permissible). This will be your primary form of identification. Foreign passport holders must also have the proper USCIS documents.

2. Bring a secondary form of identification. Acceptable items include social security cards; Court Orders (e.g., name change, adoption); firearms permits; military I.D. or discharge papers; and marriage certificates.

3. Head to the nearest DMV Full Service Center or Photo License Center (not AAA). Make sure the documents you've chosen are original; copies are not acceptable proof of identity and United States citizenship.

4. Ask for an application to get a duplicate of your current driver's license. If you'd like to know what these forms look like in advance, they can be viewed online. Be prepared to pay the fee, which should be around $30.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you're ready to have your picture taken.
• Most DMVs don't accept plastic, so bring your checkbook.
• It's illegal to drive without your license. Don't risk getting caught.
• If you find the license you lost, destroy it; having two is against the law.

Resources

• How Cars Work
• Cars and Trucks and Things That Go
• Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks from A to Z