Can I directly replace my lost driver's license?
2 Answers
You can directly replace your lost driver's license. Apply for a replacement at the vehicle management office where it was issued. If the replacement time coincides with the license renewal period, you can complete both procedures simultaneously. The following conditions must be met for license renewal and inspection: Holders of large passenger vehicle, tractor, city bus, medium passenger vehicle, or large truck licenses must have no demerit points in the current scoring cycle, or holders of other license types must have fewer than 12 demerit points in the current scoring cycle; Holders of large passenger vehicle, tractor, city bus, medium passenger vehicle, or large truck licenses who have demerit points in a scoring cycle, as well as holders of other license types who have been involved in traffic accidents resulting in fatalities with equal or greater responsibility without having their license revoked, must have completed the required inspection education; The applicant must have no pending road traffic safety violations or traffic accidents; The applicant's physical condition must meet the requirements for driving; The driver's license must not be under any legal seizure, detention, suspension, revocation, cancellation, or annulment.
Last time I lost my driver's license, I naively thought I could just get a new one directly. But when I went to the vehicle management office, the staff gave me a lesson. You can't directly replace it! License renewal is usually done when the validity period expires or the old one is damaged, but if it's lost, you must report it first. At that time, I filled out a loss report form, brought my original ID card and a copy, waited for a two-day public notice period to confirm no one had misused it, and then submitted a replacement application. The whole process took about a week, and I also paid a small replacement fee. Now I've learned my lesson—I take a photo of my driver's license and save it on my phone as a backup, so it's easy to check the information if I lose it again. Remember, driving without a license is a violation, so deal with it immediately if discovered, otherwise, it will be troublesome if the traffic police find out.
