What to Do If Driving License, Vehicle License, and ID Card Are All Lost?

[McFinley]

Yang Yang

[Charlotte]

I had a similar experience before—left my ID card, driver's license, and vehicle registration certificate on the back seat of a taxi. What bad luck! I rushed back to the police station to report the loss. They said doing so could prevent others from misusing my personal information and gave me a temporary certificate for emergencies. With this document, I queued at the household registration center to get a new ID card, which involved taking a photo and paying a small fee. The process was quick, but I had to wait a few days to collect the new card. For the driver's license replacement, I had to visit the vehicle management office specifically, bringing my original household register and a few photos. A simple identity verification might be required, and don’t forget to bring your vehicle documents to handle the vehicle registration certificate at the same time—saves multiple trips. During this period, avoid driving to prevent any issues during checks. It’s wise to keep copies or digital scans of your documents at home for backup, so you won’t panic if they’re lost. Though the whole process takes effort, following the steps will get it done smoothly.