How to Get Another ID When Yours Is Lost or Stolen

To replace a lost or stolen ID, gather your identity, Social Security, and residency documents and apply through your state’s motor vehicle agency for a driver’s license or state ID card, or submit Form DS-11 to the U.S. Department of State for a passport. If you plan to fly domestically or enter federal buildings, your replacement state card should carry the REAL ID star, which federal agencies have been enforcing since May 7, 2025.¹

Replacing a Driver’s License or State ID Card

Every state handles replacement through its motor vehicle agency, and most now offer three routes: online, by mail, or in person. Online is the fastest option when nothing about your information has changed. You log in to your state’s motor vehicle portal, confirm your details, pay the fee, and the new card ships to the address on file.

If you need to walk into an office, bring:

Proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, valid passport, or other government-issued photo ID
Your Social Security number, shown on your Social Security card, a W-2, or a pay stub with the full number
Two proofs of residency, such as utility bills, bank statements, a lease, or vehicle registration dated within the past year

These document rules come from the REAL ID Act, which set federal minimum standards for state-issued IDs used for official purposes like boarding a commercial flight.² Your state may ask for more, so check the agency website before you go. Many offices let you book an appointment, which skips the walk-in line. When you apply in person, most states hand you a temporary paper ID on the spot, good until the permanent card arrives by mail.

Replacement fees generally fall between $10 and $45, depending on your state, your age, and whether you’re getting a straight duplicate or a full renewal. Some states waive the fee for residents over 65 or for people with qualifying disabilities. Cards usually arrive within two to four weeks, and some states move faster on duplicates when no new photo is needed.

If your card was stolen, filing a police report creates a paper trail in case someone tries to use your identity. Some motor vehicle offices will also waive certain requirements or move your application along more quickly when you can show documentation of the theft.

Making Sure Your New Card Is REAL ID Compliant

If your driver’s license or state ID doesn’t show a star marking in the upper corner, it won’t get you through a TSA checkpoint or into a federal facility. A valid U.S. passport still works as an alternative at airport security, but if you don’t carry a passport day to day, you need the compliant card.

A REAL ID replacement requires, at minimum: documentation of your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, two proofs of your current home address, and proof of lawful status in the United States.³ If you already have a compliant card and are just requesting a duplicate with no changes, most states won’t make you resubmit everything. If your current card lacks the star, upgrading during the replacement process saves you a second trip later.

Replacing a U.S. Passport

A passport works as both a travel document and a strong form of federal ID. Before you apply, decide whether you need the passport book, the passport card, or both. The book covers all international travel by air, land, or sea. The card is smaller and cheaper but is only valid for land and sea crossings into the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean destinations.⁴

Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Passports

If your passport is missing, report it before you apply for a new one. File Form DS-64 online at the State Department’s website, by phone at 1-877-487-2778, or by mailing the paper form.⁵ Once you report it, the State Department permanently invalidates that passport. Even if it turns up in a coat pocket the next day, it’s dead. That matters because an unreported stolen passport can be used for identity fraud or unauthorized travel in your name.

After filing DS-64, apply for a replacement using Form DS-11. You cannot renew by mail after reporting a passport lost or stolen.⁶ DS-11 also applies if this is your first passport, if you were under 16 when your last one was issued, or if your previous passport was issued more than 15 years ago.⁷

DS-11 must be filed in person at a passport acceptance facility, which is typically a post office, county clerk’s office, or library designated by the State Department. Bring a certified birth certificate or naturalization certificate to prove citizenship, a valid photo ID to prove identity, and a passport-sized photo. The photo must be 2 inches by 2 inches, taken against a plain white or off-white background, with a neutral expression.⁸ Pharmacies and shipping stores offer compliant photos for under $20.

Renewing an Intact Passport

If you still have your most recent passport and it meets the criteria, you can skip the in-person visit and renew by mail using Form DS-82. Eligibility: your passport must have been issued when you were 16 or older, issued within the last 15 years, never reported lost or stolen, and not significantly damaged beyond normal wear.⁶ Submit the form with your current passport, a new photo, and payment, and use a trackable mailing service so you can watch the package.

When You’ve Lost Every Document

This is the scenario no one plans for: your wallet was stolen or your house flooded, and you have no photo ID, no Social Security card, and no birth certificate. Rebuilding takes a specific order, and it’s slower than a standard replacement.

Start with your birth certificate. Contact the vital records office in the state where you were born. Most vital records offices accept secondary identification when you don’t have a government-issued photo ID: utility bills, bank statements, pay stubs showing your name and Social Security number, or a vehicle registration. The accepted combinations vary, so call first.

Next, replace your Social Security card. The Social Security Administration accepts a wider range of identity documents than most people expect. Without a driver’s license or passport, employee ID cards, school ID cards, and health insurance cards can serve as identity proof.⁹ Visit a local SSA office in person with your original documents.

Once you have a birth certificate and Social Security card, walk into your state’s motor vehicle office and apply for a new driver’s license or state ID through the standard process. The whole chain can take several weeks, so start immediately. If you’re in a temporary living situation like a shelter, staff can often write a letter on facility letterhead confirming your residence.

Updating Your ID After a Name Change

If your name has changed through marriage, divorce, or a court order, your replacement needs to reflect your current legal name, and the sequence matters. Social Security first, motor vehicle agency second, passport last.

To update your Social Security card, complete Form SS-5 and bring an original or certified copy of the name-change document, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order. The SSA does not accept photocopies or notarized copies. You’ll also need an identity document and proof of citizenship or immigration status.⁹ If the name change happened more than two years ago, the SSA may want additional verification, so bring an identity document in your prior name as well.

Once the SSA processes the change, which typically takes one to two business days, visit your state motor vehicle office with the updated Social Security card and your name-change document. The motor vehicle database checks your name against SSA records, so updating Social Security first prevents a mismatch that would delay your application. Finally, if your passport shows your old name, you can renew by mail with a name-change document or apply in person, depending on your eligibility.

Fees and Processing Times

State ID and driver’s license replacement fees generally range from $10 to $45. Some states charge less for a simple duplicate than for a renewal or upgrade. Motor vehicle offices generally accept credit cards, debit cards, checks, and sometimes cash, though accepted methods vary by location.

Federal passports take longer. As of April 2026, routine processing runs four to six weeks and expedited processing takes two to three weeks.¹⁰ Those timeframes don’t include mailing. It can take up to two weeks for your application to reach the processing center and another two weeks for the finished passport to reach you, so the realistic total for a routine application is closer to eight to ten weeks from the day you drop it in the mail. One-to-three-day shipping of the finished book costs $22.05 and applies only to U.S. addresses.¹¹

Passport fees split into an application fee paid to the State Department and, for in-person DS-11 filings, a $35 execution fee paid to the acceptance facility. Common combinations for adults in 2026:

First-time adult passport book: $130 application + $35 execution ($165 total)
First-time adult passport card: $30 application + $35 execution ($65 total)
First-time book and card together: $160 application + $35 execution ($195 total)
Adult passport book renewal by mail (DS-82): $130, no execution fee
Adult passport card renewal by mail: $30
Expedited processing: $60 added to any of the above

Applying for the book and card together saves $35 compared to filing them separately.¹¹ At the acceptance facility, the execution fee typically goes by check or money order to the facility, and the application fee by check or money order to the U.S. Department of State.

Emergency and Urgent Travel

If you have confirmed international travel within 14 days or need a foreign visa within 28 days, you can book an appointment at one of 26 regional passport agencies for urgent processing. Bring proof of your travel plans, such as a flight itinerary or a letter from a foreign embassy. Life-or-death emergencies involving an immediate family member may qualify for processing within two to three business days, with supporting documentation like a death certificate or hospital statement.¹² Call 1-877-487-2778 during business hours or 202-647-4000 evenings and weekends to schedule.

1
Transportation Security Administration. TSA Publishes Final Rule on REAL ID Enforcement Beginning May 7, 2025
2
Department of Homeland Security. REAL ID Act of 2005
3
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions
4
U.S. Department of State. Compare a Passport Card and Book
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USAGov. Lost or Stolen Passports
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
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U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport DS-11
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U.S. Department of State. Digital Image Requirements
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Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
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U.S. Department of State. Get Your Processing Time
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U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast