If you have lost your driver's license document or your digital tachograph card and would like to apply for a replacement, you must submit an affidavit (sworn statement). You can

submit this at a notary's office, at the driver's license authority for recording, or using a form. The form can be found under Links. Please note that in justified cases of doubt, in addition to the form, personal acceptance for recording may also be required.

If you can prove that you have reported the theft to the police and present the theft report, you do not need to make an additional sworn statement. You must

also submit a formal application for a replacement document directly to the driver's license authority. 

Application You must
appear in person to apply for a replacement document.

Affidavit
If you are the holder of the driver's license or tachograph card, you declare that

• you do not know the whereabouts of the document.
• the driver's license has not been secured, confiscated, or officially revoked or temporarily revoked.
• there is no court-imposed driving ban.

You must also declare that, as the holder of the driver's license, you are aware that you may only possess one copy of the driver's license. You also declare that if the lost driver's license is found, you will return it to the driver's license authority immediately.

Before submitting the affidavit, you, as the driver's license holder, will be informed of the legal significance of an affidavit.

Excerpt from Section 156 of the German Criminal Code (StGB)
Anyone who makes a false declaration to an authority responsible for accepting declarations on oath or makes a false statement based on such a declaration shall be punished with imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine.

Important note

Legally, a distinction must be made between a driver's license and a driving permit. Driver's licenses are issued in specific classes. They must be verified by an official certificate (driver's license). When driving motor vehicles, you must carry your driver's license with you and hand it over to the competent authorities for inspection upon request. If your driver's license has been lost or destroyed, you must report the loss immediately and have a replacement document issued, unless you renounce your driving license. If you do not carry your driver's license with you, this does not affect the underlying driving license. Driving without a driver's license is therefore an administrative offense (Section 75 No. 4 of the Driver's License Regulation). Driving without a driver's license, on the other hand, is a criminal offense.

• You are in possession of a valid driver's license or digital tachograph card, but the whereabouts of the document are not clearly known.
• The driver's license has not been secured, confiscated, or provisionally or permanently revoked by the authorities.
• There is no court-imposed driving ban.
• Your primary residence is in Mainz.

If you find your lost driver's license or digital tachograph card, you must return it to the driver's license authority immediately.

• Driver's License Regulation (FeV) (opens in a new tab)
• Schedule of Fees for Measures in Public Road Traffic (GebOSt) (opens in a new tab)
• Road Traffic Act (StVG) (opens in a new tab)
• Administrative Procedure Act (VwVfG) (opens in a new tab)
• Regulation on the Licensing of Persons for Road Traffic (opens in a new tab)

immediately during the interview

• Identity card or passport
• Theft report, if applicable
• Please refer to the relevant service page for the documents required to apply for a replacement document.
• Current biometric photo (size 45x35 mm, portrait format, frontal view), no digital code possible!

Note:
Since May 1, 2025, the rule for passport photos for identity cards and passports is that you must submit a digital passport photo to the registration authority. However, this requirement does not apply to the driver's license authority and therefore does not affect the application for driver's license documents. Please also note that the driver's license authorities do not have the technical equipment to take photos on site. You must therefore submit passport photos in analog form—preferably together with the complete application documents—to the driver's license authority.

Acceptance of the affidavit for recording: €30.70

• No fees are charged upon presentation of a theft report or the completed "affidavit" form.
• Please refer to the relevant service page for the fees for issuing the replacement document.

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